ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>GOINDV&#256L (31º-22'N, 75º-9'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="GOINDVL"> <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">&#65279GOINDV&#256L (31º-22'N, 75º-9'E), the first ever place of Sikh pilgrimage so designated by its founder, Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s. This in fact was the spot where the ancient east-west highway crossed the River Be&#257s. With the renovation of the highway by Sher Sh&#257h S&#363r, the Af<u>gh</u>&#257n ruler of north India (1540-45), this ferry site became an important transit point. This led one Goind&#257 or Gond&#257, a Marv&#257h&#257 Khatr&#299 trader, to plan establishing an habitation at the western end of the ferry. Thwarted in his endeavour by natural calamities which Goind&#257 attributed to evil spirits, he repaired to Kha&#7693&#363r to seek Gur&#363 A&#7749gad's blessing. The Gur&#363 deputed his devoted disciple, (Gur&#363) Amar D&#257s, to help Goind&#257. Amar D&#257s, who knew that tract very well as he had been carrying river water from this place to Kha&#7693&#363r daily for his Master's ablutions, laid the foundation of a village which was named after Goind&#257. After his anointment as Gur&#363 in 1552, Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s shifted from Kha&#7693&#363r to Goindv&#257l. In 1559, Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s commenced the digging in Goindv&#257l of a <i>b&#257ol&#299</i>, i.e. a well with steps descending down to water level which, when completed, attracted pilgrims from far and near. Goindv&#257l also became in the time of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s the centre of an annual fair on the occasion of Bais&#257kh&#299. Even after Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s's successor, Gur&#363 R&#257m D&#257s, had built up Amritsar and made it his permanent seat, devotees continued to visit Goindv&#257l to have a dip in the sacred <i>b&#257ol&#299</i> and pay homage at other local shrines.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;SR&#298 B&#256OL&#298 S&#256HIB is a large, open well, 8-metres across. Its water level is reached through a covered passage comprising a flight of 84 steps. A wide pointed archway opens on a domed clearance, four steps below the ground level. Its cupola is painted with multicoloured floral designs and portraits of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s, Gur&#363 R&#257m D&#257s, Gur&#363 Hargobind and Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh. The area between the arch and the coping is covered with portraits of the Ten Gur&#363s, and those of B&#257b&#257 Mohar&#299, B&#257b&#257 Mohan and B&#257b&#257 Anand. Other paintings depict scenes from the life of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s. Most of the steps are covered with marble slabs donated by different devotees, the earliest of these being dated 1963 Bk/AD 1906. The lotus dome above the entrance has a tall gold-plated pinnacle with pinnacled kiosks and solid decorative domes around it.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;THA&#7770&#256 S&#256HIB SR&#298 GUR&#362 AMAR D&#256S J&#298 is a marblelined platform, with a pinnacled canopy of white marble supported on cylinderical columns, at the entrance to Sr&#299 B&#257ol&#299 S&#257hib. It marks the site where Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s used to sit supervising the digging of the B&#257ol&#299.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;SR&#298 DARB&#256R S&#256HIB or Prak&#257sh Asth&#257n Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib J&#299, adjacent to Sr&#299 B&#257ol&#299 S&#257hib, is a square</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;hall with a sanctum in the centre where the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib is seated. Daily congregations take place in this hall.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;LA&#7748GAR SR&#298 GUR&#362 AMAR D&#256S J&#298, in the vicinity of the Darb&#257r S&#257hib, is a large-sized refectory, with kitchens attached.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GUR&#362 AMAR D&#256S NIV&#256S, behind the B&#257ol&#299 S&#257hib, is a two-storeyed building providing lodging for pilgrims.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 SR&#298 CHUB&#256R&#256 S&#256HIB, in a different complex which was once the residence of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s and his family, is the attic in which the Gur&#363 himself lived. It is a small room with a still smaller room entered through it. The Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib is seated in the front room on a silver <i>p&#257lak&#299</i> or portable canopied throne. This room has doors covered with silver. The interior is decorated with stucco work inset with reflecing glass pieces and intricate designs in many colours.