This article is about the city. For the district see Amritsar district.

Amritsar ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਸਿਫਤੀ ਦਾ ਘਰ (Amritsar- the abode of divine qualities)
—  city  —
Nightview of the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple)
Amritsar ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ Location of Amritsar ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ in Punjab and India
Coordinates	31°38′N 74°52′E / 31.64°N 74.86°E / 31.64; 74.86Coordinates: 31°38′N 74°52′E / 31.64°N 74.86°E / 31.64; 74.86
Country	India
State	Punjab
District(s)	Amritsar
Akal Takht
Population • Metro	1,132,761[1] (2011[update]) • 1,183,705[2]
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Codes • Pincode • 143-001 • Telephone • +91 183 XXX XXXX • Vehicle • PB02
Website	www.amritsarcorp.com

A typical chilly Amritsar morning

Amritsar ( pronunciation (help·info); Punjabi: ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ IPA: [əmːɾɪt̪səɾ], historically also known as ਰਾਮਦਾਸਪੁਰ Rāmdāspur and colloquially as ਅੰਬਰਸਰ, Ambarsar) is a city in the north-western part of India. It is the spiritual center for the Sikh religion and the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district in the state of Punjab.

It is home to the Harmandir Sahib (referred to as the "Golden Temple" in the western media), the spiritual and cultural center for the Sikh religion. This important Sikh shrine attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal with more than 100,000 visitors on week days alone and is the most popular destination for Non-resident Indians (NRI) in the whole of India. The city also houses the Sikh temporal and political authority, Akal Takht, as well as the Sikh Parliament.

The 2011 Indian census reported the population of the city to be 1,132,761. Amritsar is situated 217 kilometres (135 mi) northwest of state capital Chandigarh and is 32 kilometres (20 mi) east of Lahore, Pakistan and therefore, very close to India's western border with Pakistan.

The main commercial activities include tourism, carpets and fabrics, farm produce, handicrafts, service trades, and light engineering. The city is known for its rich cuisine and culture, and for the tragic incident of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919 under British Rule. Amritsar is home to Central Khalsa Orphanage, which was once a home to Shaheed Udham Singh, a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement.

History[link]

Amritsar is one of the largest cities of the Punjab state in India. The city origin lays in the village of Tung, and was named after the lake founded by the fourth Sikh Guru Ram Das in 1574 on land bought by him for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung. Earlier Guru Ram Das had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near the village of Sultanwind in 1564 (according to one source in 1570). It could not be completed before 1588. In 1574, Guru Ram Das built his residence and moved to this place. At that time, it was known as Guru Da Chakk. (Later, it came to be known as Chakk Ram Das.)

Amritsar is dominated by the history of Sikhs and many of their sacred shrines are found in and around the city. Amritsar's central walled city has narrow streets mostly developed in the 17th and 18th century. The city is a peculiar example of an introverted planning system with unique areas called Katras. The Katras are self styled residential units that provided unique defence system during attacks on the city.

The city lies on the main Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) from Delhi to Amritsar connecting to Lahore in Pakistan. The G. T. Road, built by Sher Shah Suri, runs through the whole of the northern half of the Indian subcontinent, connecting Peshawar, Pakistan to Sonargaon, Bangladesh. The city is also connected to most other major cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta by an extensive network of rail system. The city also provides air connectivity to major Indian cities, as well as international cities such as Birmingham, Toronto, Dubai, Singapore, Tashkent, Ashgabat, London etc. from the Raja Sansi International Airport, recently renamed as Guru Ramdas International Airport. The airport is being developed for increasing demand in future; a new International inbound and outbound terminal is operational, and a cargo terminal is under construction. The city is the administrative center for the Amritsar District. However, it did not become the industrial center of Punjab due to its proximity to the volatile Indo-Pakistan border.

Partition of 1947[link]

Partition of British India into India and Pakistan had the most profound effect on the demographics, economics, social structure and culture of Amritsar. The state of Punjab was divided between India and Pakistan and Amritsar became a border city, often on the front lines of India-Pakistan wars. Prior to partition, the Muslim league wanted to incorporate Amritsar into Pakistan because of the Amritsar's proximity to Lahore (a distance of 30 miles) and a nearly 50% Muslim population, but the city became part of India. The Indian National Congress had similar aims of incorporating Lahore into India as Lahore was the cultural, economic, and political capital of undivided Punjab and Hindus and Sikhs constituted nearly 50% of the population, but Lahore became a part of Pakistan. Amritsar and Lahore experienced some of the worst communal riots during the partition of India. Muslim residents of Amritsar left the city en-masse leaving their homes and property behind due to violent anti-Muslim riots in Amritsar. Similar scenes of communal carnage against Hindus and Sikhs were witnessed in Lahore and led to their mass evacuation.

