ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>PA&#7788N&#256 (25º -37'N, 85º-10'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="PAlN"> <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">&#65279PA&#7788N&#256 (25º -37'N, 85º-10'E), ancient P&#257&#7789al&#299putra, now capital of Bih&#257r state, is one of the most sacred places of pilgrimage for Sikhs. It is the birthplace of their Tenth Gur&#363, Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, and one of their seats of high religious authority. For this reason it is designated a <i>ta<u>kh</u>t</i>, i.e, throne. It is called Pa&#7789n&#257 S&#257hib, with S&#257hib suffixed to the name as a title of dignity and honour. The old Pa&#7789n&#257 city railway station has now been officially renamed Pa&#7789n&#257 S&#257hib. Several historical shrines are located in the city.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 PAHIL&#256 B&#256&#7770&#256 G&#256I GH&#256&#7788, or simply Gurdwar&#257 G&#257i Gh&#257&#7789, is in the '&#256lamgañj area of the old city, close to the new bridge over the River Ga&#7749g&#257. Gur&#363 N&#257nak, during his visit to Pa&#7789n&#257 in the first decade of the sixteenth century, stayed at this place, then the residence of a pious man, Jait&#257 by name and a confectioner by trade. Jait&#257 became a Sikh and converted his house into a place of holy assembly which came to be known as B&#257&#7771&#299 Sa&#7749gat or G&#257i Gh&#257&#7789 Sa&#7749gat. According to tradition, it was from here that Gur&#363 N&#257nak had sent Mard&#257n&#257 to the city with a jewel for evaluation as a result of which S&#257ls R&#257i, the jeweller, also became a Sikh and escorted the Gur&#363 to his home. When Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur arrived in Pa&#7789n&#257 with his family and a retinue of Sikhs in 1666, he also stayed here at B&#257&#7771&#299 Sa&#7749gat first but later shifted to Chho&#7789&#299 Sa&#7749gat in the house that had once belonged to S&#257las R&#257i. In the G&#257&#299 Gh&#257&#7789 Gurdw&#257r&#257 two old relics are displayed : Mard&#257n&#257's rebeck and M&#257t&#257 Gujar&#299's grindstone.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;TA<u>KH</u>T SR&#298 HARIMANDAR S&#256HIB is the principal shrine in Pa&#7789n&#257. The place was originally the residence of S&#257las R&#257i, the jeweller. Gur&#363 N&#257nak is said to have stayed and preached here for about three months. A religious centre known as Chho&#7789&#299 Sa&#7749gat, the smaller assembly as distinguished from B&#257&#7771i (larger) Sa&#7749gat at G&#257i Gh&#257&#7789, grew up here. It was headed by Bh&#257&#299 Adhrak&#257, an employee of S&#257las R&#257i. When in 1666 Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur came to Pa&#7789n&#257, Adhrak&#257's descendants, who were the priests of Chho&#7789&#299 Sa&#7749gat, escorted the Gur&#363 and his party to this place in a procession from the B&#257&#7771&#299 Sa&#7749gat. The Gur&#363, leaving his family at Chho&#7789&#299 Sa&#7749gat in the care of his brother-in-law, Kirp&#257l Chand, proceeded further east. Here Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh was born on 22 December 1666. The house where Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh spent his early childhood, according to a foreigner, Charles Wilkins, who visited it in 1781, "forms a square of about forty feet, raised from the ground about six to eight steps. The hall is in the centre, divided from four other apartments by wooden arches upon pillars of the same materials, all neatly carved. The room is rather longer than it is broad." This building, originally raised in 1665 by R&#257j&#257 Fateh Chand Mai&#7751&#299, gave place to one constructed by Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh in 1839. Further extensions were carried out in 1887 jointly by the Sikh rulers of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257, J&#299nd and Far&#299dko&#7789 states. The central building sustained serious damage in the earthquake that rocked Bih&#257r in 1934. The present building, the Ta<u>kh</u>t Harimandar S&#257hib today, was constructed under the supervision of Sant Nischal Si&#7749gh and Sant Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh and completed in 1957. It is a magnificent five-storeyed edifice with a ribbed lotus dome on top of the sanctum and smaller domes at the corners. These corner domes have gold pinnacles while the central one carries an umbrella shaped finial. The inner sanctum, representing the room where Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh