Guru Ram Das: The Fourth Sikh Guru and Founder of Amritsar

Guru Ram Das, honoured as Guru Ram Das Ji, was the fourth of the ten Sikh Gurus and the successor of Guru Amar Das. He is remembered above all as the founder of the city that came to be known as Amritsar, which grew around a sacred pool he began, the Amrit Sarovar, and which became the most famous holy centre of the Sikh faith. Sikh tradition also attributes to him the Lavan, the hymn recited at the Sikh wedding, which gives the marriage ceremony its spiritual meaning. His guruship continued the organising and reforming work of the Gurus before him and prepared the way for Guru Arjan, his successor. His life belongs to the devotional world that also shaped the wider Bhakti movement of India, and this guide presents it as the Sikh tradition holds it, with reverence and without false precision.

Key Takeaways

• Guru Ram Das was the fourth of the ten Sikh Gurus and successor of Guru Amar Das.
• He founded the city, first called Ramdaspur, that became known as Amritsar.
• He began the sacred pool there, the Amrit Sarovar, the pool of nectar.
• Amritsar became the most famous holy centre of the Sikh faith.
• Sikh tradition attributes to him the Lavan, the hymn of the Sikh wedding.
• His guruship prepared the way for his successor, Guru Arjan Dev.

The sections below explain, as the Sikh tradition holds, who Guru Ram Das was, his names, how he became the fourth Guru, the founding of Amritsar, the sacred pool, the city of Ramdaspur, the Lavan wedding hymn, his teachings, his service to the community, and his continuing honour in the Sikh faith.

Quick Facts

Who Was Guru Ram Das?

Guru Ram Das was the fourth of the ten Sikh Gurus and the successor of Guru Amar Das. Sikh tradition remembers him above all as the founder of the city that became Amritsar, the most famous holy centre of the Sikh faith, which grew around a sacred pool that he began.

Honoured as Guru Ram Das Ji, he continued the organising and devotional work of the Gurus before him and is also credited by tradition with the Lavan, the hymn recited at the Sikh wedding. He lived in the sixteenth century, and the details of his life are preserved within the Sikh tradition. His guruship linked the reforming work of Guru Amar Das to the flourishing of the faith under his own successor, Guru Arjan Dev. Guru Ram Das stands as a Guru whose founding of Amritsar gave the Sikh faith its central holy place, and he is remembered with deep reverence across the Sikh world.

What Are the Other Names of Guru Ram Das?

Guru Ram Das is honoured with the respectful title Guru Ram Das Ji, the honorific Ji being added as a sign of reverence, as is customary in speaking of the Sikh Gurus. He is known by this name as the fourth of the ten Gurus of the Sikh faith.

In accounts of his life and work he appears simply as Guru Ram Das, and the title Guru marks his place in the lineage of the Sikh Gurus who followed Guru Nanak. Knowing the way his name is written helps a reader recognise him across different sources, where the honorifics may or may not be included. Whichever form is used, he is honoured as the fourth Sikh Guru, the successor of Guru Amar Das and the predecessor of Guru Arjan Dev. The clear and consistent form of his name reflects the firm place he holds within the revered succession of the ten Gurus of Sikhism.

How Did Guru Ram Das Become the Fourth Guru?

Guru Ram Das became the fourth Sikh Guru when Guru Amar Das, as the Sikh tradition holds, chose him as his successor in recognition of his wholehearted devotion and humble service. The choice continued the pattern by which the guruship passed to a disciple proven in faith.

Sikh tradition tells that Guru Ram Das served Guru Amar Das with great devotion and humility and was recognised for the depth of his faith, so that he was appointed to carry on the work of the Gurus. The account is cherished as an example of devotion rewarded and of the continuity of the Sikh lineage. Taking up the guruship, he gave himself to serving the community and to the founding of the city that became Amritsar. The succession of Guru Ram Das is honoured within the Sikh tradition as a further step in the faithful handing down of the light of the Gurus, and it opened the way to the growth of the faith around its new holy centre.

How Did Guru Ram Das Found the City of Amritsar?

Guru Ram Das founded the city that became Amritsar, and Sikh tradition holds that he established a settlement, first known as Ramdaspur, around a sacred pool that he began to have excavated. The city grew into the most famous holy centre of the Sikh faith.

Tradition tells that he gathered the community at this new place, inviting people of many trades to settle there, so that it became both a centre of devotion and a thriving town. At its heart lay the sacred pool, around which the holy precinct would later develop under his successor, Guru Arjan Dev, who completed the central shrine. The founding of Amritsar is remembered as one of the great works of Guru Ram Das, giving the Sikh faith a settled and sacred heart. The city he began remains the spiritual centre of Sikhism, drawing devotees from across the world to the holy precinct that grew from his vision.

What Is the Sacred Pool, the Amrit Sarovar?

The Amrit Sarovar is the sacred pool begun by Guru Ram Das at the city he founded, and its name may be understood as the pool of nectar, from which the city of Amritsar takes its name. Sikh tradition holds that around this pool the holy precinct of Amritsar developed.