Important Muslim dominated villages in Amritsar district prior to partition include Sultanpur, Kala Afgana, Abdul Kalan, Rasheed Bal, Lahorie, Qadian, Shahpur, Shahkot, Alipur, Aliwal, Allahbad, Fatehbad, Chak, Guza Chak, Jattan, Cheema.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre[link]

The Jallianwalla Bagh in 1919, months after the massacre.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, involving the killing of over 300 Indian civilians by a senior British military officer, Reginald Edward Harry Dyer which took place on 13 April 1919 in the heart of Amritsar, the holiest city of the Sikhs, took place on a day sacred to them as the birth anniversary of the Khalsa (Vaisakhi day).

Jallianwala Bagh, a garden belonging to the Jalla, derives its name from that of the owners of this piece of land in Sikh times. It was then the property the family of Sardar Himmat Singh Jallevalia (d. 1829), a noble in the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780–1839), who originally came from the village of Jalla, now in Fatehgarh Sahib district of the Punjab. The family were collectively known as Jallhevale or simply Jallhe or Jalle, although their principal seat later became Alavarpur in Jallandhar district. The site, once a garden or garden house, was in 1919 an uneven and unoccupied space, an irregular quadrangle, indifferently walled, approximately 225 x 180 metres which was used more as a dumping ground.

In the Punjab, during World War I (1914–18), there was considerable unrest particularly among the Sikhs, first on account of the demolition of a boundary wall of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj at New Delhi and later because of the activities and trials of the Ghadrites almost all of whom were Sikhs.

In India as a whole, too, there had been a spurt in political activity mainly owing to the emergence of two leaders Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi (1869–1948) who after a period of struggle against the British in South Africa, had returned to India in January 1915 and Mrs Annie Besant (1847–1933), head of the Theosophical Society of India, who established, on 11 April 1916, Home Rule League with autonomy for India as its goal.

In December 1916, the Indian National Congress, at its annual session held at Lucknow, passed a resolution asking the British government to issue a proclamation announcing that it is the aim and intention of British policy to confer self government on India at an early date."

On 10 April, Satyapal and Kitchlew were called to the deputy commissioner's residence, arrested and sent off by car to Dharamsetla, a hill town, now in Himachal Pradesh. This led to a general strike in Amritsar. Excited groups of citizens soon merged together into a crowd of about 50,000 marching on to protest to the deputy commissioner against the deportation of the two leaders.

The crowd, however, was stopped and fired upon near the railway foot-bridge. According to the official version, the number of those killed was 12 and of those wounded between 20 and 30. But evidence before the Congress Enquiry Committee put the number of the dead between 20 and 30.

Crowds react to the intimidation[link]

As those killed were being carried back through the streets, an angry mob of people went on the rampage. Government offices and banks were attacked and damaged, and five Europeans were beaten to death. One Miss Marcella Sherwood, manager of the City Mission School, who had been living in Amritsar district for 15 years working for the Church of England Zenana Missionary Society, was attacked by a mob in a narrow street, the Kucha Kurrichhan. Beaten, she was rescued by local Indians who hid her from the mob and moved her to the fort.

The civil authorities, unnerved by the unexpected fury of the mob, called in the army the same afternoon. The ire of the people had by and large spent itself, but a sullen hatred against the British persisted. There was an uneasy calm in the city on 11 April. In the evening that day, Brigadier-General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer born ironically at Murree in the Punjab hills, commander of the 45th Infantry Brigade at Jalandhar, arrived in Amritsar incensed at the attack on an English lady, instructed the troops of the garrison regarding reprisals against Indians.

Meeting at Jallianwala bagh[link]

Jallianwala Bagh memorial

He immediately established de facto army rule, though the official proclamation to this effect was not made until 15 April. The troops at his disposal included 475 British and 710 Indian soldiers. On 12 April he issued an order prohibiting all meetings and gatherings. On 13 April which marked the Baisakhi festival, a large number of people, mostly Sikhs, had poured into the city from the surrounding villages. Local leaders called upon the people to assemble for a meeting in the Jallianvala Bagh at 4:30 in the evening.

Brigadier-General Dyer set out for the venue of the meeting at 4.30 with 50 riflemen and two armoured cars with machine guns mounted on them. Meanwhile, the meeting had gone on peacefully, and two resolutions, one calling for the repeal of the Rowlatt Act and the other condemning the firing on 10 April, had been passed. A third resolution protesting against the general repressive policy of the government was being proposed when Dyer arrived at about 5:15 p.m. He deployed his riflemen on an elevation near the entrance and without warning or ordering the crowd to disperse, opened fire.

