Sikh Guru Ram Das wrote 638 Shabads, established Amritsar

Amritsar (Punjab) [India], July 30 (ANI): Guru Ram Das, who became the Guru of Sikhism in 1574 and served as the 4th guru until he passed away in 1581, was a well-known poet who wrote approximately 638 ‘Shabads,’ accounting for roughly 10 per cent of the hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib, reported Khalsa Vox.

While Guru Amar Das established the Manji system, Ram Das expanded on it by introducing the ‘Masand’ institution. Masands were Sikh community leaders who lived far from the Guru yet raised funds for Sikh activities and facilitated mutual interactions. These contributed considerably to the spread of Sikhism in succeeding decades.
Bhai Jetha Mal Sodhi was Guru Ram Das’s birth name. He was orphaned at the age of seven and went to live with his grandmother, where he met Guru Amar Das. He served the Guru and the sangat with joy and devotion, as per Khalsa Vox.

Khalsa Vox is a new-age online digest that brings to you the latest in Punjab politics, history, culture, heritage and more.

When the Mughals brought charges against Guru Amar Das, Jetha represented him in court and eloquently defended his Guru and his beliefs, impressing the emperor so much that all charges were dropped. The third Guru was immensely impressed with Jetha’s service and greatly admired him. When his youngest daughter, Bibi Bhani, decided to marry Jetha, he was thrilled. Guru Amar Das designated him as the fourth Guru and dubbed him Ram Das, which means “servant of God.” Thus, in 1574, at the age of 40, he became Guru. He is credited with constructing Amritsar, the holiest shrine for Sikhs.

According to legend, his predecessor chose the location, and Ram Dasji named the town Ramdaspur or ‘Guru ka Chakk’. He persuaded traders and artists to settle here, and the town expanded to become known as “Amritsar,” which means “the pool of nectar.” There is a ‘Sakhi’ associated with its discovery; it is stated that Duni Chand Khatri was a wealthy landlord from Patti with five beautiful daughters, as per Khalsa Vox.

According to another popular anecdote, Akbar once visited Ramdaspur after hearing about ‘Guru Ram Das’s honours and presented Guruji with a dish full of cold coins as a gesture of respect. The Guru instantly instructed Arjan Dev, his youngest son sitting nearby, to take the monies coins and distribute them to the poor and needy.

Amazed at this humility, Akbar decided to gift him a ‘jagir’ of 12 villages for maintenance of Langar but again Ram Dasji refused saying, “Langar does not depend upon jagirs. Men fight with each other due to these jagirs. These are sources of evil passions, pride, and ego. We only believe in one God and by the name of God all creatures, continents, all worlds, and sphere are sustained. God is lord of this world and next.”

Pleased, Emperor Akbar declared that he saw the embodiment of the living God in the Guru.

Amritsar flourished under the guidance and divine blessings of the fourth Guru, who read Shabads and ate langar with his Sikhs.

After appointing Arjan Devji as his successor in August 1581, Guru Ram Das returned to his former headquarters in Goindwal and assumed the name ‘Jyoti Jot’ on September 1, 1581, Khalsa Vox reported.