ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>MUKTSAR (30º-29'N, 74º-31'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="MUKTSAR"> <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">&#65279MUKTSAR (30º-29'N, 74º-31'E), a district town in the Punjab, commemorating the martyrdom of Forty Mukt&#257s, i.e. the Liberated Ones, is a famous pilgrimage centre for the Sikhs. The sacred pool which lends its name to the town was formerly known as Khidr&#257&#7751&#257 &#7693h&#257b, a natural depression which fed by rain water, used to be the only reservoir for miles around. When Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, with only three other survivors of the battle of Chamkaur (7, December 1705), set out towards the M&#257lv&#257 country, he was pursued by a strong Mu<u>gh</u>al force. The Gur&#363 retired deeper into the desert, many Sikhs, mostly warriors of the Br&#257&#7771 clan, rallying round him. Chaudhar&#299 Kap&#363r&#257, who owned a fortress in the area, provided a guide for Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh to be escorted further west to the safety of Khidr&#257&#7751&#257. Here a small party of Sikhs from the M&#257jh&#257, country between the Rivers Be&#257s and R&#257v&#299, had hardly presented themselves to atone for the desertion by some of them at Anandpur, when the pursuing column drew close, too. While Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh and his M&#257lv&#257 Sikhs moved to occupy a vantage point, a sandy mound (<i>&#7789ibb&#299</i>, in Punjabi), 1.5 km away, the M&#257jh&#257 Sikhs, only 40 in number led by a courageous lady, M&#257&#299 Bh&#257go, took their positions in a thicket of <i>va&#7751</i> trees (<i>Quercus incana</i>) and <i>kar&#299r</i> bushes (<i>Capparis aphylla</i>) near the &#7693h&#257b itself.. They spread their sheets over the bushes to give them the semblance of tents. As the Mu<u>gh</u>al vanguard, on noticing the "encampment," stopped at a distance, the Sikhs fired their muskets in a volley and charged to engage the confused enemy in a hand-to-hand fight. In the grim action that followed, they fought ferociously and fell to the last man, but not before forcing the host to retreat. Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, who had been showering arrows in support from the <i>&#7789ibb&#299</i>, came down to the battlefield. Blessing by turns his Sikhs who had valiantly laid down their lives, he saw one Bh&#257&#299 Mah&#257&#7749 Si&#7749gh who, though gravely wounded, was still alive. The Gur&#363 praised the gallantry of the M&#257jh&#257 contingent and promised Mah&#257&#7749 Si&#7749gh any boon he might ask of him. The only request the dying Sikh made was for the cancellation of the deed of renunciation he and some of his companions had signed at Anandpur. The Gur&#363 granted the request and blessed Mah&#257&#7749 Si&#7749gh who now died in peace. M&#257&#299 Bh&#257go, who lay seriously injured, however, survived and attended upon the Gur&#363 ever after. The forty dead were declared by Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh Forty Mukt&#257s or the Forty Saved Ones, whence the pool of Khidr&#257&#7751&#257 came to be named Muktsar. Besides the 100-metre square sacred pool, five <i>gurdw&#257r&#257s</i> commemorate the events of 29 December 1705, the day on which, according to the <i>Bha&#7789&#7789 Vah&#299s</i>, the historic battle was fought. The local tradition, however, favours the 21 Bais&#257kh 1762 Bk/ 18 April 1705 date. The sites were marked out by an eighteenth-century Nirmal&#257 saint, Bh&#257&#299 La&#7749gar Si&#7749gh, resident of Har&#299ke Kal&#257&#7749, 18 km east of Muktsar, who also appointed the first the month of M&#257gh as the memorial day for the martyrs.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>GURDW&#256R&#256 TAMB&#362 S&#256HIB</i>, near the south-eastern corner of the <i>sarovar</i>, marks the spot where the <i>mukt&#257s</i> took position behind trees and shrubs which they camouflaged to look like tents (<i>tamb&#363</i>, in Punjabi). The present building, which replaced the old one built at the initiative of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Mohinder Si&#7749gh of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 (1852-76), was constructed through <i>k&#257r-sev&#257</i> during the 1980's. It comprises a high-ceilinged domed hall, with a gallery at mid-height and the sanctum in the centre.