The firing continued for about 20 minutes whereafter Dyer and his men marched back the way they had come. 1650 rounds of .303-inch ammunition had been fired. Dyer's own estimate of the killed based on his rough calculations of one dead per six bullets fired was between 200 and 300. The official figures were 379 killed and 1200 wounded

Operation Bluestar[link]

Operation Bluestar (3– 6 June 1984) was an Indian military operation ordered by Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India^[3] to remove sikh fighters from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The operation was carried out by Indian army troops with tanks and armoured vehicles.^[4] Militarily successful, the operation aroused immense controversy, and the government's justification for the timing and style of the attack are highly debated.^[5] Operation Blue Star was included in the Top 10 Political Disgraces by India Today magazine.^[6]

Official reports put the number of deaths among the Indian army at 83 and the number of civilian deaths at 492, though some independent estimates run as high as 1500.^[7][8] In addition, the CBI is considered responsible for seizing historical artifacts and manuscripts in the Sikh Reference Library before burning it down.^[9]

The military action led to an uproar amongst Sikhs worldwide and the increased tension following the action led to assaults on members of the Sikh community within India. Some Sikh soldiers in the Indian army mutinied, many Sikhs resigned from armed and civil administrative office and a few returned awards and honors they had received from the Indian government.^[10] Four months after the operation, on 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards in what is viewed as an act of vengeance. Following her assassination, more than 5000 Sikhs were killed in anti-Sikh pogroms.^[11] Within the Sikh community itself, Operation Blue Star has taken on considerable historical significance and is often compared to what Sikhs call 'the great massacre'.

Geography and climate[link]

Amritsar is located at 31°38′N 74°52′E / 31.63°N 74.87°E / 31.63; 74.87^[12] with an average elevation of 234 metres (768 ft).

Amritsar has a semiarid climate, typical of Northwestern India and experiences four seasons primarily: winter season (November to March) with temperature ranges from 4 °C (39 °F) to about 19 °C (66 °F), summer season (April to June) where temperatures can reach 45 °C (113 °F), monsoon season (July to September) and post-monsoon season (September to November). Annual rainfall is about 681 millimetres (26.8 in).^[13] Since 1970, the lowest temperature, −6.6 °C (20.1 °F), was recorded on 21 Jan 2005^[14] and the highest temperature, 49.7 °C (121.5 °F), was recorded on 21 May 1978.^[15]

Demographics[link]

As of the^[update] 2011 census, Amritsar municipality had a population of 1,132,761^[1] and the urban agglomeration had a population of 1,183,705.^[2] The municipality had a sex ratio of 879 females per 1,000 males and 9.7% of the population were under six years old.^[1] Effective literacy was 85.27%; male literacy was 88.09% and female literacy was 82.09%.^[1] As of 2007, Sikhism is the main religion followed in Amritsar, with Hindu and other religious minorities. The main spoken language in Amritsar and in the surrounding villages is the Punjabi dialect of Maajhi, considered to be Standard Punjabi. Other languages spoken in the city are English and Hindi.

Transport[link]

Air[link]

Amritsar airport entrance

Amritsar's international airport, Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, has more than 100 domestic and international flights during the week with daily connections to Delhi, Chandigarh, and Jammu in India and international flights to London Heathrow, Doha, Ashgabat, Tashkent, Dubai and Toronto.

The city is also close to Lahore Airport on the Pakistani side of the border.

Rail[link]

Amritsar Railway Station at night

Amritsar is well connected by rail to almost all major cities in India such as Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Indore, Bhopal, Agra, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Nanded, Ujjain, Chandigarh, Lucknow etc. Amritsar Railway Station is the main terminal station. There is a special train (Samjhota Express) that runs west to Wagah (Attari Border), which is the last station on the border in India before continuing on to Pakistan.

Indian Railways has proposed a high speed rail line to serve Delhi-Amritsar via Chandigarh and Ambala. The train is to run at high speeds of 160 km/h, second only in India to the Bhopal Shatabdi Express. It will travel the 445 km between the two cities in 2.5 hours (compared to the current time of 5 hours). Companies from Japan, China, UK and Canada have expressed an interest in the project. The contract for building the line were to be awarded at the end of May 2008. Other lines of this kind have proposed in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Kolkata.^[18][19][20]

Road[link]

Amritsar is located on the historic Grand Trunk Road (G.T Road), also known as National Highway 1, and therefore very well connected to the road network. Daily bus services run to and from Ambala, Patiala, Delhi, Chandigarh and Jammu. Rs 450 crores is being spent to expand the Amritsar-Jalandhar stretch of G.T. Road to four lanes. In 2010, elevated road with four lanes connected to the National highway for better access to the Golden Temple has been started.^[21]

For transportation within Amritsar city, rickshaws, autorickshaws, taxis and buses are easily available. Recently, the government of India and Punjab pledged Rs. 2,100 crore for the development of a mass rapid transport system for the city. It is hoped that this will help relieve traffic congestion and improve air quality. There have been many purse snatching incidents recently and it has become a headache for the tourists. Tourists are advised not to keep purse, mobiles, cameras or other precious things with them while on road.

