Guru Ram Das

Guru Ram Das (1534–1581), born Jetha in Lahore, was the fourth Sikh guru. Orphaned at seven, he moved to Goindwal at twelve and served Guru Amar Das, marrying his daughter in 1553; in 1574 Amar Das chose him over his sons as successor.

Facing their hostility, he moved the community to Guru-ka-Chak and founded Ramdaspur, later Amritsar, Sikhism's holiest city, where he dug the Amrit Sarovar and invited merchants. He expanded the manji system and composed 638 hymns, about a tenth of the Guru Granth Sahib. He died at Goindwal on 1 September 1581, succeeded by his son Arjan.