Historical Gurdwaras of India and Pakistan Yatra Part 12: Taran Taran and Sultanpur Lodhi

Day 17

We travelled from Amritsar to Taran Taran. We travelled mainly on backroads for some reason, and we got directions from random people on the street as our driver didn’t trust my dad’s google maps directions. The driving is pretty terrifying, but luckily every driver seems to understand that they need to be extra aware, and the speeds are much slower than in Canada thus the accidents are not as dangerous. Here’s a map of our trip for the day although we didn't take the highway so its not our actual route, just the places we went. 

GURDWARA SRI JHULANE MAHAL SAHIB (pronounced Chool Mehl)

This Gurdwara is in Thathi Khara, District Taran Taran (pronounced taaran). Guru Arjan Dev Ji did katha here in the evenings, while building the sarovar at Taran Taran. One day Jahangir passed with his army of elephants and horses. The distracted sangat looked over, and Guru Ji asked what they were looking at- they replied elephants.  Guru Ji built a short wall as high as the elephants for the sangat to sit on, thus building something that would last longer than the elephants. When you go to sit on top, there is a sewadar who is able to actually move and swing it as if riding on an elephant. It was quite a ways up so I was a little nervous about falling off the sides but it was worth the climb! 

GURDWARA SRI TARAN TARAN 

Taran Taran is in Taran Taran city. It means “the boat that takes one across.” This refers to the ocean that we all have to cross to reach God. Guru Arjan Dev Ji laid the foundation of this Gurdwara in honour of Guru Ramdas Ji. The sarovar is even larger than the sarovar in Harmandir Sahib. The interior is designed just as Harmandir Sahib. The lotus dome was damaged in an earthquake in 1905 and rebuilt. Maharaja Raghubir Singh made a water channel to connect the sarovar with a canal. Maharaja Ranjit Singh completed steps on the sarovar, and paved the passage around it, reconstructed the Darbar Sahib. He and his grandson Kanvar Nau Nihal Singh donated to have the outside plated with gold but after Maharaja’s death this work stopped until Sant Sham Singh helped to continue it. One out of four planned towers was built. It is said the sarovar has healing properties, and Guru Arjan Dev ji thus had a leper asylum here to heal the people with leprosy. 













They wouldn't let us take pictures inside, so here are some from Temple Advisor

ref: https://www.templeadvisor.com/temples-in-india/sikh-temples/gurdwara-shri-tarn-taran 

GURDWARA SRI MANJI SAHIB
This is in Taran Taran as well. On the way from Delhi, Guru Hargobind Sahib stopped here with prisoner Chandu Shah on the way to Laohre. 

KHADOOR SAHIB

Khadoor Sahib city is in District Taran Taran. Guru Nanak Dev Ji came here 5 times, Guru Angad Dev Ji also stayed here and became Jyoti Jot here. Guru Amardas served Guru Angad Dev Ji here, collecting water from the Beas river at Goindwal for Guru Ji’s bath, and got Guruship here. Guru Ramdas Ji, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, Guru Har Rai, and Guru Teg Bahadur Ji also visited here. Baba Jodh Singh belonged to Khadoor Sahib, as did three martyrs of Chamkaur Sahib, 2/40 Chalee Mukhte, and two out of five Panj Pyare Baba Buddha Ji spent 12 years here. Khadoor Sahib is largely remembered for Guru Angad Dev JI, who worked  spent 13 years here and worked on Gurmukhi Lippi here. Guru Ji prepared the first Gutka of Gurbani. It is also where the first Mal Akhara for wrestling was made (to keep the students physically strong as well). We ate Mata Khivi’s Langar. 

GURDWARA TAP ASTHAN SRI GURU ANGAD DEV JI

This Gurdwara Sahib is also in Taran Taran. Bhai Lehna Ji (Guru Angad Dev Ji) prayed to God here at the request of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. 






