Join our June 1984 Commemoration ride on June 5!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

For Sikhs, June 1984 holds special significance, as this was when the Indian Government invaded Gurdwaras around India, including the Sikh world’s central Gurdwara, Harmandir Sahib (aka “the Golden Temple”) in Amritsar, India. The invasion, known as Operation Blue Star, was executed during the week that Sikhs were recognizing the martyrdom of Guru Arjan — the fifth Guru of the Sikhs — in 1606 at the hands of the reigning Mughal regime. Large gatherings occur at Amritsar for this occasion each year, and so it could not be a coincidence that the Indian army chose this date to invade.

Thousands were killed in the Harmandir Sahib complex during the Operation Bluestar massacre and the event triggered more than a decade of violence and turmoil in Punjab. The Sikh seat of authority, the Akal Takht, was also destroyed. Since 1984, Sikhs around the world remember each year this dark event in Sikh history that has since shaped our community for generations.

To commemorate 1984 and Guru Arjan’s Shaheedi (martyrdom), we’ll be coming together to ride 84 kilometers (52 miles) along the Sonoma Coast on Saturday, June 5. The ride will start and finish in Occidental, CA and will loop through the coast and back with 3,200 feet of climbing. Self-serve rest stops at local establishments are included on the route.

Park on Main Street at 3rd Street in Occidental, CA. Plan to arrive by 8:30 am and roll by 9:00 am, and stay for a post-ride lunch at a local restaurant in Occidental.

To sign up for this ride, please RSVP here.

Stay tuned for updates on this site or on our Sikh Cycling Club page on Strava. Feel free to contact us for questions.

Look forward to you joining us. Fateh!