By This anniversary, commemorated on 16 June, is an important day in the Sikh calendar.
Guru Arjan (in Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਰਜਨ ) was the first of the two Gurus martyred in the Sikh faith. Born in April 1563, he became a guru in 1581.
Guru Arjan compiled the first official edition of the Sikh scripture called the Adi Granth, and supervised the completion of what is now the Golden Temple in Amritsar. He is also known for reorganizing the Masands system, by suggesting that all Sikhs donate, if possible, one-tenth of their income, goods or service to the Sikh organization. This money financed Gurdwaras, shared communal kitchens, and acts of benevolence on behalf of the poor
Guru Arjan was arrested under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and asked to convert to Islam. He refused, was tortured, and executed in 1606. His martyrdom is considered a watershed event in the history of Sikhism.
