ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>HAR&#298&#256&#7748 VEL&#256&#7748 GURDW&#256R&#256 </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="HAR*D,VELD,GURDWR"> <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">&#65279HAR&#298&#256&#7748 VEL&#256&#7748, GURDW&#256R&#256, 1.5 km north of the village of Bajrau&#7771, 11 km southeast of Hoshi&#257rpur (31º-32'N, 75º-55'E), is dedicated to Gur&#363 Har R&#257i. According to local tradition, Gur&#363 Har R&#257i visited here in 1651 on his way to K&#299ratpur. One B&#257b&#257 Parj&#257pat brought wild creepers (<i>vel&#257&#7749</i> in Punjabi) for the Gur&#363's horses. The Gur&#363 blessed him saying that his creepers will ever remain green (<i>har&#299&#257&#7749</i> in Punjabi). Half a century later, a Sikh <i>sa&#7749gat</i> from Da&#7771ap region (Si&#257lko&#7789 district) proceeding to Anandpur to see Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh was, on 15 March 1701, waylaid and looted by the Gujjars and Ra&#7749gha&#7771s of Bajrau&#7771. As the <i>sa&#7749gat</i> reached Anandpur and reported the incident to Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, he deputed his eldest son, S&#257hibz&#257d&#257 Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh, to chastise the miscreants. S&#257hibz&#257d&#257 Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh humbled the residents of the village in a battle fought on 18 March 1701. A shrine was raised on the site where Sikhs killed in action were cremated. The present building was constructed sometime during the nineteenth century. The Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib is seated in a domed <i>p&#257lak&#299</i> in the centre of the sanctum topped by a gold-plated pinnacle. A date palm tree with green creepers climbing up along it marks the spot where Gur&#363 Har R&#257i's horse is believed to have been tethered and fed. The memorial of the martyrs, reconstructed during the 1970's and named Gurdw&#257r&#257 Shah&#299d&#257&#7749, comprises a square domed sanctum, with decorative kiosks adorning the corners of the building. The shrine is affiliated to the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee, but is managed by Taru&#7751&#257 Dal Niha&#7749gs. Congregations on the last day of the dark half of every month, i.e. <i>am&#257vasy&#257</i>, attract large audiences, and religious fairs are held on the first of Bais&#257kh (mid-April) and the first of M&#257gh (mid-January) .</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>