Inderjeet S.Bhatia “Prince ”
Guru Ramdas Ji, the 4th Guru of Sikhism, was a great speaker, poet and author. Guru ji emphasized the importance of ” Kirtan”, the Sikh hymns. Guru ji wrote 638 hymns in 30 different ragas which are included in the holy Shree Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the sacred religious book of the Sikhs..Through his writings, Guru ji shared a common message for the entire humanity to live a disciplined life full of humility and to be forever and ever thankful to the true Guru ( God). A hymn at page number 305 of Shree Guru Granth Sahib Ji, spoken by Guru Ramdas ji describe the daily morning activity of a one who calls himself a Sikh of the true Guru:
“One who calls himself a Sikh of true Guru shall get up early in the morning and meditate on the God’s name. Bathes daily in the ambrosial pool and following the Guru’s instructions, chants Har, Har. All sins, misdeeds, negativity shall be erased. ”
Another hymn at page number 94 says ,”The name of God fills my heart with joy. My great fortune is to meditate on God’s name. The miracle of God’s name is attained through the perfect Guru, but only a rare soul walks in the light of Guru’s wisdom “.
Guru Ramdas ji’s composed hymns continued to be sung daily in all Gurudwaras of Sikhism till today.
Guru Ramdas ji was born on September 24, 1534 ,in Chunna Mandi, Lahore ( now in Pakistan), in the house of Sh.Hari Das ji and Mata Anup Devi ji, his parents. Guru ji was born after 12 years of marriage of his parents. As such, Guru ji was named as Bhai Jetha. (The elder) Guru ji had his younger brother and sister. Both parents of Guru ji died one after other when Guru ji was about seven years of age. Guru ji, as an orphan, grew up under the care of his grandmother named Jaswanti Devi. From an early age ,Guru ji showed a great interest in spirituality and a deep connection with Almighty. At the age of 12, Guru ji moved to the village Goindwal along with his grandmother. At this place, Bhai Jetha ji came in contact with the 3rd Guru ji of the Sikhs, Guru Amar Das ji. His spiritual side led him to become a true follower of Guru Amar Das ji to whom he served with all his humility and devotion. Guru Amar Das ji was deeply impressed by the selfless service, seva, being rendered by Bhai Jetha ji. It is said that once, the Mughal emperor framed charges against. Guru Amar Das for propagating against the teachings of Hindu and Muslim religions. Guru Ramdas ji , then as Bhai Jetha ji, went to the court of the Emperor and eloquently defend Guru Amar Das ji’s teachings and the respect that Sikhism hold for the people of other beliefs. Guru ji told the emperor that there were no high and low castes in Sikhism. That no holy place was much holier than the other. Everyone had access to the Almighty, the God or Waheguru ji. That God was present everywhere. The emperor was convinced and the charges against Guru Amar Das ji were dismissed. The Emperor presented a robe of honour to Guru Ramdas ji (Then Bhai Jetha ji)Guru ji advised the Emperor Akbar to endow charitable undertakings of all kinds.
Guru Amar Das ji was overjoyed when Bhai Jetha ji agreed to marry Bibi Bhani ji, the daughter of Guru Amar Das ji. This marriage was solemnized in 1553.Guru Amar Das ji’s admiration continued to grow and finally, Guru Amar Das ji declared Bhai Jetha Mal Sodhi ji as his successor, the 4th Sikh Guru after renaming Bhai Jetha ji as Guru Ramdas ji, the servant of lord Ram (The Almighty). The Guruship was conferred on Guru Ramdas ji on 30th August 1574. Guru ji held this office for the next seven years.
Guru Ramdas ji embodied compassion, empathy and humility. According to Guru Ramdas ji, these qualities rid of the temptation of our pride, egoism (Ahankaar) and they help us recognize that life is fulfilled by sharing the joys and sorrows of the others. Guru Ramdas ji wrote” Laavaan “, the hymns around which a Sikh wedding ceremony,(Anand Kaaraj) is centred. These verses are recited in a clockwise circumambulations around shree Guru Granth Sahib in a Sikh wedding. These verses have beautiful reflections on the institution called marriage including,” They are not husband and wife who merely sit together. Rather, they alone can be called husband and wife who are one soul in two bodies.”
According to historians, Guru Ramdas ji initially wrote “Laavaan” on the occasion of his own daughter’s wedding. The 1st stanza of these hymns refers to the duties of householder’s life to accept the words of Guru as guide, remember the divine name. The 2nd verse and circle reminds that the singular one is encountered everywhere and in depths of the self.The 3rd speaks of the divine love. The 4th reminds that the union of the two is the union of the individual with infinite.
Guru Ramdas ji knew that dismantling the caste system, especially when it was a barrier in religious practice, would fundamentaly change the oppression and inequality plaguing the different communities. Guru ji, thus, was strictly opposed to the caste system. Guru ji advocated for equality in every community. Guru ji emphasized the openness of Sikhism to people of every caste and creed .In the great words of Guru Ramdas ji, “Birth and caste are of no avail before God. It is one’s deeds that make or mar a man. Exploiting the innocent people in the name of superstitions is a sacrilege against God and the man”.
Founding Ramdaspur
Guru Ramdas ji continued the missionary endeavor begun by his predecessor, Guru Amar Das ji. Guru Ramdas ji got built a new township named after him called Ramdaspur on a piece of land purchased from the owners of the village Tung at the cost of RUPEES 700 , collected às donations made by the Sikhs. The site, it is said was chosen by Guru Amar Das ji. The work for the construction of this township was initiated after Guru Ramdas ji’s coronation on August 30, 1574.Guru ji started with the construction of a pool with his new official Guru center and home next to it. This pool was given the name of Guru Ramdas Sarovar. Guru ji, in a bid to built a community center, a town around it, invited established traders and merchants to settle there .This holy town which thus came into existence was firstly named as Ramdaspur , but later was developed more and more from the donations and voluntary service made by the Sikhs during the Guru ship of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. This town, finally, came to be known as the holy city of Shree Amritsar.
Harmandir Sahib
The construction work of Gurudwara Shree Harinder Sahib, now known as Golden Temple, in the holy tank so constructed, was started by Guru Ramdas ji. It was completed by his son and the 5th Sikh Guru, Shree Guru Arjan Dev Ji. This magnificent structure, situated in the middle of the Sarovar, symbolizes equality, humility and spiritual devotion. Its gilded dome, which reflects sun’s rays, gives it the name “Golden Temple “.
The life and work of Guru Ramdas ji reflect the core values of Sikhism, including selfless service, devotion and the pursuit of spiritual knowledge. Guru ji’s contributions towards Sikhism, especially the establishment of the city of Amritsar and Harminder Sahib, are permanent symbols of Sikh hospitality and spirituality. Guru Ramdas ji, thus, known for his piety, humility and selfless service to mankind continues to inspire humanity on their own spiritual efforts stressing the timeless values of Sikhism and the importance of a balanced and meaningful life.
Guru Ramdas ji left for his heavenly abode on 1st September, 1581 at Goindwal (now in Pakistan) Guru ji had nominated his younger son , Arjan Dev Ji as his successor who was 5th Guru of Sikhism.
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