Amritsar is also connected with Lahore, Pakistan via the old Grand Trunk Road.

Notable residents[link]

• Maurice Barrymore, (1849-1905) patriarch of the Barrymore acting family
• Rajesh Khanna, Indian actor

Gallery[link]

References[link]

For further reading:

• Harjinder Singh Dilgeer (2005), Sikh Twareekh Vich Akal Takht Sahib Da Role, Sikh University Press
• Harjinder Singh Dilgeer (2011), AKAL TAKHT SAHIB (Concept & Role), Sikh University Press
• Harjinder Singh Dilgeer (2008), SIKH TWAREEKH (5 volumes), Sikh University Press.

External links[link]

	Punjab portal
	India portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amritsar

• Official Website of District of Amritsar
• Official Website of Amritsar Municipal Corporation
• Amritsar travel guide from Wikitravel

v t e Punjab, India History Punjabi language Punjabi people Other topics Capital Chandigarh Regions Majha Malwa Doaba Powadh Districts Amritsar Barnala Bathinda Faridkot Fatehgarh Sahib Fazilka Firozpur Gurdaspur Hoshiarpur Jalandhar Kapurthala Ludhiana Mansa Moga Mohali Nawanshahr Pathankot Patiala Rupnagar Sangrur Sri Muktsar Sahib Tarn Taran Major cities Amritsar Bathinda Barnala Chandigarh Hoshiarpur Jalandhar Ludhiana Patiala Mohali (S.A.S.Nagar)

Mary Macleod is a British Conservative Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brentford and Isleworth since the 2010 general election.

In September 2010, Macleod was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Nick Herbert, the Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice.

External links[link]

• Mary Macleod MP official constituency website
• Mary Macleod MP Conservative Party profile
• Brentford and Isleworth Conservatives
• Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
• Electoral history and profile at The Guardian
• Voting record at PublicWhip.org
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
• Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
• Profile at BBC News Democracy Live

Neeru Bajwa (Punjabi: ਨੀਰੂ ਬਾਜਵਾ; born 26 August 1980) is an Indian actress who started her career with Dev Anand in the bollywood film Main Solah Baras Ki and then moved onto working in Indian Soap Opera's and Punjabi Films. Her real name is Arshvir Bajwa.

Biography[link]

She was born and brought up in Vancouver, British Columbia. In her documentary film Bollywood Bound she admits to being a high school drop out who had little interest in studies and was always stricken by the glamour of Bollywood, so she moved to Mumbai to chase her dreams. ^[1] She was engaged to television actor Amit Sadh,^[2] according to her interview they lived in together and were set to marry in December 2005^[3] but broke off the relationship after being together for eight years.^[4]

Career[link]

Indian Television[link]

She started her career in Indian Soap Opera's in 2003 with Hari Mirchi Lal Mirchi ^[5] on DD1 before moving on to Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani on Zee TV followed by Jeet on Star Plus and then Guns and Roses on Star One where she met ex-fiance Amit Sadh. ^[6]

Music Videos[link]

She appeared in her first Punjabi video in 2003 for Punjabi singer Kamal Heer for the song Kainthey Wala. She went on to do several other Punjabi videos for different artists like Hey Soniye with Silinder Pardesi, Juggy D, Rishi Rich.^{[citation needed]} and recently she was seen in Gippy Grewal`s music video Daang from his album Desi Rockstar.^{[citation needed]} She

she also appeared in a music video "hum kis gali ja rahay hain" sung by Atif Aslam.

Bollywood Films[link]

She made her debut in Bollywood in 1998 with Dev Anand in the film Main Solah Baras Ki and then came back to the Bollywood screen in 2010 with Prince alongside Vivek Oberoi. She was also seen in Phoonk 2.

Punjabi Films[link]

She made her Punjabi Film debut in 2004 opposite Harbhajan Mann in the movie Asa Nu Maan Watna Da and did two more films with him before going on to work with other Punjabi actors like Jimmy Shergill, Amrinder Gill, Gippy Grewal, Diljit Dosanjh and Tarun Khanna. She has many blockbusters to her name in Punjabi Cinema.

