Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib
The Gurudwara is located next to a small village named Kothay Pind (village) on the West bank of the Ravi River.
The original resting place founded by Guru Nanak Ji was washed away by floods of the river Ravi and the present Gurudwara was rebuilt in its place at a cost of Rs.1,35,600, from funds donated by Sardar Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala. It was subsequently repaired by the Govt. of Pakistan in 1995 incurring expenditures in lakhs of rupees.
The Gurudwara at Kartarpur has a spacious and beautiful building and can be seen from another Gurudwara located across the Indian border in the historical town of Dehra Baba Nanak. The shrine is located about 3 kms from the Indo-Pakistan border. Unlike other holy places of Sikh religion in Pakistan, this Gurudwara is one of its kinds.
According to Sikh history when Guru Nanak died, Hindus and Muslims disagreed upon how to perform his last rites. A samadhi (Hindu tradition) lies in the Gurudwara and a grave (according to Muslim traditions) lies on the premises as a reminder of this discord. His Hindu followers wanted to cremate the remains as per Hindu tradition, while his Muslim followers wanted to bury the body as per Islamic tradition.
Guru Nanak suggested that each group should place a garland of flower besides his body, and the party whose garland remains fresh after three days could dispose of his body according to their tradition.
It is said that the next morning, upon raising the cloth under which the Guru’s body lay, only the flowers placed by his followers were found. The Hindus cremated their flowers whereas the Muslims buried theirs.
There are historical references that Guru Nanak Dev was against division of society on the lines of Muslims and Hindus (and Sikhs). Muslims treated him like a ‘peer’ and the Hindus revered him as the Guru.
This aspect was well demonstrated in 1947 when Sir Cyril Radcliffe drew boundary-line between India and Pakistan. According to the June 3, 1947 division plan, the whole of Gurdaspur had gone to Pakistan. That meant Kartarpur going deep into the Pak territory. But the plan didn’t work and had to be amended. Now the District of Gurdaspur was bifurcated and the line that bisected Kartarpur from its bare chest worked. Two of the tombs went to the Pakistan side and one fell on the Indian side.
The plan worked but Kartarpur remained abandoned and desolate for all these 56 years and wild grass had grown all around this building. And the relation between the two countries also remained wild all these years.
Later, sometime in 1998, both India and Pakistan governments reached an agreement to build a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur Sahib (about 4 kilometer in length) in order to enable the Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan without visa or passport.
And that was all, nothing happened after that, no action taken.
Sikh devotees often gather near the border fence and offer prayers while looking at Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan. Border Security Force has specially constructed ‘Darshan Sthal’ by providing binoculars to the visiting devotees for a clear view of the Gurudwara.
It is obvious today that the Kartarpur Dera Sahib Gurudwara can play a vital role in the long term peace in this region. Kartarpur-Dera Sahib can be used as a corridor to peace in the region.
History
• The then Governor of the area, Duni Chand met Guru Nanak at Pakhoke and donated 100 acres of land to Guru Sahib. This land is on the right bank of river Ravi. On the Guru’s acceptance of the land he decided to settle there and a small building or hut was constructed. Kartarpur thus became the first Sikh centre. There is a reference in the historical books that Guru formally laid the foundation of Kartarpur on Magh 13, 1572 Bikrmi year [1515AD]. Apart from Duni Chand, Guru’s disciple Doda was also helpful.
• The Guru donned the clothes typical of a Punjabi farmer and began to cultivate the land around his new settlement. Soon his family; father, mother, wife and sons arrived at Kartarpur. Here the Guru lived the life of a householder for 18 years. Sikh history is replete with pleasant stories connected with Guru’s pious deeds at Kartarpur where he started the tradition called Guru ka Langer (a communal kitchen). Soon with his Sikhs moving to join the community a sarai (rooms for pilgrims, ect.) were built along with a meeting room where the sangat (congregation) gathered daily to listen to kirtan the Gurbani music and the Guru’s discourses. The Guru ka Langar was the place where the Guru's belief in the equality of every man and woman was first manifested in India, which had long been a segregated society based on the idea of varna, more commonly known outside of India as caste. People dined together irrespective of their former caste, creed or even their wealth. The food was grown, prepared and served by the sangat with members of Sangat taking turns as volunteers.
