Gurdwara Keshgarh Sahib
Gurdwara Shri Keshgarh Sahib (31.235169°n 76.499128°e) is located in the center of the city of Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, India. It is also known as "Takht Shri Keshgarh Sahib" and is one of five highest Sikh institutions in India; it is the city's main Sikh shrine. The city began as Chakk Nanaki, which was founded by Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1665. His son Guru Gobind Singh ji, who spent 25 years of his life in the city, added greatly to the city's size, giving it the new name of the City of Bliss (Anandpur).
Its foundation stone was laid on March 30,1689. In fact, It was here that the Khalsa was born with the first initiation of Khande Di Pahul, when the young Guru called for a special congregation on the Baisakhi day of 1699 with thousands of Sikhs in attendance. One can only imagine how large the area was around Keshgarh Sahib then to accommodate the many thousands of Sikhs in attendance on that historic day.
HISTORY
Shastars of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and His Warriors
At that time the hill of Keshgarh Sahib was at least 10-15 feet higher than it is today. Next to it there was, at that time, another hill known as "Tambu (tent) Wali Pahari", because a special tent was set up there on the day of the revelation of Khalsa. That hill and a long range of small hills which extended from Kesgarh Sahib to Anandpur fort no longer exists, because in the name of progress, in 1973, a road was constructed to link Kesgarh Sahib and Anandgarh Sahib fort that necessitated levelling the hill tops.
Keshgarh Sahib fort was built in 1699. The neighboring hill armies attacked Anandpur Sahib several times between 1700 and 1705, but were never able to reach Kesgarh Sahib because the fort was seemingly impregnable and besides, before reaching the gates of Kesgarh the armies would have had to capture the forts at Taragarh, Agamgarh, Fatehgarh and Anandgarh and that never happened.
Departure of Anandpur Sahib
It was only after the half starved occupants of the city and its
defensive forts, convinced Guru Sahib to agree to leave the city, under
the promise of safe passage from their attackers. It was only when the
great Guru and his Sikhs were about to forge a nearby river, that the
hill armies entered the fort and began to demolish it.
The Sikhs were unable to return to Anandpur Sahib until Baba Banda Singh's
efforts to retake the city proved successful. Banda Bahadur also
subjugated the ruler of Bilaspur, who had been behind the siege of the
city in 1705. But all to soon the Sikhs had to face another wave of
persecution after the fall of Baba Banda Singh.
Hazūr Sāhib (Hazur Sahib Nandedazur Sahib NandedPunjabi: ਹਜੂਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ) (Marathi: हज़ुर साहिब) hazūrī sāhib from Arabic الصاحب حضور ḥaḍūr al-ṣāḥib "presence of the master"), also spelled Hazoor Sahib, more called as Takht Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib and also known as Abchal Nagar, is one of the five takhts ("thrones", seats of temporal authority) in Sikhism. It is located on the banks of the River Godavari at the city of Nanded in the state of Maharashtra, Western India. It is where the 10th guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji completed his last breath. The gurudwara within the complex is known Sach-Khand "Realm of Truth".
The structure is built at the place of death of Guru Gobind Singh. The inner room of the gurdwara is called the Angitha Sahib and is built over the place where Guru Gobind Singh was cremated in 1708. The construction of the gurdwara was done from 1832 to 1837 by order of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780–1839)
The Guru dispatches Banda Singh
In 1708 being prescient of the end of his earthly role, the Guru had dispatched Banda Singh with five of his Sikhs to Punjab and Mata Sahib Devan under a separate escort to Delhi before the stabbing incident. He told the rest of his retinue to retire to their homes if they so wished, but he bade one Bhai Santokh Singh to stay on here and keep Guru ka Langar going.
However, many others also chose to remain. Together they built a room over the platform where Guru Gobind Singh would sit while holding his court and installed the Guru Granth Sahib on it. They called it Takhat Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh, while conferring Guruship on the holy Book, had himself named Nanded as "Abchalnagar" (literally "Steadfast city") after the first word of a hymn read at random on the occasion.
