Lives of the Gurus Β· 4th Guru
Guru Ram Das Ji (1534β1581): From an Orphan of Chuna Mandi to the Founder of Amritsar β Life, Lavan and Legacy
Guru Ram Das Ji began life as a poor orphan selling boiled grams in Lahore and ended it as the founder of the city that became the heart of the Sikh world. In just seven years as Guru he laid out Ramdaspur, began its holy tank, brought in traders and craftsmen, and composed the hymns that are still sung at every Sikh wedding. This guide covers his life, institutions and bani.
Life at a glance
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Original name | Bhai Jetha |
| Born | 1534, Chuna Mandi, Lahore |
| Family | Sodhi Khatri; father Hari Das, mother Mata Daya Kaur |
| Wife | Bibi Bhani, daughter of Guru Amar Das Ji |
| Sons | Prithi Chand, Mahadev and Arjan |
| Guru | 1574β1581 |
| Founded | Ramdaspur (Guru ka Chak), later Amritsar |
| Passed away | 1581, Goindwal Sahib |
| Successor | His youngest son, Guru Arjan Dev Ji |
Childhood in Lahore
Jetha was the eldest child of a Sodhi family in Chuna Mandi, Lahore. He lost both parents by about the age of seven and was taken by his maternal grandmother to Basarke, the village of Guru Amar Das Ji. To support himself, the boy sold boiled grams (ghunghnian) on the streets. Gurdwara Janam Asthan Guru Ram Das, Chuna Mandi, Lahore, marks his birthplace.
Seva at Goindwal
When Guru Amar Das Ji settled at Goindwal, young Jetha went with a group from Basarke and joined in building the town and the baoli. He worked as a labourer and in the langar, and became known for his gentleness.
In 1553, Guru Amar Das Ji married his younger daughter Bibi Bhani to Jetha. Bibi Bhani herself is remembered for her devoted service to her father β tradition says she once placed her hand under a broken leg of his stool so that his meditation would not be disturbed.
Tradition also describes a test of the platforms: disciples were asked to build platforms, which the Guru rejected again and again. Others gave up; Jetha rebuilt his each time without complaint, saying that he lacked understanding, not the Guru. In 1574 he was installed as Guru Ram Das Ji.
Founding Ramdaspur (Amritsar)
Even before becoming Guru, Jetha had been asked by Guru Amar Das Ji to establish a new centre. As Guru, he settled on land near the villages of Tung, Sultanwind, Gumtala and Gilwali, and in the mid-1570s began a settlement first called Guru ka Chak, then Ramdaspur.
The sarovar
He began excavating a tank, which came to be called Amritsar β "pool of nectar". The name of the pool was later given to the whole city. He also started work on a second tank, Santokhsar, which was completed by his son. Tradition records that Baba Buddha supervised the digging, sitting under a ber tree β Ber Baba Buddha Ji still stands in the Golden Temple complex.
The Dukh Bhanjani Beri
Tradition at the Golden Temple speaks of Bibi Rajni, whose leprous husband was healed after bathing in the pool beneath a ber tree. The tree, called Dukh Bhanjani Beri ("remover of sorrow"), is a revered spot on the parikrama.
Guru Bazar and the trades
To make the town self-supporting, the Guru invited people from 52 trades to settle there. The market they formed, Guru Bazar, is still the core of Amritsar's old city. This planning made Amritsar both a spiritual and a commercial centre, a role it has kept for over four centuries.
The masands
As the community grew, the Guru appointed trusted agents called masands to preach in distant areas and collect voluntary offerings for building work and the langar. Guru Arjan Dev Ji later organised this into a regular system linked with dasvandh. Much later, when masands became corrupt, Guru Gobind Singh Ji abolished the system.
His bani
Guru Ram Das Ji's hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib number several hundred and are spread over 30 ragas, the widest range of any Guru. Notable compositions:
| Composition | Raag | Use today |
|---|---|---|
| Lavan (four stanzas) | Suhi | Recited during the Anand Karaj wedding ceremony, as the couple walk around the Guru Granth Sahib |
| Ghorian | Vadhans | Wedding songs |
| So Purakh | Asa | Part of the evening prayer Rehras Sahib |
| Hymns of Sodar collection | Various | Daily recitation |
The Lavan describe the four stages of the soul's union with God, using the image of marriage. The Anand Marriage Act of 1909 gave legal recognition to the Anand Karaj ceremony.