The pool became the sacred heart of the new settlement, a place of devotion and gathering for the community, and later the central shrine known as the Harmandir Sahib was completed beside it under Guru Arjan Dev. The sacred pool and the shrine together form the holiest precinct of the Sikh faith. Beginning the Amrit Sarovar is remembered as one of the lasting works of Guru Ram Das, giving the city its sacred centre and its name. The pool remains revered today, its still waters cherished by the devotees who gather at Amritsar, a living reminder of the vision of the fourth Guru who began it.

Why Was the City First Called Ramdaspur?

The city founded by Guru Ram Das was first known as Ramdaspur, a name that may be understood as the town of Ram Das, reflecting its founding by the fourth Sikh Guru. In time it came to be called Amritsar, after the sacred pool, the Amrit Sarovar, at its heart.

Sikh tradition holds that the settlement grew around the Guru and his sacred pool, and that it took its earliest name from him as its founder. As the holy precinct and the pool of nectar became the city’s defining feature, the name Amritsar came into use and endured. The memory of the earlier name Ramdaspur keeps alive the city’s origin in the work of Guru Ram Das. Knowing both names helps a reader understand the history of the holy city, which began as the town of the fourth Guru and became the great sacred centre of the Sikh faith known across the world as Amritsar.

What Is the Lavan, the Sikh Wedding Hymn?

The Lavan is the hymn recited at the Sikh wedding, and Sikh tradition attributes it to Guru Ram Das. It gives the marriage ceremony its spiritual meaning, framing the union of the couple as a journey of devotion and love shared in the presence of the divine. Out of reverence it is referred to here rather than quoted.

In the Sikh wedding, known as the Anand Karaj, the couple walk in turn around the Sikh scripture as the verses of the Lavan are sung, each round marking a stage in the spiritual meaning of the union. The hymn presents marriage not merely as a social bond but as a path of shared devotion. The attribution of the Lavan to Guru Ram Das is cherished in the Sikh tradition, and the hymn remains at the heart of the Sikh marriage ceremony today. Through it, the memory and the teaching of the fourth Guru are present at one of the most important occasions in the life of a Sikh family.

What Is the Anand Karaj, the Sikh Marriage Ceremony?

The Anand Karaj is the Sikh marriage ceremony, in which the union of the couple is solemnised in the presence of the Sikh scripture and to the singing of the Lavan hymn attributed to Guru Ram Das. Its name may be understood as the ceremony of bliss, and it is central to Sikh family life.

In the ceremony the couple walk together in turn around the Sikh scripture as the verses of the Lavan are sung, each round marking a stage in the spiritual meaning of their union as a shared path of devotion. The ceremony reflects the Sikh understanding of marriage as a joining of two souls in love and in the remembrance of the divine. The link between the Anand Karaj and Guru Ram Das, through the Lavan hymn, keeps his memory present at Sikh weddings today. The ceremony is cherished as an expression of the Sikh ideal of marriage, and it carries forward the devotion of the fourth Guru into the shared life of Sikh families.

What Did Guru Ram Das Teach?

Guru Ram Das taught, as the Sikh tradition holds, the message of the Gurus who went before him, calling people to remember the one divine, to live honestly and humbly, to serve others and to regard all as equal. His hymns are cherished for their devotion and their tenderness.

Sikh tradition remembers him as a Guru of deep devotion whose compositions express longing for the divine and the joy of loving service. His own hymns are honoured within the Sikh scripture, and the Lavan attributed to him gives spiritual meaning to the Sikh marriage. Through his teaching and through the founding of Amritsar, he gave the community both a message and a settled holy centre. The teaching of Guru Ram Das is cherished for its faithfulness to the founding vision of Guru Nanak and for the warmth of its devotion, and it continued the guidance of the Gurus as the Sikh faith grew around its new sacred heart in the Punjab.

How Did Guru Ram Das Serve the Growing Community?

Guru Ram Das served the growing Sikh community by founding a settled holy centre at Amritsar, by continuing the organisation begun by the Gurus before him and by guiding the faithful with devotion and care. Sikh tradition honours him as a Guru who gave the community a sacred home.

Tradition holds that he gathered the community at the new city, inviting people of many trades to settle and work there, so that Amritsar grew into both a centre of devotion and a thriving town. He continued the shared practices of the faith, such as the langar and the gathering for worship, and nurtured the bonds that united the Sikhs. His founding of the holy precinct around the sacred pool gave the community a focus for its devotion. The service of Guru Ram Das to the community is cherished in the Sikh tradition as the gift of a sacred and settled heart for the faith, around which its life and worship would continue to grow.

Who Succeeded Guru Ram Das?

Guru Ram Das was succeeded by Guru Arjan Dev, who became the fifth of the ten Sikh Gurus. As the Sikh tradition holds, the guruship passed to a chosen successor of great devotion, continuing the lineage of the Gurus.