Creation of Hazur Sahib
Sachkhand (literally "region of Truth") had been used by Guru Nanak Dev to mean the abode of God. Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), had the present day building of the Takhat Sahib constructed, sending money, artisans and labor from the Punjab Kingdom, Under Sardar Chanda Singh. Present Takhat was constructed, from 1832-1837. Around the same time the Nizam of Hyderabad raised a contingent of Northern Sikhs as part of his army. Most of these men settled permanently in Hyderabad State. Many militant and righteous Hindus of that State, embraced Sikhism in the 19th century.
The control of Takhat Sachkhand Sri Hazoor Sahib, was In the hands of Bhai Daya Singh, and Bhai Dharam Singh, But after 1708, which had formerly passed into the hands of Udasi priests, But was regained by the Sikhs under the influence of the Singh Sabha Movement of the late nineteenth century (1872-1879). Some of the 'rituals and ceremonies connected with working' are peculiar to this Takhat Sahib. In 1956 an Act was passed by the legislature of Hyderabad under which the management of the Takhat Sahib and other historical Gurdwaras was legally placed under a 17 member Gurudwaras Board and a five member Managing Committee.
Akal Takht
The Akal Takht (Punjabi: ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ; meaning The Throne of the Timeless One)[1] is one of the five Takhts of the Sikh religion. It is located in the Harmandir Sahib complex in Amritsar, Punjab, about 250 miles northwest of New Delhi.
While the Harmandir Sahib, or Golden Temple, represents Sikh spiritual
guidance, the Akal Takht symbolizes the dispensing of justice and
temporal activity. It is the highest seat of temporal authority of the Khalsa and the seat of the Sikh religion's earthly authority.
The Akal Takht was built by the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji, as a symbol for political sovereignty of Sikhs. It was established as the place from which the spiritual and temporal concerns of the Sikh people could be acted upon. It stood as a symbol of political and military resistance against the tyranny and cruelty of the 17th- and 18th-century rulers. In the 18th century, Ahmed Shah Abdali led a series of attacks on the Akal Takht and Harmandir Sahib.[1] Akal Takht Sahib represents the sovereignty of the Sikh Nation. It stood as a symbol of political bulwark against the Mughal emperors in the 17th and 18th century. Various attacks on the Akal Takht and Harimandir Sahib have been led in past by Ahmed Shah Abdali and Massa Rangar in the 18th century. On June 4, 1984, the Akal Takht was badly damaged when the Indian Army stormed Sri Darbar Sahib during Operation Bluestar. The Jathedar of the Akal Takhat is the highest spokesperson of the Sikh religion. Khande-Bate-Dee-Pahul, or the initiation with the sword, initiated by Guru Gobind Singh, continues to be routinely performed at the Akal Takht. Hari Singh Nalwa, a General under Maharaja Ranjit Singh the leader of the Sikh Kingdom, wished to make the Akal Takht resplendent with gold and had donated a part of his wealth for this purpose.[2]
It is the most supreme of all the Takhts. The four other takhats are
Keshgarh Sahib
Patna Sahib
Hazur Sahib
Damdama Sahib
The Takht Sri Darbar Sahib Damdama Sahib, one of the five Takhts or Seat of Temporal Authority of Sikhism, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib is in Bathinda in Punjab, India and is the place where Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, prepared the full version of the Sikh scriptures called Sri Guru Granth Sahib in 1705. The other four Takhts are the Akal Takht, Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Takht Sri Patna Sahib and Takht
Sri Hazur
Takht Sri Damdama SahibSahib.
The Takht is in the Talwandi Sabo, 28 km southeast of Bathinda. Literally, Damdama means breathing place. Guru Gobind Singh stayed here after the Sikhs fought several defensive battles.
