ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>BIDAR (17º-55'N, 77º-32'E)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="BIDAR"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279BIDAR (17º-55'N, 77º-32'E) is a district town in Karn&#257&#7789aka. It is a railway station on the Vik&#257r&#257b&#257d-P&#257rl&#299-Vaijn&#257th section of the South Central Railway. It is also connected by road with N&#257nde&#7693.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 SR&#298 N&#256NAK JH&#298R&#256 S&#256HIB at Bidar honours the memory of Gur&#363 N&#257nak. At the time of Gur&#363 N&#257nak's visit, Bidar was the capital of the Bahman&#299 kingdom. Since the establishment in the town of the great Madarsa by Mahm&#363d G&#257w&#257&#7749 in 1471-72, it had been a famous centre of Arabic learning in the Deccan. Gur&#363 N&#257nak stayed next to a monastery of Muslim ascetics on the outskirts of the town. These <i>faq&#299rs</i> and their head, P&#299r Jal&#257l-ud-D&#299n, attracted by the holy <i>b&#257&#7751&#299</i> being sung to the accompaniment of Mard&#257n&#257's rebeck, came and made obeisance to the Gur&#363. The monastery was built on a rock in an undulating barren tract, without any water in the vicinity. Tradition says that, at the supplication of Jal&#257l-ud-Din, Gur&#363 N&#257nak lifted a stone and from underneath it a fountain of clear sweet water gushed forth. The spring, called Amrit Ku&#7751&#7693, the Pool of Nectar, is still in existence. The place came to be known as N&#257nak Jh&#299r&#257 and was looked after by Muslim priests. M&#257&#299 (mother) Bh&#257go, who had gone to the Deccan following Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh used to visit it frequently during her stay at Jinv&#257&#7771&#257. But it gained prominence as a place of pilgrimage after the control passed to the Sikhs in 1948, confirmed by a judicial verdict in 1950. The construction of the Gurdw&#257r&#257 was commenced under a managing committee, headed by Sard&#257r Bishan Si&#7749gh of Hyder&#257b&#257d. The main building, called Sr&#299 Harimandir S&#257hib, was completed in 1966, and the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib was installed in it on the occasion of Hol&#257 Mohall&#257 festival. Several other buildings, including the 101 room Gur&#363 N&#257nak Bishr&#257m Ghar (residential block for pilgrims), Gur&#363 N&#257nak Hospital, a museum, <i>la&#7749gar</i> and a bathing tank have since been added.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The central building, a three-storeyed structure, is a handsome model of the mixture of modern and medieval styles of architecture. The ground floor, consisting of several rooms occupying a plinth area of about 50 metre square, serves as a basement for the main <i>d&#299v&#257n</i> hall on the first floor. The hall consists of several rectangular projections in symmetrical order around a 10-metre-square sanctum. The roof of a large refectory, constructed adjacent to the main building, is on level with the <i>d&#299v&#257n</i> hall and provides additional space for larger gatherings on festivals and other special occasions. The original spring, Amrit Ku&#7751&#7693, is now a canopied square-shaped pool. It supplies water to the bathing tank, 50 metres away.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Gurdw&#257r&#257 is managed by a committee which includes members from Bidar as well as from other towns in the South, such as Hyder&#257b&#257d, W&#257ra&#7749gal and Bombay. Gurb&#257&#7751&#299 recital and <i>k&#299rtan</i> are held morning and evening, and all major anniversaries are celebrated, the most prominent of them being the birthday of Gur&#363 N&#257nak and Hol&#257 Mohall&#257. The Gurdw&#257r&#257 also runs a college for training engineers and a charity hospital and a primary school, named after Gur&#363 N&#257nak. Offerings and donations are the only source of income.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Sr&#299 Gur T&#299rath Sa&#7749grahi</i>. Amritsar, n. d.<BR> <li class="C1"> &#7788h&#257kar Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Sr&#299 Gurdu&#257re Darshan</i>. Amritsar, 1923<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Major Gurmukh Si&#7749gh (Retd.)<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>