Tradition tells that Guru Arjan Dev was recognised for his humility, devotion and gifts, and that he was appointed to carry on the work of the Gurus. The fifth Guru would go on to complete the Harmandir Sahib at the sacred pool begun by his predecessor, to compile the Adi Granth, the first Sikh scripture, and to be revered as the first great martyr of the Sikh faith. The succession from Guru Ram Das to Guru Arjan Dev reflects the continuity of the Sikh guruship and links the founder of Amritsar to the completion of its holy shrine and the gathering of the Sikh scripture, among the most momentous developments in the history of the faith.

How Does Guru Ram Das Fit the Sikh Tradition of the Gurus?

Guru Ram Das fits within the Sikh tradition as the fourth of the ten Gurus, the founder of Amritsar and the Guru who gave the faith its central holy place. His guruship built on the work of the Gurus before him and prepared the way for the flourishing of the faith under Guru Arjan Dev.

The Sikh tradition holds that the light of the first Guru passed in turn to each of his successors, so that the ten Gurus are revered as a single continuous guidance. Within this lineage Guru Ram Das holds the place of the founder of the holy city, the beginner of the sacred pool and the author, by tradition, of the Sikh wedding hymn. His work gave the community a settled sacred centre. Seeing Guru Ram Das within the lineage of the ten Gurus helps a reader appreciate how the Sikh faith gained its spiritual heart at Amritsar, and how the guidance of the Gurus was handed down from one to the next.

How Is Guru Ram Das Honoured and Remembered?

Guru Ram Das is honoured in the Sikh tradition as the fourth of the ten Gurus, the founder of Amritsar, the beginner of the sacred pool and the author, by tradition, of the Lavan wedding hymn. His memory is cherished by Sikhs across the world and kept especially at Amritsar.

His hymns are honoured within the Sikh scripture, and the Lavan attributed to him is sung at Sikh weddings, so that his memory is present at one of the most important occasions of Sikh life. Amritsar, the city he founded, remains the spiritual centre of the faith and draws devotees from across the world. He is revered for his devotion, his humility and his gift of a sacred home for the community. The honour given to Guru Ram Das reflects the reverence in which all the Sikh Gurus are held, and his place among them keeps his memory present in the worship, family life and sacred geography of the Sikh faith.

Guru Ram Das Today

Guru Ram Das today is remembered as the fourth of the ten Sikh Gurus and the founder of Amritsar, the city whose sacred pool and holy precinct form the spiritual heart of the Sikh faith. His legacy remains a vivid and living presence wherever Sikhs gather.

The city he founded continues to draw devotees from across the world to its holy precinct, and the Lavan hymn attributed to him is sung at Sikh weddings, carrying his devotion into the family life of the faithful. His hymns are cherished within the Sikh scripture, and his memory is kept with reverence, above all at Amritsar. His life is presented as the Sikh tradition holds it, with care and without false precision about a figure of the distant past. The legacy of Guru Ram Das endures in the sacred city he began, in the wedding hymn attributed to him, and in the devotion and service by which he gave the Sikh faith its central holy place.

Sources & Further Reading

• Ministry of Culture, Government of India (indiaculture.gov.in).
• Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Punjab.
• General Sikh studies references on the lives of the Sikh Gurus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Guru Ram Das?

Guru Ram Das was the fourth of the ten Sikh Gurus and the successor of Guru Amar Das. He is remembered above all as the founder of the city that became Amritsar, which grew around the sacred pool he began, and Sikh tradition attributes to him the Lavan, the hymn of the Sikh wedding.

Why is Guru Ram Das called the founder of Amritsar?

Guru Ram Das is called the founder of Amritsar because Sikh tradition holds that he established the settlement, first known as Ramdaspur, around a sacred pool he began to have excavated. The city grew into the most famous holy centre of the Sikh faith and takes its name from the pool, the Amrit Sarovar.

What is the Amrit Sarovar?

The Amrit Sarovar is the sacred pool begun by Guru Ram Das at the city he founded, its name meaning the pool of nectar, from which Amritsar takes its name. Around this pool the holy precinct of Amritsar developed, with the central shrine later completed beside it under Guru Arjan Dev.

What is the Lavan attributed to Guru Ram Das?

The Lavan is the hymn recited at the Sikh wedding, attributed by tradition to Guru Ram Das, which gives the marriage ceremony its spiritual meaning. In the Anand Karaj the couple walk around the Sikh scripture as its verses are sung, each round marking a stage in the spiritual meaning of their union.

What was the city of Amritsar first called?

The city founded by Guru Ram Das was first known as Ramdaspur, meaning the town of Ram Das, reflecting its founding by the fourth Sikh Guru. In time it came to be called Amritsar, after the sacred pool, the Amrit Sarovar, at its heart.

Who succeeded Guru Ram Das?

Guru Ram Das was succeeded by Guru Arjan Dev, who became the fifth of the ten Sikh Gurus. Guru Arjan Dev completed the Harmandir Sahib at the sacred pool, compiled the Adi Granth and is revered as the first great martyr of the Sikh faith.