Her next Punjab film is Jatt & Juliet co starring Diljit Dosanjh releasing in June 2012. ^[7] Her next film Jatt Romantic also features her again with Diljit Dosanjh followed by Pinky Mogewali with Gavie Chahal.

Film Work[link]

• Main Solah Baras Ki (1998)
• Bollywood Bound (2003)
• Asa Nu Maan Watna Da (2004)....
• Dil Apna Punjabi (2006) ... Laadi
• Munde U.K. De (2009) ... Reet Brar
• Heer Ranjha (2009) ... Heer
• Mel Karade Rabba (2010) ... Seerat Randhawa
• Prince (2010) ...Maya
• Phoonk 2 (2010) ...Arushi
• Jihne Mera Dil Luteya (2011)... Noor Bajwa
• Miley Naa Miley Hum (2011) ...Manjeet Ahluwalia
• Pata Nahi Rabb Kehdeyan Rangan Ch Raazi (2012)
• Jatt & Juliet (2012)... Juliet
• Pinky Moge Wali (2012)... Pinky
• Jatt Romantic (2012)

Televison Work[link]

• Hari Mirchi Lal Mirchi (2003)
• Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani (2003)
• Jeet (TV series) (2003)
• Guns & Roses (2004)
• Nach Baliye 2 (2006)

References[link]

1. ^ Townend, Paul. "Bollywood Bound Movie Review". Canadian Independent Film & Television Publishing Association. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Bollywood+Bound.+(Reviews).-a087019621. Retrieved 1 May 2002. 
2. ^ "Neeru Bajwa and Amit Sadh". Meet the Baliye dancers. Rediff.com. http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2005/oct/13sld5.htm. Retrieved 23 April 2012. 
3. ^ "Neeru Bajwa Interview - We're living together and are engaged to be married". The Times Of India. http://chatinterviews.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1160946.cms. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 
4. ^ "Tere mere beech mein". Mumbai Mirror. June 03, 2010. http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/30/20100603201006030216164906071e8b7/Tere-mere-beech-mein.html. Retrieved 23 April 2012. 
5. ^ Chhabra, Arvind. "Simply Punjabi - Neeru Bajwa". India Today. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/making-a-mark/4/106268.html. Retrieved 22 July 2010. 
6. ^ "Reality Shows - Just Good Friends". The Telegraph. February 24, 2006. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060224/asp/etc/story_5864676.asp. Retrieved 24 February 2006. 
7. ^ "Jatt and Juliet - Diljit and Neeru's next film". Cine Punjab. http://www.cinepunjab.com/2011/11/diljit-dosanjh-and-neeru-bajwas-next.html. Retrieved 2011-11-15. 

External links[link]

• Neeru Bajwa at the Internet Movie Database
• Neeru Bajwa at CinemaPunjabi.com

Guru Nanak ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ
A rare Tanjore style painting from the late 19th century depicting the ten Sikh Gurus. Guru Nanak Dev is in the centre.
Born	15 April 1469 Nankana Sahib (now in Punjab, Pakistan)
Died	22 September 1539 Kartarpur, (now in Pakistan)
Ethnicity	Punjabi
Parents	Father: Kalu Mehta Mother: Mata Tripta

Guru Nanak ^[1] (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; Hindi: गुरु नानक, Urdu: گرونانک [ˈɡʊɾu ˈnɑnək] Gurū Nānak) (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539 at Talwandi (present-day Pakistan)) was the founder of the religion of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.

The Sikhs believe that all subsequent Gurus possessed Guru Nanak’s divinity and religious authority, and were named "Nanak" in the line of succession.

Early life[link]

Guru Nanak was born on 15 April 1469,^[2] now celebrated as Prakash Divas of Guru Nanak Dev, into a Hindu Khatri family in the village of Rāi Bhōi dī Talwandī, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore, Pakistan.^[3] Today, his birthplace is marked by Gurdwara Janam Asthan. Some are of the opinion that 20 October is his enlightenment day rather than his birthday. His father, Kalyan Chand Das Bedi, popularly shortened to Kalu Mehta,^[4] was the patwari (accountant) of crop revenue for the village of Talwandi in the employment of a Muslim landlord of that area, Rai Bular Bhatti.^[5] Guru Nanak’s mother was Tripta Devi and he had one elder sister, Bibi Nanaki who became a spiritual figure in her own right.

Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, Pakistan

Nanaki married Jai Ram and went to his town of Sultanpur, where he was the steward (modi) to Daulat Khan Lodi, the eventual governor of Lahore. Guru Nanak was attached to his older sister, and, in traditional Indian fashion, he followed her to Sultanpur to live with her and her husband. Guru Nanak also found work with Daulat Khan, when he was around 16 years old. This was a formative time for Guru Nanak, as the Puratan Janam Sakhi suggests, and in his numerous allusions to governmental structure in his hymns, most likely gained at this time.^[6]

Commentaries on his life give details of his blossoming awareness from a young age. At the age of five, Guru Nanak is said to have voiced interest in divine subjects. At age seven, his father, Kalu Mehta, enrolled him at the village school as was the custom.^[7] Notable lore recounts that as a child Guru Nanak astonished his teacher by describing the implicit symbolism of the first letter of the alphabet, which is an almost straight stroke in Persian or Arabic, resembling the mathematical version of one, as denoting the unity or oneness of God.^[8] Other childhood accounts refer to strange and miraculous events about Guru Nanak witnessed by Rai Bular such as a poisonous cobra being seen to shield the sleeping child’s head from the harsh sunlight.

Biographies[link]

The earliest biographical sources on the life of Guru Nanak recognised today are the Janamsākhīs (life accounts) and the vārs (expounding verses) of the scribe Bhai Gurdas. The most popular Janamsākhī were allegedly written by a close companion of the Guru, Bhai Bala.^[9] However, the writing style and language employed have left scholars such as Max Arthur Macauliffe certain that they were composed after his death.^[10]

Bhai Gurdas, a purported scribe of the Gurū Granth Sahib, also wrote about Guru Nanak’s life in his vārs. Although these too were compiled some time after Guru Nanak’s time, they are less detailed than the Janamsākhīs. The Janamsākhīs recount in minute detail the circumstances of the birth of the guru. The Janamsakhis state that at his birth an astrologer, who came to write his horoscope, insisted on seeing the child. On seeing the infant, he is said to have worshipped him with clasped hands and remarked that "I regret that I shall never live to see young Guru Nanak as an adult.” he is the only one in the world can give you anything which you ask with ≥{{}}

Sikhism and travels[link]

Rai Bular, the local landlord and Guru Nanak’s sister Bibi Nanaki were the first people who recognised divine qualities in the boy. They encouraged and supported him to study and travel. Sikh tradition states that at around 1499, at the age of 30, he had a vision. After he failed to return from his ablutions, his clothes were found on the bank of a local stream called the Kali Bein. The townspeople assumed he had drowned in the river; Daulat Khan had the river dragged, but no body was found. Three days after disappearing, Guru Nanak reappeared, staying silent. The next day, he spoke to pronounce, "There is neither Hindu nor Mussulman (Muslim) so whose path shall I follow? I shall follow God's path. God is neither Hindu nor Mussulman and the path which I follow is God's."^[6] Guru Nanak said that he had been taken to God's court. There, he was offered a cup filled with amrit (nectar) and given the command "This is the cup of the adoration of God's name. Drink it. I am with you. I bless you and raise you up. Whoever remembers you will enjoy my favour. Go, rejoice of my name and teach others to do so. I have bestowed the gift of my name upon you. Let this be your calling." From this point onwards, Nanak is described in accounts as a Guru, and Sikhism was born.^[11]

Although the exact account of his itinerary is disputed, he is widely acknowledged to have made four major journeys, spanning thousands of kilometres, the first tour being east towards Bengal and Assam, the second south towards Tamil Nadu, the third north towards Kashmir, Ladakh, and Tibet, and the final tour west towards Baghdad, Mecca and Medina on the Arabian Peninsula.^[12]

Guru Nanak crossed into Arunachal Pradesh and visited most of the part. First while going to Lhasa (Tibet) he passed through Tawang after crossing from Bhutan and entered Tibet from Samdurang Chu. He returned from Lhasa and went to the famous monastery Samye and entered Pemoshubu Menchukha in Arunachal Pradesh. He meditated for some time at this location. From Menchukha he went back to Tibet, brought the residents of Southern Tibet and got them settled in Menchukha. Thereafter through Gelling and Tuiting he proceeded to Saidya and Braham-Kund, before entering the state of Assam again. Guru Nanak is the founder of the Sikh religion.

Personal life[link]

Guru Nanak was married to Mata Sulakhni at about 16 years of age.^[6] His marriage to her took place in the town of Batala. The marriage party had come from the town of Sultanpur Lodhi. The couple had two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Chand.

