Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom Day - June 16 Born in 1563, Guru Arjan Dev was one of the ten Sikh Gurus who pioneered Sikhism. Out of all of them, he contributed the most to the religion. He constructed the Golden Temple in Amritsar and compiled spiritual poetry and musical ragas in the Adi Granth, which was installed in Harmandir Sahib. The prophets also mandated the Sikhs to donate 10% of their earnings to charity. In 1605, newly appointed Emperor Jahangir had the vision to turn the nation into a full Islamic empire. He demanded Guru Arjan Dev to convert to Islam — an offer he then refused. Due to Guru Arjan Dev’s lack of desire to adopt Islam, the rise of Sikhism in the region, and his continuous influence on people, he was captured by Emperor Jahangir in 1606. He was imprisoned in Lahore, making him the first of the two Sikh Gurus who were martyred. The torture of Guru Arjan Dev was unimaginable. He was made to sit on burning hot plates while hot sand was poured all over his body. This lasted for at least five days. On the last day, he was taken to the River Ravi and was never seen or heard from again. The Gurudwara Deha Sahib was built on River Ravi where Guru Arjan Dev was killed. On this day, Sikhs from all over the region gather and celebrate through processions, worship ceremonies, and peaceful gatherings to commemorate his life, sacrifices, and his outstanding contributions to Sikhism. This is a way for Sikhism to continue to live on for the next generations to come.