The plan was executed under the direct control and supervision of Guru Arjan Dev assisted by Baba Buddha Ji, Bhai Gurudas Ji and other devoted Sikhs. The Guru appointed his trustworthy followers, such as Bhai Salo, Bhai Bhagtu, Bhai Paira, Bhai Bahlo and Bhai Kalyana, to supervise the construction and arrange for building materials.
The construction work of the new temple was undertaken with great enthusiasm and was accomplished through a continuous process. The news of the ambitious project spread far and wide and a large number of Sikhs came to volunteer. Devotees contributed a share of their earnings to the construction fund and the rich people offered huge donations. Funds for the project were collected from near and far and slowly the tank and the temple rose in its majesty of faith and beauty. After the completion of the project, Guru Arjan Dev Ji sang this hymn as a tribute:
� The Guru hath perfected my Ablution, And, contemplating the Lord, my sins have been washed off �
Some of the Sikh devotees became legends and adorn the pages of Sikh literature. The solid foundation was laid on a level higher than the bottom of the tank with lime and bricks. Broad walls were built. A bridge connecting the temple with Darshani Deorhi (entrance gate) was constructed over the support of Surang Duraries (aqueducts) mehrabs and dats (arches).
The Golden Temple was constructed on a lower level, than the surrounding area, which was against the Hindu tradition of building religious worship temples on an elevated platform. This means that visitors have to go down a set of stairs in order to pay homage to the holy shrine, showing humbleness.
Another distinct feature of the design of the Golden Temple is that it is open on all four sides unlike Hindu temples, which usually have one entrance gate. The four doors represent open entry to everyone, including all four castes, which is a privilege that the Hindu temples deny.
Guru Ji prophesied that anyone who takes a bath in the �pool of nectar� at Amritsar would be rewarded equally as dipping in 68 pilgrimages located across different parts of the country. The fame of this newly constructed holy shrine spread far and wide, resulting in daily visits from local Sikhs while those from afar came at least twice a year on the occasions of Diwali and Vaisakhi.
Guru Arjan Dev Ji�s next task was to prepare the holy volume of the Guru Granth Sahib. While doing this, the enemies of the Guru reported to Emperor Akbar that the book of the Sikhs under preparation contained some passages that degraded Islam and Hinduism. The Emperor called on the Guru at Goindwal, in 1598 A.D and asked to see the sacred volume. Some hymns were read out to the Emperor and he was so pleased with the contents that he readily accepted the request of the Guru to omit the annual revenue of the district farmers, whose crops had died due to the failure of the monsoon. The successful intervention of the Guru earned him immense popularity with the farmers of the area.