Guru Amar Das (5 May 1479 – 1 September 1574) was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was given the title of Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552. He died at an age of 95.
As a result of Amardas's commitment to Sikhi principles, dedicated service and devotion to the Sikh cause, Guru Angad Dev appointed Guru Amar Das as the third Guru Nanak in March 1552 at the age of 73. He established his headquarters at the newly built town of Goindwal, which Guru Angad Dev had established. Guru strengthened the Langar community kitchen system. Guru Amar Das started the Manji and Piri system by appointing 94 men as Manji and 52 women as Piris for the spread of Sikhism. The word Manji (wooden cot) and Piri (very small wooden cot) are taken as the cot/seat of authority in this context from which the Sikh Manji's (male Sikh preachers) and Piris (female Sikh preachers) as the holders of seat of religious authority would teach Sikhism to other men and women respectively. Later, Manji was significantly enhanced by the 7th Sikh Guru har Rai by establishing additional 360 Manjis. The Guru had a cordial relationship with Emperor Akbar, who compared to other Muslim rulers was relatively less intolerant. Guru influenced Akbar to stop the persecution of Hindus and Sikhs by removing Islamic Jizya toll taxes on non-Muslims for crossing Yamuna and Ganges riv
Das died at the age of 95 on September 1, 1574. Before his death, he called for Sikh congregation headed by Baba Buddha that was also attended by Guru's two sons Mohan and Mohri. He appointed his son-in-law Jetha as successor and renamed him Guru Ram Das.
The stamp shows Gurudwara Baoli Sahib, Goindwali, Amritsar District.
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