GURDWARA SRI TAPIANA SAHIB 
This is where Bhai Mardana Ji, Bhai Bala Ji and Guru Nanak Dev Ji sang kirtan. Guru Angad Dev Ji heard Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Janam Sakhi from Bhai Bala Ji and then got it written by Bhai Paida Mokha Ji. A month after the completion, Bhai Bala Ji merged into the supreme light. Guru Angad Dev Ji cremated him here. 

GURDWARA SRI DARBAR SAHIB (ANGITHA SAHIB)

This Gurdwara is the main Gurdwara of Khadoor Sahib. Bhai Amardas Ji was bringing a pitcher of water from Goindwal Sahib but hit the peg of a weaver and fell. The weaver asked who was there- his wife called Amardas homeless and spoke against Guru Ji. Bhai Amardas Ji asked her not to speak against Guru Ji, with the touch of Bhai Amardas Ji’s foot the peg became green and grew into a Kareer tree. The tree died and is now preserved in a frame. 

KHOO BIBI AMRO JI
This is Bibi Ji's well. Guru Angad Dev Ji made this well at the request of Bibi Amro Ji for the benefit of the sangat. There was a shortage of water at the time. First the water was not useable, but with Guru Ji's blessings it became sweet after throwing a log into it. 

THADA SAHIB GURU AMARDAS

This Gurdwara Sahib is also in Khadoor Sahib, District Taran Taran. Guru Amrdas Ji would bring water for Guru Angad Dev Ji’s bath from the Beas river and would pray here. 




There was a gigantic tree outside the Gurdwara Sahib.

GOINDWAL

Goindwal has a huge importance in our history. It was along the river Beas and when the highway was renovated by an Afghan ruler in the 1500s, the ferry site became a transit point. A trader Goinda, wanted to establish a spot but there kept being natural disasters which he felt were due to evil spirits. He went to Guru Angad Dev Ji in Khadoor Sahib for help, to ask his sons to start living there so the supersitions will go away and people can live there. None of the Guru’s sons agreed, so Amardas was sent. As Bhai Amardas had been carrying water along this path to Guru Angad Dev Ji for his baths, he went and laid the foundation of Goinda’s village, Goindwal. 

As we discussed previously, when Guru Amardas Ji became Guru, Datu became jealous and declared himself Guru at Khadoor Sahib while Guru Ji left for Basarke (until he was brought back by Baba Buddha Ji). Guru Ji then came to Goindwal and lived here for 33 years and developed the Manji system. He taught the Sikhs that they should partake in langar then sangat, and Emperor Akbar did the same when visiting in 1598. Akbar granted land to Bibi Bhani Ji (daughter of Guru Ji). Bhai Jetha Ji (future Guru Ramdas Ji) served Guru Ji at Goindwal and got married to Bibi Bhani, having three sons including (Guru) Arjan Dev Ji. Guru Ji wrote Anand Sahib here. Guru Hargobind Sahib later came to the Baoli Sahib with his family, and Guru Teg Bahadur Ji bathed there at the age of two, then returned later in life to visit. Guru Har Rai Ji also visited here, and met Dara Shikoh when he asked for Guru Ji’s blessings here. 

GURDWARA DAMDAMA SAHIB GOINDWAL SAHIB
Bibi Amro Ji and Bhai Amardas Ji came to visit Guru Angad Dev Ji here. Bhai Amardas Ji was given the service of bringing water for langar from the Beas River, and would bring it also for Guru Angad Dev Ji's baths. It is at this location where Amardas stopped under a tree. We didn't go inside here due to time shortage. The tree still exists. 

GURDWARA BAOLI SAHIB GOINDWAL

This Gurdwara is in Goindwal Sahib, District taran Taran on the bank of the River Beas (pronounced Byaas). 

