Visakhapatnam, June 13, 2013:  Some of the community members were seen pouring litres of milk into a large container and mixing with roohafzaa and sugar while a group of women ladled out the preparation and offered it to passers-by.

Shabeel, distribution of traditional sherbet, marks the custom of the Sikh community celebrating Shaheed Gurpurab where Guru Arjan Devji, the fifth Sikh Guru, stood by his convictions and accepted death with grace. He was made to sit on a burning pan when he refused to embrace Islam and marry a Mughal princess.

The Sikh Gurus were known for their worship and worked hard to spread the message of love, compassion and worship, said Balvinder Singh, one of the community members. He said, “The first Sikh martyr, Guru Arjan Devji, was becoming more popular than the ruling Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1605. There were a number of Muslims who were drawn towards the selfless attitude of Guru Arjan Devji as he used to be an efficient administrator. However, he was subjected to torture and ordered to be executed due to his increased popularity among Muslim community and for refusing to marry a Mughal princess.”

To help him control the heat, chilled sherbets were served to people where they prayed and participated in a host of religious events. Sikhs gathered at Gurdwara Sath Sangath to commemorate Shaheed Gurpurab.

The day-long celebrations witnessed hundreds of Sikhs participating in events like ‘akhandpath’, prayers, kirtans apart from relishing glasses of sherbets and langar. Jarnail Singh and his team from New Delhi performed kirtans.