A combination of Mughals and hillmen besieged Anandpur Sahib on the
orders of emperor Aurangzeb. Finally the stock of food in the town ran
out. The Mughals promised safe passage to Punjab for the Sikhs if they
would hand over the fortress of Anandpur. At first Guru Gobind tested
their promise of safe passage by staging a test which the attackers
failed miserably. Later, with promises written in the margins of the
Muslims' Holy Qur'an and some of the sacred writings of the Hindu
elements of the army that had all but starved his small contingent of
family and Sikhs and a personal promise of safety by Aurangzeb sent by
an agent of the Emperor who was fighting in the distant Deccan, the Guru
was persuaded to agree to their offer, leaving Anandpur with his family
and a small band of retainers. During the flight from Anandpur when the
Sikhs were promised safe passage to Punjab, Sahibzada Fateh Singh was,
with his elder brother Zorawar Singh, put under the care of his
grandmother, Mata Gujari Kaur ji. Unfortunately in the confusion of the
rain-swollen Sarsa (normally little more than a creek) and an attack by
Muslim pursuers, the Guru's two youngest sons and their grandmother were
separated from the main body of Sikhs. Managing to get across, they
were befriended by one of the Guru's former cooks. Later betrayed and
handed off by the authorities of the small village where they had been
given sanctuary, they were handed over to agents of Wazir Khan, carted
off to Sirhind, and placed under arrest in the Khan's Thanda Burj (cold
tower). The Thanda Burj was built to capture the cool night breezes of
air drawn over water channels in the hot summers, during the dead of
winter the unheated burj offered no comfort for the Guru's mother and
sons.
On 26 December 1705, Fateh and his elder brother Zorawar were
martyred at Sirhind. Fateh Singh is probably the youngest recorded
martyr in history: He knowingly laid down his life at the age of six
years. Brothers Sahibzada Fateh Singh and Sahibzada Zorawar Singh are
among the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism.
The mind boggles to understand how children of such young age had the
guts, courage, bravery and focus to refuse the promise of many lavish
gifts and a future of cozy comforts of royalty that were being offered
by the Mughals.
Today, the place is known as Fatehgarh Sahib).
An unequal but grim battle commenced with the sunrise on 7 December
1705 in the words of Guru Gobind Singh's Zafarnamah, a mere forty
defying a hundred thousand (lakh). The besieged, after they had
exhausted the meagre stock of ammunition and arrows, made sallies in
batches of five each to engage the encircling host with sword and spear.
Sahibzada Ajit Singh led one of the sallies and laid down his life
fighting in the thick of the battle. He was 18 years old at the time of
his supreme sacrifice for his faith. Gurdwara Qatalgarh now marks the
spot where he fell, followed by Sahibzada Jujhar Singh, 14, who led the
next sally. The valour displayed by the young sons of Guru Gobind Singh
has been poignantly narrated by a modern Muslim poet Allahyar Khan Jogi
who used to recite his Urdu poem, "ShahidaniWafa." from Sikh pulpits
during the second and third decades of the twentieth century.
By nightfall Guru Gobind Singh was left with only five Sikhs in the
fortress. These five urged him to escape so that he could rally his
followers again and continue the struggle against oppression. The Guru
agreed. He gave his own attire to Sangat Singh, who resembled him
somewhat in features and physical stature. Uunder cover of darkness, he
made his way through the encircling host slackened by the fatigue of the
day's battle. Daya Singh, Dharam Singh and Man Singh also escaped
leaving behind only two Sikhs: Sangat Singh and Sant Singh. The next
morning as the attack was resumed, the imperial troops entered the garhi
without much resistance and were surprised to find only two occupants
who, determined to die rather than give in, gave battle till the last.
Having reached safety Gobind wrote a letter in Persian prose, called the
Zafarnamah
(Epistle of Victory), to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb calling him to
task as he had guaranteed safe passage to the Punjab for the Sikhs who
had abandoned the city of Anandpur and its forts only to be attacked.
Guru Gobind Singh fought a successful battle at Muktsar and then moved towards Talwandi Sabo.
Guru Ki Kashi
Before leaving to visit Sikh Sangats in the Deccan, Guruji blessed Talwandi Sabo, as Guru Ki Kashi. Now known better as Damdama Sahib after the Gurdwara became one of the four temporal Takhats of the Sikh religion. Another great Shaheed (Martyr) of Sikhi, Baba Deep Singh ji was installed as the first Jathedar (head) of this temporal seat. He penned additional copies of the Adi Sri Granth Sahib ji and sent them to the other four temporal seats.