BAOLI SAHIB 

This is a step well with 84 steps located in Goindwal. Guru Angad Dev Ji asked Bhai Gurdas Ji to oversee the building of the city of Goindwal and after receiving Guruship Guru Amardas Ji moved to Goindwal with his family and built the Baoli. The 84 steps represent the 8.4 million lifecycles we go through to get to union with God. As a heads up for those going, the water at the bottom is very deep at the last steps so you will get half of your body wet going in. They changed it so that there is a separate male and female side now, and it is covered on the way down, so it is different than previous pictures I had seen.




GURDWARA SRI KHOO SAHIB
Guru Ramdas Ji used to give Jal (water) to the Sangat here at this well. Bhai Gurdas Ji became Jyoti Jot here as well. 

GURDWARA SRI CHAUBARA SAHIB 

This was the home of Guru Amardas Ji. This Gurdwara Sahib is the location of multiple historic events and items. Guru Amrdas and Ramdas JI became Jyoti Jot here, Guru Amardas Ji gave the Guruship to Guru Ramdas Ji here, the well of Guru Ramdas Ji is here, Kili Sahib of Guru Amardas (wooden nail used to stand in old age), Palki Sahib of Guru Arjan Dev Ji where Guru Ji was born, place where Guru Sahib established 22 Manjiya (preachers), cooking place of Bibi Bhani Ji where she prepared langar and Tham Sahib where guru Arjan Dev Ji played as a child (in front of the Tham is the chola sahib and hair of Guru Amardas Ji), and where Guru Ji got the devotees recovery from fever (Taiya Taap). This is also where Guru Arjan Dev Ji came to get Sanchiaa Sahibs from Baba Mohan Das. 

Then we were back on the road.

SULTANPUR LODHI

Next we travelled to Sultanpur Lodhi, established around 1 AD which used to be a Buddhist settlement. It was restored by Sultan Khan Lodhi and became a trading center as it was on the route from Delhi to Lahore. Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent 14 years here before travelling on the Udaasis. Bebe Nanaki married Jai Ram of this village, and Guru Ji’s wife Bibi Sulakhani was of this village. His two sons were born here.

GURDWARA SANT GHAT 

This Gurdwara is where Guru Nanak Dev Ji came out of the water after 3 days in the River Bein. When Guru Ji came out, he said “No ko hindu Na No muslmaan.” He shared the Mool Mantar with the world. 

GURDWARA SRI BER SAHIB 

This Gurdwara is in Sultanpur Lodhi. Guru Nanak Dev Ji stayed here for 14 yrs, 9 months and 13 days, taking baths in the Bein river and meditating. Guru Ji disappeared into the river and returned out after 3 days at the location of Sant Ghat Sahib. The Gurdwara is named after the Ber tree Guru Ji planted. 

GURDWARA SRI HATT SAHIB  

Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s father originally sent him to Sultanpur Lodhi for work. His brother-in-law Jai Ram found him a job as a modi at the Nawab’s modi khana (in charge of the supplies store). When weighing grain, Guru Ji got to the number 13 (tera also meaning Tera- Yours, I am Yours God) and Guru Ji started meditating Tera, Tera, Tera. The customers received so much they couldn’t even carry it out! Nawab Daulat Khan heard what happened and charged the Guru but when they investigated, the storage was all full, and there was a surplus of grain, rather than having any missing. This Gurdwara Sahib has thirteen stones used as weights by Guru Ji. 

Unfortunately we couldn't take pictures inside but here are some from discover sikhism of the rocks used as weights. It is amazing to think these were handled by Guru Ji! 


That night we reached Takht Sri Anandpur Sahib, which I will write about in the next post. 

References for history: 

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_ber_sahib_sultanpur_lodhi.html
http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4301
http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_tap_asthan_guru_angad_sahib.htm

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4331

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Khadur_Sahib

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Tarn_Taran_Sahib

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4320

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_jhulna_mehal_sahib.html

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4044

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Ber_Sahib

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Sant_Ghat
http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_hatt_sahib.html#gallery[gallery1]/8/ 

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4294

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_baoli_sahib_goindwal.html

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4294

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4167