Guru Amardas: The Sikh Leader Who Challenged Caste and Urged Akbar to Stop Jizya

The historical narratives of the Sikhs recount a significant interaction in the 16th century involving the third Guru, Guru Amar Das Ji, and Emperor Akbar of the Mughal Empire. In that era, the Sikh path, or panth, was in the process of development. The teachings and insights of Guru Nanak Dev Ji were imparted to his successors.

Guru Amar Das Ji contributed significantly to these teachings by composing nearly 900 hymns, which are now integral to a vital section of the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Amar Das, born on May 5, 1479, made significant contributions to the development of Sikhi. Before being recognized as Guru, Amar Das Ji engaged in the practices of the Vaishnava school of thought within Hinduism. His meeting with Akbar proved to be a significant occasion.

The Guru, adhering to the Sikh principles of humility and equality, extended an invitation to the Emperor to partake first in the Langar - the communal meal offered to all, regardless of status - prior to any gathering. According to the chronicler William Owen Cole in his work The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, "The Guru also seized the occasion to request Akbar to eliminate the jizya tax during their meeting in 1567, a levy then placed upon the Hindu subjects of the empire."

The guru engaged not solely with the spirit but also with the comprehensive welfare of society. He articulated a strong opposition to the practice of sati, in which a widow was compelled to sacrifice her life on her husband's funeral pyre. Similarly, he abandoned the custom of purdah, which involved secluding women from society, their faces obscured from view. After eleven years of dedicated service to Guru Angad and the Sikh communities, Amar Das ascended to the position of the third Guru.

As the panth expanded, it assimilated individuals from a multitude of castes and creeds. Guru Amar Das Ji recognized the necessity for transformation. Guru Amardas established the practice of dasvandh, which involves the contribution of one-tenth of one's earnings for the collective benefit of society. The langar system flourished under his stewardship, evolving into a bastion of equality and service.

The genuine disciple must engage in a life characterized by spiritual pursuit and moral accountability. The teachings of the third Sikh guru persistently inspired the followers of Sikhi. In his instruction, he urged his disciples to rise early, cleanse themselves, and engage in solitary meditation. Devotees should revere the Guru's spirit and humbly submit to him.

Guru Amar Das asserted that it was fitting for the warrior class to maintain justice and safeguard the vulnerable, as this constituted true Dharma. Guru Amar Das sanctioned inter-caste marriages and allowed widows to remarry during his era. The implementation of the manji system involved the division of land into multiple sections, each assigned to a preacher known as a sangatia—both men and women—charged with disseminating the Guru’s teachings to far-reaching areas.

To enhance spiritual guidance among women, especially those from Muslim households, the piri system was instituted, allowing women to take on the role of educators in matters of faith. This afforded women the opportunity to articulate their perspectives and engage actively in matters concerning spirituality and communal affairs. In Goindval, the Guru meticulously designed a remarkable step-well comprising 84 steps.

Guru Amar Das stood resolutely against practices that inflicted harm upon women. He openly expressed his disapproval of sati, the practice of cremating a widow alongside her deceased husband.

He underscored that faith and devotion should not be manifested in the act of burning on the funeral pyre but rather in the practice of humility, modesty, and the remembrance of the divine.

He asserted that a woman who grieves her loss with grace and dedicates her heart to the service of the divine embodies the essence of a true sati. He found himself pondering the implications of a woman who had neglected to fulfill her obligations to her husband during her lifetime and the circumstances surrounding her demise following his death.

He opposed the purdah system, which mandated that women conceal their faces and refrain from interaction with men. Upon the arrival of the king of Haripur, accompanied by his veiled queens, the guru posed a question to one who refused to reveal her countenance: "If you find no favor in the guru's visage, what compels you to be present here?" Rukhsana articulates her insights in the context of Indian feminism, exploring the intricate interplay of class, gender, and identity during the medieval ages.Upon the arrival of Emperor Akbar to greet him, the Guru made no allowances.

The emperor first had to partake in langar, the communal meal that everyone shared, on the ground level. Subsequently, he was ultimately welcomed into the presence of the guru. Moved and inspired by the guru's teachings of equality and simplicity, Akbar aligned himself with the common man at the grassroots level. Akbar, recognizing the spirit of generosity, bestowed 84 villages upon Guru Amar Das, which were subsequently dedicated in honor of his successor, Guru Ram Das.

Through his actions and discourse, Guru Amar Das called for justice, reverence, and moral integrity in both public and private spheres. His principles illuminated the darkness of unexamined customs.