This title was given because of the intense literary activities that Guru Gobind Singh engaged in during his stay here (the compilation of Sikh scriptures). It is said that one day Guru Gobind flung a handful of reed pens over the heads of the congregation ('Sangat'), saying: "Here we will create a pool of literature. No one of my Sikhs should remain illiterate." The Damdama Wali Bir as the Guru Granth Sahib is sometimes called was completed here, being dictated by the Guru to one of his disciples Bhai Mani Singh. It was at this time when the hymns of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, the ninth Guru and father of Guru Gobind Singh were added to the Bir.
Gurudwara Paonta Sahib
Gurudwara Paonta Sahib, is a noted Gurudwara in Paonta Sahib, District of Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh.
Guru Gobind Singh ji, the tenth guru of sikhs was the person in whose memory the Gurdwara of Paonta Sahib was built. It was here, the Dasam Granth was written by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It is because of this fact, the Gurdwara enjoys a very high historic and religious importance among the followers of the Sikh religion across the worldover. An example of the religious importance of the Gurudwara being the "Palki" made of pure gold, donated by one of the devotees.
Shri Talab Asthan and Shri Dastar Asthan are the vital places inside the Sikh shrine worth mentioning. While salaries are disbursed at Shri Talab Asthan, Shri Dastar Asthan is used for organizing the turban tying competitions. A legendary temple is also attached to the Gurudwara. The temple is devoted to Goddess Yamuna. Kavi Darbar, a prominent place near the Gurudwara is the venue for holding the poetry competitions. The weapons and pens used by Guru Gobind Singh Ji are displayed in a museum near the Poanta Sahib Gurudwara.
Another place of religious and historical importance is the Gurdwara built at Bhangani Sahib, about 1 km from Gurdwara Tir Garhi Sahib. With its proximity to the river Yamuna, the whole area presents a picturesque sight.
Gurdwara Paonta Sahib is situated at the place where 16 year old Guru Gobind Singh dismounted his horse to first touch foot in the Kingdom of Sirmour. The Guru had been invited by Raja Medini Prakash the ruler of Sirmour to visit his kingdom. The Raja, as many other stories relate, was very hopeful of establishing a strong relationship with the powerful Sikh Guru. As a special gesture of respect, the Raja, members of his court and his city's leading merchants had left the security of his palace in the Kingdom's capital - Nahan to greet his guest and his large party of Sikhs, the Sangat (congregation) and soldiers as well.
It was much safer in such dangerous times; the Raja of Srinagar, Garhwal Phatshah had recently taken over some villages (part of his Kingdom) and then there were the roving bands of Mughal soldiers to worry about, as well. It would have been easier to just stay in the safety of one's own Palace or fort waiting for guests to arrive, but the special greeting was meant to make sure that the Guru and his Sikhs felt especially welcomed. The warm welcome apparently had the desired effect for Guru Gobind Singh would spend the next four years at Poanta and leave a written account in which he described his time at Poanta Sahib as the happiest years of his life. The Guru wrote:
"I enjoyed myself on the banks of Yamuna and saw amusements of different kinds."
Poanta Sahib was built on the bank of the Yamuna River and began its life as a fortlike home built for the Guru and his family and ended up being a fortress with a Gurdwara in its interior. The fort was built in record time with the Raja's men aiding the Guru's Sikhs. Some have suggested that the builders were filled with extra energy as they wanted to finish the Guru's new home before his approaching birthday. At the time the forests that surrounded the site abounded in wildlife of every kind. Here the beloved Guru was able to escape the intrigue, envy and down right hostility of the Rajas of the Kingdoms around Chakk Nanaki, the city his father Guru Tegh Bahadur had founded (the same city that grew to become Anandpur Sahib)
LAKH KHUSHIA PATSHAYIA JE SAT GURU NADER KARE
Vaaho vaaho Guru Gobind Singh Ji Ape Guru Ape Chela
WAHE GURU JI KA KHALSA WAHE GURU JI KI FATEH
