March 30

On the festival of Vaisakhi in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh summoned his followers to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab and conducted the sacred Amrit Sanchar ceremony. Five volunteers, known as the Panj Pyare, were initiated into the new Khalsa order, which embodied the ideals of Sikh sovereignty and equality. Members of the Khalsa adopted a strict code of conduct and wore the Five Ks as articles of faith. This formation united the Sikh community into a disciplined brotherhood committed to justice and defense of the oppressed. The Khalsa became the cornerstone of Sikh identity, both religiously and militarily, resisting Mughal persecution. Guru Gobind Singh’s proclamation transformed Sikhism into a community with clear symbols of authority and moral discipline. The legacy of the Khalsa remains central to Sikh life and culture to this day.

On March 30, 1949, thousands of Icelanders poured into Reykjavík’s Austurvöllur Square to protest their country’s decision to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The demonstration escalated into Iceland’s first major political riot, as citizens feared the end of their nation’s cherished neutrality and the arrival of foreign military forces. Clashes with police resulted in injuries on both sides, shocking a society long known for its peaceful nature. Despite the unrest, Iceland became the first nation without a standing army to join NATO, reshaping its defense policy during the Cold War and sparking decades of debate over its security choices.