Succession and the sons
Of his three sons:
- Prithi Chand, the eldest, managed affairs and expected to succeed. When passed over, he opposed his younger brother for years, and his followers were called Mine.
- Mahadev was of an ascetic temperament.
- Arjan, the youngest, showed the greatest devotion.
According to tradition, when Arjan was sent to Lahore for a family wedding, he wrote verses of longing to his father, but the letters were withheld by Prithi Chand. When the truth emerged, the Guru recognised Arjan's devotion. These verses are part of a hymn in Majh raag. In 1581, Guru Ram Das Ji passed Guruship to Arjan at Goindwal, and Guruship thereafter remained in the Sodhi family.
Remembering Guru Ram Das Ji
- The langar at the Golden Temple is known as Sri Guru Ram Das Langar.
- Amritsar's international airport is named Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport.
- Sri Guru Ram Das University of Health Sciences in Amritsar also carries his name.
- His Prakash Purab is celebrated with great festivity in Amritsar in OctoberβNovember according to the lunar calendar.
Exam traps
- Amritsar was founded by Guru Ram Das Ji, but the Harmandir Sahib was built by Guru Arjan Dev Ji.
- Guru Ram Das Ji was born in Lahore, not in Amritsar or Goindwal.
- The Lavan are in Suhi raag; the Anand Sahib (Ramkali) is by Guru Amar Das Ji.
Key points to remember
- Born 1534 in Chuna Mandi, Lahore; original name Jetha; orphaned young.
- Married Bibi Bhani; Guru 1574β1581.
- Founded Ramdaspur / Guru ka Chak β Amritsar; began the Amritsar and Santokhsar tanks.
- Guru Bazar: 52 trades; first masands.
- Lavan (Suhi raag) for Anand Karaj; hymns in 30 ragas.
- Successor: youngest son Arjan.
Practice questions
Q1. Guru Ram Das Ji was born at:
- (a) Basarke
- (b) Chuna Mandi, Lahore
- (c) Goindwal
- (d) Kartarpur
Show answer
Answer: (b) Chuna Mandi, Lahore β He was born in Chuna Mandi, Lahore, in 1534.
Q2. The original name of Guru Ram Das Ji was:
- (a) Lehna
- (b) Jetha
- (c) Tyag Mal
- (d) Gobind Rai
Show answer
Answer: (b) Jetha β He was known as Bhai Jetha before becoming Guru.
Q3. Guru Ram Das Ji's wife Bibi Bhani was the daughter of:
- (a) Guru Angad Dev Ji
- (b) Guru Amar Das Ji
- (c) Guru Nanak Dev Ji
- (d) Baba Buddha
Show answer
Answer: (b) Guru Amar Das Ji β Bibi Bhani was the younger daughter of Guru Amar Das Ji.
Q4. The Lavan recited at Sikh weddings are in which raag?
- (a) Asa
- (b) Suhi
- (c) Ramkali
- (d) Gauri
Show answer
Answer: (b) Suhi β Guru Ram Das Ji's Lavan are in Suhi raag.
Q5. People from how many trades were invited to settle in Ramdaspur, according to tradition?
- (a) 22
- (b) 40
- (c) 52
- (d) 84
Show answer
Answer: (c) 52 β Tradition records 52 trades, forming Guru Bazar.
Q6. Which son succeeded Guru Ram Das Ji?
- (a) Prithi Chand
- (b) Mahadev
- (c) Arjan
- (d) Mohri
Show answer
Answer: (c) Arjan β His youngest son Arjan became Guru Arjan Dev Ji in 1581.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Amritsar called Amritsar?
The name means "pool of nectar" and was first given to the tank begun by Guru Ram Das Ji; it later became the name of the whole city.
What is Guru Bazar?
The market of the old city of Amritsar, formed by traders and craftsmen whom Guru Ram Das Ji invited to settle in Ramdaspur.
Where did Guru Ram Das Ji pass away?
At Goindwal Sahib in 1581.
Official sources
- Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)
- Punjab Digital Library
- Encyclopaedia Britannica β Guru (Sikhism)
Rules, dates and figures can change. Always check the latest official notification or government release before relying on a detail.