ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>KH&#256N CHH&#256PR&#298 (locally known as simply Chh&#257pr&#299)</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 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">&#65279<u>KH</u>&#256N CHH&#256PR&#298 (locally known as simply Chh&#257pr&#299), a small village 8 km west of Goindv&#257l (31º-22'N, 75º-9'E) in Amritsar district of the Punjab, was visited successively by Gur&#363 A&#7749gad, Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s, Gur&#363 Arjan and Gur&#363 Hargobind. Originally named <u>Kh</u>&#257npur, the habitation had once been reduced to a ruined mound. During the time of Gur&#363 A&#7749gad's stay at <u>Kh</u>a&#7693&#363r S&#257hib, as records Sar&#363p D&#257s Bhall&#257, <i>Mahim&#257 Prak&#257sh</i>, once a severe drought hit the place. A <i>yog&#299</i> claiming supernatural powers and jealous of the Gur&#363's popularity, incited the peasants against him saying, "You honour him [Gur&#363 A&#7749gad], a Khatr&#299 householder, as <i>gur&#363</i> in preference to an ascetic like me. Now go to him for rain, or expel him from the place and I shall get you rain." As the peasants went to the Gur&#363, he spoke to them, "Rain and drought are by God's Will. It cannot rain simply by my saying so." Gur&#363 A&#7749gad thereupon left Kha&#7693&#363r accompanied by Bh&#257&#299 Bu&#7693&#7693h&#257 and made his temporary abode on the mound of <u>Kh</u>&#257npur. Yet there was no rain at <u>Kh</u>a&#7693&#363r and the people were becoming critical of the <i>yog&#299</i>. Meanwhile, B&#257b&#257 (later Gur&#363) Amar D&#257s, who was at Goindv&#257l came to <u>Kh</u>a&#7693&#363r and, learning about what had happened, rebuked the peasants for their ill treatment of the Gur&#363. It so happened that as the <i>yog&#299</i> was being chastised by the villagers, it began raining. B&#257b&#257 Amar D&#257s and the repentant peasants came to <u>Kh</u>&#257npur and escorted the Gur&#363 back to Kha&#7693&#363r S&#257hib.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Once during the winter season, Gur&#363 Arjan (1563-1606), while travelling in these parts with a few attendants, was suddenly caught in rain and storm. Bh&#257&#299 Hem&#257, poor inhabitant of <u>Kh</u>&#257npur, extended the hospitality of his humble thatched hut, <i>chhapr&#299</i> in Punjabi, to them. The <i>chhapr&#299</i> was consecrated and <u>Kh</u>&#257npur became <u>Kh</u>&#257n Chh&#257pr&#299. Gur&#363 Hargobind also visited the place on his way to the M&#257lv&#257. The present building of Gurdw&#257r&#257 Chh&#257pr&#299 S&#257hib, raised during the 1970's, comprises a marble-floored hall, with the sanctum in the middle. The dome above the sanctum is lined with porcelain chips and topped with a gold-plated pinnacle. In front of the hall is a spacious, marbled terrace and a small octagonal <i>sarovar</i>. The Gurdw&#257r&#257 is administered by a local committee under the auspices of the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u> Gurdu&#257ri&#257&#7749</i>. Amritsar, n.d.<BR> <li class="C1"> T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Sr&#299 Gur&#363 T&#299rath Sa&#7749grahi</i>. Kankhal, 1975<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Gurnek Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>