Succession[link]

Guru Nanak appointed Bhai Lehna as the successor Guru, renaming him as Guru Angad, meaning "one’s very own" or "part of you". Shortly after proclaiming Bhai Lehna as his succesor, Guru Nanak Dev died on 22 September 1539 in Kartarpur, at the age of 70.^[13]

Teachings[link]

Guru Nanak’s teachings can be found in the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib, as a vast collection of revelatory verses recorded in Gurmukhi.

From these some common principles seem discernible. Firstly a supreme Godhead who although incomprehensible, manifests in all major religions, the Singular "Doer" and formless. It is described as the indestructible (undying) form.

Guru Nanak describes the dangers of the Egotism (haumai- "I am") and calls upon devotees to engage in worship through the word of God (Naam, implies God, the Reality, mystical word or formula to recite or meditate upon (shabad in Gurbani), divine order (hukam) and at places divine teacher (guru) and guru’s instructions)^[14] and singing of God’s qualities, discarding doubt in the process. However, such worship must be selfless (sewa). The word of God, cleanses the individual to make such worship possible. This is related to the revelation that God is the Doer and without God there is no other. Guru Nanak warned against hypocrisy and falsehood saying that these are pervasive in humanity and that religious actions can also be in vain. It may also be said that ascetic practices are disfavoured by Guru Nanak who suggests remaining inwardly detached whilst living as a householder.

Through popular tradition, Guru Nanak’s teaching is understood to be practised in three ways:

• Vaṇḍ Chakkō: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need
• Kirat Karō: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud
• Naam Japna: Chanting the Holy Name and thus remembering God at all times (ceaseless devotion to God)

Guru Nanak put the greatest emphasis on the worship of the Word of God (Naam Japna).^[14] One should follow the direction of awakened individuals (Gurmukh or God willed) rather than the mind (state of Manmukh- being led by Self will)- the latter being perilous and leading only to frustration.

Reforms that occurred in the institution and both Godhead and Devotion, are seen as transcending any religious consideration or divide, as God is not separate from any individual.

See also[link]

• Life of Guru Nanak through Pictures

References[link]

External links[link]

• Guru Nanak Dev Ji
• First Sikh Guru Nanak Dev Ji
• Singh, Kirpal (First edition March 2004). "Janamsakhi Tradition - An Analaytical Study". globalsikhstudies.net. http://www.globalsikhstudies.net/pdf/janamsakhi.pdf. Retrieved 29 November 2010. 
• Guru Nanak by Jyotsna Kamat
• http://www.youtube.com/user/GAGANJAKHU#p/u/14/MdPutY2H3ko
• http://www.sikhnugget.com/2010/09/new-documentary-on-guru-nanak.html
• Shree Guru Nanak Dev Quotes in English and Hindi

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Guru Ram Das Ji (Punjabi: ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਰਾਮ ਦਾਸ ਜੀ [ɡʊru ɾɑm dɑs]; 1534–1581) was the fourth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was given the title of Sikh Guru on 30 August 1574.^[1]

Early life[link]

Ram Das was born in Chuna Mandi Lahore, Punjab on 9 October 1534[1] to a Sodhi family of the Khatri clan. His father was Hari Das and his mother Anup Devi. His wife was Bibi Bhani, the younger daughter of Guru Amar Das. They had three sons: Prithi Chand, Mahadev and Guru Arjun Dev Ji.

His father-in-law, Guru Amar Das, was third of the Ten Gurus. Amar Das installed Ram Das as the fourth guru on 1st September 1574.^[2]

Role[link]

As a Guru, one of his main contributions to Sikhism was organizing the structure of Sikh society. Additionally, he was the author of Laava, the four hymns of the Sikh Marriage Rites. He was planner and creator of the township of Ramdaspur which became the Sikh holy city of Amritsar. He founded it in 1574 on land he bought for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung. Earlier Guru Ram Das had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near the village of Sultanwind in 1564 (according to one source in 1570). It could not be completed before 1588. In 1574, Guru Ram Das built his residence and moved to the new place. At that time, it was known as Guru Da Chakk. (Later, it came to be known as Chakk Ram Das). In Amritsar, he designed the gurdwara (ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ) Harmandir Sahib (ਹਰਿਮੰਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ), which translates as "The Abode of God" also known as the Golden Temple.

