It is said in 326 A.D, when Alexander conquered Punjab upto the area of River Beas, the city of Amritsar came
under the Greek influence. After the Greeks were overthrown, the district came under the rule of the mighty
Mauryan Empire which extended upto Afghanistan. Versions based on popular traditions tell that the land of
Amritsar was granted to Guru Amar Das by the mighty Emperor Akhbar, which was later transferred to Guru Ram
Das ji. According to few, the land of Amritsar was presented to the Gurus, by the inhabitants of the village of
Sultanwind.
And yet another version says, that the site of Amritsar was a community land lying between the Village
of Sultanwind, Tung, Gumtala, which was later acquired by the Sikh Gurus. Though there exist various tales about
the city of Amritsar, the belief does remain, that Guru Ram Das ji was instructed to establish a village by the name
of his father, Guru Amar Das ji, build a house for him and dig a tank in the city, where later the Golden Temple was
developed. Hence, the foundation of the city was laid in 1573, by Guru Amar Das ji, who passed on the task of
completion of the tank to his successor and son, Guru Arjun Dev ji, to take care of his dying father, back in
Goindwal.
When the healing power of the tank were discovered, Guru Amar Das ji, ordered his son to erect a
temple at that site, and the foundation stone was laid by Muhammadan sai Mian Mir, and the temple came to be
known as Hari Mandir-The Temple of God. The Guru Granth Sahib called Adi Granth, was installed in the Temple
after its completion. The tank acquired a blissful reputation, and became the headquarters of the Sikh community.
The village of Amritsar was going on very well but Muslim bigotry and persecution soon drove the peace loving
Sikhs to resort to arms and to resist Imperial power. And thus, the first Sikh Army, raised by Guru Arjun Dev ji, came
into existence.
Though Amritsar may change but it remains the same. At heart its still the dera of Guru Ram Das. Its
soul, the incomparable Golden temple, has been damaged countless times over centuries. Afghans and Mughals
sacked the whole city several times, the Sikhs squabbled over it amongst themselves, it bears the scars of the
violence of Partition, the atrocities of Jallianwala Bagh and Operation Blue Star.
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