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;KILL&#298 S&#256HIB, a small wooden peg (<i>kill&#299</i> in Punjabi) now covered with a silver sheath, is fixed in the front wall of Sr&#299 Chub&#257r&#257 S&#257hib on the outside. Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s, it is said, used to meditate in the standing posture holding on to this peg for support. An embossed design on a brass plate above the Kill&#299 S&#257hib depicts Gur&#363 N&#257nak, flanked by Bh&#257&#299 B&#257l&#257 and Bh&#257&#299 Mard&#257n&#257, sitting under a tree. Another embossed sketch shows Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s and his sons, B&#257b&#257 Mohar&#299 and B&#257b&#257 Mohan.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURI&#256&#298 ASTH&#256N GUR&#362 R&#256M D&#256S, marks the spot where Gur&#363 R&#257m D&#257s was anointed Gur&#363. A brass plate donated by a descendant of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s in 1920 has etched on it the scene of the ceremony in which Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s is holding a whisk over the head of Gur&#363 R&#257m D&#257s, B&#257b&#257 Bu&#7693&#7693h&#257 is putting the saffron mark on his forehead and Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s is standing behind B&#257b&#257 Bu&#7693&#7693h&#257, while B&#257b&#257 Mohar&#299 is touching the feet of Gur&#363 R&#257m D&#257s and B&#257b&#257 Mohan is sitting in meditation on a deer-skin. Next to them are figures of 22 prominent Sikhs on whom Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s is said to have bestowed mañj&#299s, the insignia of appointment as preachers in their respective districts.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;JOT&#298 JOT ASTH&#256N P&#256TSH&#256H&#298 III, a small marbled pavilion next to Guri&#257&#299 Asth&#257n, was built on the site of the room in which Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s died on 1 September 1574. Gur&#363 R&#257m D&#257s also died in that room exactly seven years later.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;JANAM ASTH&#256N SR&#298 GUR&#362 ARJ&#256N DEV J&#298 is a room, in the same compound as Sr&#299 Chub&#257r&#257 S&#257hib, where Gur&#363 Arjan was born. The Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib is seated in this room.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;CHUB&#256RA B&#256B&#256 MOHAN J&#298 marks the spot where B&#257b&#257 Mohan, the ascetic son of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s, used to live in an upstairs room (<i>chub&#257r&#257</i>, in Puñjab&#299). It was here that Gur&#363 Arjan received from B&#257b&#257 Mohan the <i>poth&#299s</i> containing hymns for use in the compilation of the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. The present room in which the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib is seated is on the ground floor. Among the relics preserved in the Chub&#257r&#257 S&#257hib complex is the palanquin in which the <i>poth&#299s</i> were carried to Amritsar and then brought back to Goindv&#257l.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;KH&#362H GUR&#362 R&#256M D&#256S J&#298 ATE JOT&#298 JOT ASTH&#256N BH&#256&#298 GURD&#256S J&#298 is the sign for a separate Gurdw&#257r&#257, to the west of Sr&#299 Chub&#257r&#257 S&#257hib, commemorating Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s, who died here, and Gur&#363 R&#257m D&#257s, the <i>kh&#363h</i> or well sunk by whom is still preserved in the compound in front.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;All these shrines in Goindv&#257l are managed by the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee. A largely-attended three-day fair takes place in the month of September to mark the death anniversary of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 DAMD&#256M&#256 S&#256HIB, 3 km from Goindv&#257l, also commemorates Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s who, according to tradition, used to halt here briefly during his daily journey from Goindv&#257l to Kha&#7693&#363r carrying river water for Gur&#363 A&#7749gad's morning bath. The present building was constructed in the 1960's by Sant Bh&#363r&#299vale, whose followers continue to administer it.</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> <li class="C1"> Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u> Gur&#363 <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257</i>, Patiala, 1970<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>