AMRITSAR March 11, 2024 The ‘Shaheedi Gallery’ (martyrdom gallery) developed in memory of Sikhs martyred during the military attack on Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the Central Sikh shrines, by the then Government of India, was inaugurated and opened for the Sangat after Ardas (Sikh prayer) on Saturday.

This Gallery has been dedicated to Shaheed Bhai Amrik Singh, then President of All India Sikh Student Federation, Shaheed Bhai Shabeg Singh, and Shaheed Baba Thara Singh. Led by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, all attained martyrdom while fighting security forces to defend the holiest Sikh shrine.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) assigned the Sewa (voluntary service) of this task to Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa, head of Damdami Taksal. In this martyrdom gallery, a model of the damaged building of Sri Akal Takht Sahib in June 1984 Ghallughara (holocaust), and photos of martyred Sikhs and Sikh women have been installed. Along with this, a special arrangement has also been made to show a documentary describing the history of the holocaust in digital form.

On the occasion of presenting the Shaheedi Gallery to Sangat, head granthi of Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib and Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami, Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib Giani Sultan Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Giani Harpreet Singh, head of Damdami Taksal Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa and other prominent personalities of the Panth were present.

Speaking on this occasion, Giani Raghbir Singh said that this martyrdom gallery is an everlasting memorial of those martyrs who were martyred during the 1984 Ghallughara. He said that this memorial will give information to the future generation about the massacre that happened during this Ghallughara and also about the martyred Sikh men and women. Giani Raghbir Singh said that this martyrdom gallery will be a source of inspiration for the coming generations and the Sangat will gain the community’s spirit from here. He appealed to the Sangat that while visiting the Sri Harmandar Sahib, they must also visit this martyrdom gallery near Gurdwara Jhanda-Bunga Sahib inside the complex.

Meanwhile, the SGPC President said that the governments of the time before independence attacked Sikh shrines several times. In independent India, the Congress government of the time attacked Sri Akal Takht Sahib and martyred many Sikhs. He said that the Sikh community can never forget these wounds given by the government. This martyrdom gallery developed at Sri Darbar Sahib complex in memory of the martyrs will always remind the Sangat of those martyrs. The SGPC President said that even today the governments are trying to weaken the principle of Sri Akal Takht Sahib in a hidden manner, for which the community needs to unite.

On this occasion, Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa, thanked the dignitaries who arrived at the event and also thanked the people who supported the Sewa of Shaheedi Gallery. He said that the Sewa of this community’s task was entrusted by the SGPC to Damdami Taksal, which has been completed the same with the support of the Sangat. He said that the photos of Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale and his companions, as well as innocent Sikh men and women, who gave martyrdom for the protection of religion during the Ghallughar, have been installed in the Shaheedi Gallery. Meanwhile, in gratitude for the completion of Kar Sewa, the bhog (concluding ceremony) of Sri Akhand Path Sahib was held at Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Gurbaksh Singh Ji.