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>GURDW&#256R&#256 SHAH&#298DGAÑJ S&#256HIB</i>, also called Ang&#299&#7789h&#257 (lit. pyre) S&#257hib, about 50 metres west of the <i>sarovar</i>, marking the spot where the bodies of the martyrs were cremated by Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, was first built in 1870 by R&#257j&#257 Waz&#299r Si&#7749gh of Far&#299dko&#7789 (1828-72). The new building, a rectangular domed hall, was reconstructed through <i>k&#257r-sev&#257</i> during the 1980's.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>SR&#298 DARB&#256R S&#256HIB</i>, the principal shrine at Muktsar, is on the western bank of the <i>sarovar</i> and was the earliest to be established by the first few Sikh families who had settled here around 1743. Additions to the building were carried out by Bh&#257&#299 Des&#363 Si&#7749gh and Bh&#257&#299 L&#257l Si&#7749gh, chiefs of Kaithal, and later by Sard&#257r Har&#299 Si&#7749gh Nalv&#257 (1791-1837), one of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh's army generals. During the 1930's Sant Gurmukh Si&#7749gh K&#257rsev&#257v&#257le and Sant S&#257dh&#363 Si&#7749gh renovated the building. They marble-panelled its walls, added decorative domes on top and paved the floor in and around it with marble. This edifice was, however, pulled down by his followers for reconstruction during the 1980's. A high tower and flagpost close to the Darb&#257r S&#257hib were raised by Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 H&#299r&#257 Si&#7749gh of N&#257bh&#257 (1843-1911) during the 1880's. An old <i>va&#7751</i> tree believed to have existed since before the battle of Muktsar still stands between the D&#299v&#257n Asth&#257n and the Nishan S&#257hib.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>GURDW&#256R&#256 &#7788IBB&#298 S&#256HIB</i>, marking the sandy mound from where Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh had showered arrows on the enemy during the battle, was first established as a modest structure during the eighteenth century, and reconstructed in 1843 by So&#7693h&#299 M&#257n Si&#7749gh of M&#257nsi&#7749ghv&#257l&#257. The present building, which came up during the 1950's under the supervision of B&#257b&#257 Baghel Si&#7749gh, a follower of Sant Gurmukh Si&#7749gh, is a square hall with the sanctum in the centre. Above the sanctum is a square pavilion topped by a lotus dome and decorative marble kiosks at corners. The entire wall surface including the dome is lined with white marble. The floor in and around the hall is also marble topped.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>GURDW&#256R&#256 RAK&#256BSAR S&#256HIB</i>, 200 metre east of Gurdw&#257r&#257 &#7788ibb&#299 S&#257hib, was also constructed by B&#257b&#257 Baghel Si&#7749gh during the 1950's. According to local tradition, as Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh came down from the <i>&#7789ibb&#299</i> and was going to mount his horse, the stirrup (<i>rak&#257b</i>, in Punjabi) snapped. Hence the name of the shrine.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The control of Sr&#299 Darb&#257r S&#257hib and other shrines in Muktsar, initially in the hands of hereditary <i>mahants</i> or priests, passed to the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee in February 1923. The major annual celebration is on the M&#257gh&#299 day (mid-January) when vast numbers of devotees throng the premises from all over for ablutions in the holy pool and to attend religious <i>d&#299v&#257ns</i>.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Narotam, T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i> Sr&#299 Guru T&#299rath Sa&#7749grahi </i>. Kankhal, 1975<BR> <li class="C1"> Gi&#257n Singh Gi&#257n&#299, <i> Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u> Gurdu&#257ri&#257&#7749 </i>. Amritsar, n.d.<BR> <li class="C1"> Mehar Singh, <i> Sikh Shrines in India </i>. Delhi, 1975<BR> <li class="C1"> Sahi, Joginder Singh, <i> Sikh Shrines in India and Abroad </i>. Faridabad, 1978<BR> <li class="C1"> Gupta, Hari Ram, <i> History of Sikh Gurus </i>. Delhi, 1973<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>