450th Jyoti Jot Diwas of Sri Guru Amardas

• 18 Sep 2024

Source: TT

Why in News?

Recently, the 450^th Jyoti Jot Diwas (passing away day) of Sri Guru Amardas Ji, the third Sikh Guru, was marked.

Who was Sri Guru Amardas Ji?

• About: 
  • Born in 1479 at Basarke in Amritsar district, Sri Guru Amardas Ji was raised in an orthodox Hindu family.
  • He was deeply inspired by the hymns of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and adopted Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji as his spiritual guide.
  • Appointed as the third Guru (succeeding Guru Angad Ji) in march 1552 at the age of 73, he established his headquarters in Goindwal.
• Key Contributions:
  • Guru Amardas Ji divided the Sikh community into 22 administrative districts (Manjis) to facilitate the spread of Sikh teachings.
  • He reinforced the tradition of 'Guru ka Langar' (communal kitchen) by insisting that visitors eat before meeting him, promoting equality and community.
  • His interaction with Emperor Akbar led to the abolition of toll-tax (pilgrim’s tax) for non-Muslims and solidified a respectful relationship.
  • He actively campaigned against social injustices and abolished the custom of Sati and Purdah system among the Sikhs.
  • He introduced the ceremony of the Anand Karaj Marriage.
• Legacy and Final Years:
• Guru Amardas Ji constructed a Baoli at Goindwal Sahib, making it a significant Sikh pilgrimage site.
• He composed 869 verses (though some accounts state there were 709), including Anand Sahib, and Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji incorporated all these Shabads into the Guru Granth Sahib.
• He passed away on 1st September 1574, at the age of 95, leaving a profound legacy that continues to inspire the Sikh community today.

Sikh Gurus and their Major Contributions
Guru	Period	Key Contributions
Guru Nanak Dev	1469-1539	Founder of Sikhism; started GURU KA LANGAR; contemporary of Babur; 550th birth anniversary commemorated with Kartarpur corridor.
Guru Angad	1504-1552	Invented Guru-Mukhi script; popularized GURU KA LANGAR.
Guru Amar Das	1479-1574	Introduced Anand Karaj Marriage; abolished Sati and Purdah; contemporary of Akbar.
Guru Ram Das	1534-1581	Founded Amritsar in 1577; initiated construction of Golden Temple.
Guru Arjun Dev	1563-1606	Composed Adi Granth in 1604; completed Golden Temple; executed by Jahangir.
Guru Hargobind	1594-1644	Transformed Sikhs into a military community; established Akal Takht; waged wars against Jahangir and Shah Jahan.
Guru Har Rai	1630-1661	Promoted peace with Aurangzeb; focused on missionary work.
Guru Har Krishan	1656-1664	Youngest guru; summoned by Aurangzeb for anti-Islamic blasphemy.
Guru Teg Bahadur	1621-1675	Founded Anandpur Sahib.
Guru Gobind Singh	1666-1708	Founded Khalsa in 1699; introduced "Pahul"; last guru to pass Guruship to Guru Granth Sahib.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims:

Q. Consider the following Bhakti Saints: (2013)

1. Dadu Dayal 
2. Guru Nanak
3. Tyagaraja

Who among the above was/were preaching when the Lodi dynasty fell and Babur took over?

(a) 1 and 3

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 

(d) 1 and 2

Ans: (b)