Question

Which of the following were contributions of Guru Amardas Ji?
(A) Condemnation of Caste System and Untouchability
(B) Criticism of Sati and Purdah System
(C) Prohibition of Intoxicants
(D) All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Guru Amar Das was born on 5th May 1479 and lived till 1st September 1574. Guru Amar Das became the third Sikh Guru of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. He became a Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552 at age 73. Guru Amar Das was the Guru of Sikhs till age 95 and named his son-in-law Bhai Jetha. Bhai Jetha is remembered by the name Guru Ram Das as his successor.

Complete step-by-step answer:
Guru Amar Das heard his nephew’s wife reciting a hymn by Guru Nanak and was deeply moved by it. After this, he went on a pilgrimage to search for a guru. His nephew’s wife was Bibi Amro, the daughter of Guru Angad. Guru Angad was the second and then-current Guru of the Sikhs. After much persuasion, Bibi Amro introduced him to Amar Das in 1539. Guru Angad met with Amar Das when Amar Das was in his sixties. He became a Sikh after that and devoted himself to Guru Angad. Guru Angad, in 1552 before his death appointed Amar Das as Guru Amar Das, making him the third Guru of Sikhism. By appointing trained clergy, Guru Amar Das introduced the 'manji’ system. It was a really important innovation in Sikhism. It was a system that extended and lived in the contemporary era. His Pothi (book) consists of hymns that he composed that ultimately created the Adi Granth. Baby naming, Anand Karaj, funeral etc. celebrations of festivals such as Diwali, Maghi and Vaisakhi and other Sikh Rituals were contributed by Guru Amar Das. He even picked the site for the Golden Temple.

Thus, option (D) is correct.

Note: The site in Amritsar village for a special temple was selected by Guru Amar Das. However, that special temple was built with the help of Guru Ram Das. Also, Guru Arjan inaugurated the temple but it was gilded by Sikh Emperor Ranjit Singh. This temple has evolved the well-known Golden Temple. It is the most sacred pilgrimage site in Sikhism.