• It was in this city that Guru Nanak appointed Lehna his spiritual successor after others had failed some of the Guru's 'tests'. Some seeking the Guruship were not even aware that the seemingly odd things or tasks that the Guru had asked of them was his way of testing their humility and selfless dedication to their fellow Sikhs. His own sons had thought that certain duties were below the sons of the group's master. Guru Nanak gave Lena the name Angad as he named him his succesor on July 14, 1539. Lehna, who had never felt any work or task 'beneath him', was called Angad by Guru Nanak so that his followers would understand that he considered Lena to be a part of his own body. Ang means a part or piece of something with Angad meaning lit. born of or a piece of (Guru Nanak's body). Guru Nanak also handed over a pothi (booklet) of hymns to Angad.
• On Asu sudi 10, 1596 Bikrmi [Monday Sept. 22, 1539 AD] Guru Nanak breathed his last among at Kartarpur. Since his followers had been raised as Hindus or Muslims (each of which had different methods of dealing with one's earthly remains), an arguement arose over whether the Guru's body should be cremated or buried. Ultimately it was decided that overnight, flowers would be placed by each group on his body. Whoever's flowers were found withered the next morning would loose the claim. It is related that the next morning when the cloth sheet was removed the Guru's body was missing and both sets of flowers were found as fresh as when they were placed. The two communities then decided to divide the cloth sheet one burying it and the other consigning it to a fire. Therefore both a grave and a smadh exist at Kartarpur.
• Guru Nanak undertook four major Udasis (tours) trekking through many countries. Many sources tell us that except for his first journey they were all begun at Kartarpur. Kartarpur was the first headquarters of the Sikhs and their Gurus.
• Another story relates that Karori Mal the Governor of Kalanaur cultivated jealousy against the Guru as many Hindu Jogis and Muslims were converting to Sikhism. He set out to arrest the Guru but when he was mounting his horse he fell on the ground, his turban rolling down to the feet of people around. On his second attempt; tradition has it that he became blind and ultimately fell at the feet of the Guru and apologised for his past ill will. The Guru blessed him and he became a devoted Sikh of the Guru and donated the 100 acres of land (about 14 Km from Kalanaur) on the bank of river Ravi where Guru founded Kartarpur .
• Some historians have named Karori Mal as Duni Chand who was grand son of Jawahar Mal. There is a street in Lahore named Jawahar Mal. Bakshi Bhagat Ram a minister in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's court was a decendant of Duni Chand / Karori Mal.
• There are instances in the old history books [Janam Sakhis] relating how the Guru started the institution of Langar the free kitchen for all. The famous Gurdwara, Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur (Ravi) is situated in this town.
The original resting place founded by Guru Nanak Ji was washed away by floods of the river Ravi and the present Gurudwara was rebuilt in its place at a cost of Rs.1,35,600, from funds donated by Sardar Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala. It was subsequently repaired by the Govt. of Pakistan in 1995 incurring expenditures in lakhs of rupees.
The Gurudwara at Kartarpur has a spacious and beautiful building and can be seen from another Gurudwara located across the Indian border in the historical town of Dehra Baba Nanak. The shrine is located about 3 kms from the Indo-Pakistan border. Unlike other holy places of Sikh religion in Pakistan, this Gurudwara is one of its kinds.
According to Sikh history when Guru Nanak died, Hindus and Muslims disagreed upon how to perform his last rites. A samadhi (Hindu tradition) lies in the Gurudwara and a grave (according to Muslim traditions) lies on the premises as a reminder of this discord. His Hindu followers wanted to cremate the remains as per Hindu tradition, while his Muslim followers wanted to bury the body as per Islamic tradition.
Guru Nanak suggested that each group should place a garland of flower besides his body, and the party whose garland remains fresh after three days could dispose of his body according to their tradition.
It is said that the next morning, upon raising the cloth under which the Guru’s body lay, only the flowers placed by his followers were found. The Hindus cremated their flowers whereas the Muslims buried theirs.
There are historical references that Guru Nanak Dev was against division of society on the lines of Muslims and Hindus (and Sikhs). Muslims treated him like a ‘peer’ and the Hindus revered him as the Guru.
This aspect was well demonstrated in 1947 when Sir Cyril Radcliffe drew boundary-line between India and Pakistan. According to the June 3, 1947 division plan, the whole of Gurdaspur had gone to Pakistan. That meant Kartarpur going deep into the Pak territory. But the plan didn’t work and had to be amended. Now the District of Gurdaspur was bifurcated and the line that bisected Kartarpur from its bare chest worked. Two of the tombs went to the Pakistan side and one fell on the Indian side.
The plan worked but Kartarpur remained abandoned and desolate for all these 56 years and wild grass had grown all around this building. And the relation between the two countries also remained wild all these years.
Later, sometime in 1998, both India and Pakistan governments reached an agreement to build a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur Sahib (about 4 kilometer in length) in order to enable the Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan without visa or passport.
