Guru Ram Das Jayanti

• History
• Places to visit
• How to reach

Guru Ram Das Jayanti is quite a big occasion for all the Sikhs across the world. The day marks the birth anniversary of the 4th Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das Ji who was also the founder of Amritsar city.

This festival is observed to reminisce the great deeds and teachings of the Guru, along with the celebrations of his birth anniversary. Guru Ram Das's birthday is celebrated by all the Sikhs and the festivities involve offering prayers in Gurudwaras and paying respect to the Guru.  

The 4th Sikh Guru contributed a lot to the community and to the nation and that is why the festival is celebrated with much pomp and show. There is a whole lot of efforts that go into the preparation of the festival which is also referred to as Gurupurab and is marked by kirtans and recitation of Gurbani at the Gurudwaras.  

History of Guru Ram Das Jayanti 

The birth anniversary of Guru Ram Das Ji falls on the 25th day of the 7th month (Assu) of the Nanakshahi calendar which is the Ashvin month of the Hindu calendar. Guru Ram Das Ji was born in Lahore in 1534 in a Hindu Family.

When he was just 7, his parents passed away and his grandmother took care of him ever since. In fact, she also made him meet the third Guru of Sikhs, Guru Amar Das at Goindwal. 

Guru Ram Das Ji stayed there with the third Guru and devoted himself to the goals and visions of his. This left Guru Amar Das Ji so impressed that he not only fixed Guru Ram Das Ji's marriage with his younger daughter but also declared him his successor.

He did so because according to him, his two sons were not good enough to take his place on the takth, which later went against Guru Ram Das Ji. After the demise of the third Sikh Guru, his two sons became hostile towards Guru Ram Das, who then left the place and went to make a pilgrimage site that came to be known as Guru Da Chak.

When local people and traders started living there, the place began to be known as Ramdaspur and later its name was changed to Amritsar. This is how Amritsar got settled and got its name.     

Guru Ram Das Ji lived a simple life and spent his time serving the community. He is also known to be the creator of Laavan, the 4 Pheras that happen at the Sikh wedding.

He is also known for his significant contribution to the formation of Gurudwara Shri Harminder Sahib and for composing more the 600 hymns in Guru Granth Sahib. 

Major Attractions of Guru Ram Das Jayanti in India

1. Attend Special Prayers at Gurudwaras. The day is embarked with Gurudwaras being decorated with lights and hymns being performed by a group of people or budding local singers. People visit Gurudwaras to listen to the hymns that were composed by Guru Ram Das Ji and worship the Guru for his blessings.

2. Indulge in Sewa at Gurudwaras. The Sikh community and all the Gurudwaras organizes Langars to feed people from all religions, culture or castes. People from any religion can do the sewa at the Gurudwara or may accept the food in Langar. Many Sikh also organize langar outside their home to feed the poor and needy people.  

How to Reach 

Gurpurab of Guru Ramdas Ji is a festival that is largely celebrated in the state of Punjab, especially in cities like Ludhiana, Amritsar, and Patiala. The celebrations in Amritsar are very special because it’s the place that was settled by Guru Ram Das Ji. One can reach Amritsar conveniently by air, road, and rail.

By Road. Amritsar is well connected by roads and highways, hence one may plan a road trip to the city. Another way to travel to Amritsar by roadways is through the inter-state tourist buses. Tourists may reserve seats on the government-run or private buses and enjoy sightseeing and serene views of the farms on the way. From Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru one has to cover a distance of nearly 450 km via NH 44, 1,700 km via Nh 48, 1,900 km via NH 19 and 2,600 km via NH 44 respectively.   

By Rail. One must deboard the train at Amritsar Junction to visit Amritsar. The station receives trains from all parts of the country hence one will get frequent trains to commute to the city and come back. Shane Punjab, Swaraj Express, Jalianwala Bagh Express, Paschim Express, and Hirakund Express are a few popular trains on which one may book seats to reach Amritsar. 

By Air. Amritsar International Airport is the nearest airport that is located at a distance of nearly 11 km from the main city. The airport receives direct and connecting flights from all the major cities of India such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Patna. From the airport, one may take an auto, a cab or a bus to reach the desired place in Amritsar. 

You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven Trp planner.

PLEASE NOTE : Dates can vary due to cancellation or last-minute changes.