Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth of the ten Sikh Gurus. He became the first martyr of Sikh faith when he was arrested under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and tortured to death when he refused to convert to Islam. His martyrdom was a significant turning point in the history of Sikhism. The hitherto peace-loving community took up arms for self-defense and for protecting the rights of the weaker sections against the atrocities perpetuated by the Mughals.

     Guru Arjan Dev was the son of Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru in Sikhism. He succeeded his father as the leader of Sikhs upon the latter’s death and went on to significantly influence the development of Sikhism. His tenure as the guru lasted for 25 years over which he greatly enriched the Sikh tradition with his many important contributions. He completed the construction of Amritsar which was further developed into one of the most important centres of Sikhism. He....