A hymn by Guru Ram Das can be found from page 305 of the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib:

—Bani of Guru Ram Das

There are 688 Hymns of Guru Ram Das included in the Guru Granth Sahib which have various teachings for Sikhs. Guru Sahib's Bani is also part of Rehras Sahib and Kirtan Sohila, the daily prayers of Sikhs. Page 305 of the Guru Granth Guru Sahib decries the morning activity of one who calls himself a Sikh of the True Guru (God):

One who calls himself a Sikh of the True Guru shall get up early morning and meditate on the Lord's Name. Bathe daily in the ambrosial pool and following the Guru's instructions, chant Har, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. —Guru Sahib on Sadhu People and Pilgrimage Bath

Extracts[link]

ਮਲਾਰ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ॥ ਗੰਗਾ ਜਮੁਨਾ ਗੋਦਾਵਰੀ ਸਰਸੁਤੀ ਤੇ ਕਰਹਿ ਉਦਮੁ ਧੂਰਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਤਾਈ ॥ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਮੈਲੁ ਭਰੇ ਪਰੇ ਹਮਰੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਹਮਰੀ ਮੈਲੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਧੂਰਿ ਗਵਾਈ ॥੧॥
Malaar, Fourth Mehl: The Ganges, the Jamunaa, the Godaavari and the Saraswati - these rivers strive for the dust of the feet of the Holy. Overflowing with their filthy sins, the mortals take cleansing baths in them; the rivers' pollution is washed away by the dust of the feet of the Holy.

ਤੀਰਥਿ ਅਠਸਠਿ ਮਜਨੁ ਨਾਈ ॥ ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਕੀ ਧੂਰਿ ਪਰੀ ਉਡਿ ਨੇਤ੍ਰੀ ਸਭ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਮੈਲੁ ਗਵਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ Instead of bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, take your cleansing bath in the Name. When the dust of the feet of the Sat Sangat rises up into the eyes, all filthy evil-mindedness is removed.

ਜਾਹਰਨਵੀ ਤਪੈ ਭਾਗੀਰਥਿ ਆਣੀ ਕੇਦਾਰੁ ਥਾਪਿਓ ਮਹਸਾਈ ॥ ਕਾਂਸੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਸਨੁ ਚਰਾਵਤ ਗਾਊ ਮਿਲਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਸੋਭਾ ਪਾਈ ॥੨॥ Bhaageerat'h the penitent brought the Ganges down, and Shiva established Kaydaar. Krishna grazed cows in Kaashi; through the humble servant of the Lord, these places became famous.

ਜਿਤਨੇ ਤੀਰਥ ਦੇਵੀ ਥਾਪੇ ਸਭਿ ਤਿਤਨੇ ਲੋਚਹਿ ਧੂਰਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਤਾਈ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਸੰਤੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਗੁਰ ਸਾਧੂ ਲੈ ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਧੂਰਿ ਮੁਖਿ ਲਾਈ ॥੩॥ And all the sacred shrines of pilgrimage established by the gods, long for the dust of the feet of the Holy. Meeting with the Lord's Saint, the Holy Guru, I apply the dust of His feet to my face.

ਜਿਤਨੀ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਤੁਮਰੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਸਭ ਤਿਤਨੀ ਲੋਚੈ ਧੂਰਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਤਾਈ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਲਾਟਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਧੂਰਿ ਦੇ ਹਰਿ ਪਾਰਿ ਲੰਘਾਈ ॥੪॥੨॥ And all the creatures of Your Universe, O my Lord and Master, long for the dust of the feet of the Holy. O Nanak, one who has such destiny inscribed on his forehead, is blessed with the dust of the feet of the Holy; the Lord carries him across.

Anand Karaj[link]

The standard Sikh marriage ceremony known as the Anand Karaj is centered around a four-stanza hymn composed by Guru Ram Das ji. During the marriage ceremony the couple circumscribe the Guru Granth Sahib ji as each stanza of the Lawan is read. The first round is the Divine consent for commencing the householders life through marriage. The second round states that the union of the couple has been brought about by God. In the third round the couple is described as the most fortunate as they have sung the praises of the Lord in the company of saints. In the fourth round the feeling of the couple that they have obtained their hearts' desire and are being congratulated is described.

Guru Ram Das Sahib composed a beautiful bani called Laavan about the meaning of marriage to a Sikh couple. Effectively, the Guru defines a Sikh marriage as a spiritual union in these two lines: "They are not said to be husband and wife who merely sit together. Rather they alone are called husband and wife, who have one soul in two bodies."

Death[link]

Guru Ram Das died on 1 September 1581, in the city of Amritsar, Punjab.

References[link]

External links[link]

	India portal
	Biography portal
	Sikhism portal
	Punjab portal

• Sikhs.org
• Sikh-History.com
• AllaboutSikhs.com
• Learn more about Sri Guru Ram Das Ji
• Guru Ram Das Profile
• SGRDIDSR
• SGRD Gurudwara
• [1]
• GRD Academy
• GRDP
• ProudtobeSikh.com Hymn