And that was all, nothing happened after that, no action taken.
Sikh devotees often gather near the border fence and offer prayers while looking at Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan. Border Security Force has specially constructed ‘Darshan Sthal’ by providing binoculars to the visiting devotees for a clear view of the Gurudwara.
It is obvious today that the Kartarpur Dera Sahib Gurudwara can play a vital role in the long term peace in this region. Kartarpur-Dera Sahib can be used as a corridor to peace in the region.
History
• The then Governor of the area, Duni Chand met Guru Nanak at Pakhoke and donated 100 acres of land to Guru Sahib. This land is on the right bank of river Ravi. On the Guru’s acceptance of the land he decided to settle there and a small building or hut was constructed. Kartarpur thus became the first Sikh centre. There is a reference in the historical books that Guru formally laid the foundation of Kartarpur on Magh 13, 1572 Bikrmi year [1515AD]. Apart from Duni Chand, Guru’s disciple Doda was also helpful.
• The Guru donned the clothes typical of a Punjabi farmer and began to cultivate the land around his new settlement. Soon his family; father, mother, wife and sons arrived at Kartarpur. Here the Guru lived the life of a householder for 18 years. Sikh history is replete with pleasant stories connected with Guru’s pious deeds at Kartarpur where he started the tradition called Guru ka Langer (a communal kitchen). Soon with his Sikhs moving to join the community a sarai (rooms for pilgrims, ect.) were built along with a meeting room where the sangat (congregation) gathered daily to listen to kirtan the Gurbani music and the Guru’s discourses. The Guru ka Langar was the place where the Guru's belief in the equality of every man and woman was first manifested in India, which had long been a segregated society based on the idea of varna, more commonly known outside of India as caste. People dined together irrespective of their former caste, creed or even their wealth. The food was grown, prepared and served by the sangat with members of Sangat taking turns as volunteers.
• It was in this city that Guru Nanak appointed Lehna his spiritual successor after others had failed some of the Guru's 'tests'. Some seeking the Guruship were not even aware that the seemingly odd things or tasks that the Guru had asked of them was his way of testing their humility and selfless dedication to their fellow Sikhs. His own sons had thought that certain duties were below the sons of the group's master. Guru Nanak gave Lena the name Angad as he named him his succesor on July 14, 1539. Lehna, who had never felt any work or task 'beneath him', was called Angad by Guru Nanak so that his followers would understand that he considered Lena to be a part of his own body. Ang means a part or piece of something with Angad meaning lit. born of or a piece of (Guru Nanak's body). Guru Nanak also handed over a pothi (booklet) of hymns to Angad.
• On Asu sudi 10, 1596 Bikrmi [Monday Sept. 22, 1539 AD] Guru Nanak breathed his last among at Kartarpur. Since his followers had been raised as Hindus or Muslims (each of which had different methods of dealing with one's earthly remains), an arguement arose over whether the Guru's body should be cremated or buried. Ultimately it was decided that overnight, flowers would be placed by each group on his body. Whoever's flowers were found withered the next morning would loose the claim. It is related that the next morning when the cloth sheet was removed the Guru's body was missing and both sets of flowers were found as fresh as when they were placed. The two communities then decided to divide the cloth sheet one burying it and the other consigning it to a fire. Therefore both a grave and a smadh exist at Kartarpur.
• Guru Nanak undertook four major Udasis (tours) trekking through many countries. Many sources tell us that except for his first journey they were all begun at Kartarpur. Kartarpur was the first headquarters of the Sikhs and their Gurus.
• Another story relates that Karori Mal the Governor of Kalanaur cultivated jealousy against the Guru as many Hindu Jogis and Muslims were converting to Sikhism. He set out to arrest the Guru but when he was mounting his horse he fell on the ground, his turban rolling down to the feet of people around. On his second attempt; tradition has it that he became blind and ultimately fell at the feet of the Guru and apologised for his past ill will. The Guru blessed him and he became a devoted Sikh of the Guru and donated the 100 acres of land (about 14 Km from Kalanaur) on the bank of river Ravi where Guru founded Kartarpur .
• Some historians have named Karori Mal as Duni Chand who was grand son of Jawahar Mal. There is a street in Lahore named Jawahar Mal. Bakshi Bhagat Ram a minister in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's court was a decendant of Duni Chand / Karori Mal.
• There are instances in the old history books [Janam Sakhis] relating how the Guru started the institution of Langar the free kitchen for all. The famous Gurdwara, Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur (Ravi) is situated in this town.
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