was born, has a circumambulatory passage around it and a huge hall in front. Its ceiling is lined with reflecting glass and its front arch is covered with gold plates, having embossed floral motifs to match the designs on the marble in the interior. There are three canopied seats in the sanctum. The central one facing the hall has the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib placed on it. Of the other two seats, one is occupied by the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib and the other by the Dasam Granth. Several relics belonging to Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur and Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh such as wooden sandals, an old gown, several weapons as well as their <i>hukamn&#257m&#257s</i> are preserved at the Ta<u>kh</u>t S&#257hib.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The administration of Ta<u>kh</u>t Harimandar S&#257hib was for a long time in the hands of a line of <i>mahants</i>. On the death of the last of them in 1930, the management was handed over to a committee of five, with B&#257b&#257 Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh Bed&#299 as Sarbar&#257h K&#257r, under the general supervision of the District Judge of Pa&#7789n&#257. B&#257b&#257 Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh was removed in 1954 on the grounds of maladministration. A new constitution was framed in 1956 after consultations with various Sikh societies and a new committee took over the control. The committee consists of 15 elected and nominated members, representing the Sikhs of Pa&#7789n&#257 city, Bihar and Calcutta, and nominees of bodies such as the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee and the Chief <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n. Three members are the nominees of the District Judge of Pa&#7789n&#257.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 B&#256L L&#298L&#256 MAI&#7750&#298 SA&#7748GAT, situated in a lane from across Ta<u>kh</u>t Harimandar S&#257hib, is located in what used to be the house of R&#257j&#257 Fateh Chand Mai&#7751&#299, a prominent citizen of Pa&#7789n&#257. Fateh Chand and his wife were devoted followers of the Sikh faith. They were without a child, and had longed and prayed for a son. One day as the lady sat absorbed in prayer with her usual wish in her heart, child Gobind R&#257i [that was the name by which Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh was then known] came along, followed by his playmates, sat in her lap and lisped, "Mother, give us something to eat." This was a miracle for her. She felt as if her prayer had been answered and she had really been blessed with a son. Joyfully she fetched the only eatables readily available in the house &#8212 boiled salted gram. Fateh Chand Mai&#7751&#299 was no less delighted. The couple converted their house into a <i>sa&#7749gat</i> which came to be known as Mai&#7751&#299 Sa&#7749gat. To this day, the <i>pras&#257d</i> at this Gurdw&#257r&#257 consists of boiled salted gram especially distributed to children in the morning. The Gurdw&#257r&#257 is served by Nirmal&#257 priests. The building has been extended in recent years, but the old porch supported on pillars and arches of carved wood has been preserved. On the entrance door are carved the M&#363l Mantra and the date Sambat 1725 Ass&#363 <i>v&#257d&#299</i> 10, corresponding to 28 August 1668. Among the relics displayed in this Gurdw&#257r&#257 is a pair of shoes of embroidered velvet believed to have been Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh's. There is also a <i>karaund&#257</i> tree in the compound supposed to have sprouted from a twig planted by him. The Gurdw&#257r&#257 has a volume of the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib in which the M&#363l Mantra is written in the old calligraphic style of the <i>hukamn&#257m&#257s</i>. It is believed that this is in Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh's own hand.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 GUR&#362 K&#256 B&#256<u>GH</u> is on the eastern edge of the old city, about 3 km from Ta<u>kh</u>t Harimandar S&#257hib. When Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur returned from Assam, he alighted on this site which was then a garden owned by Naw&#257b Rah&#299m Ba<u>kh</u>sh and Naw&#257b Kar&#299m Ba<u>kh</u>sh. It is said that the trees in the garden had withered and almost dried up, but no sooner had the Gur&#363 entered than they blossomed forth. The Naw&#257b offered the garden to the Gur&#363. On hearing of the Gur&#363's return, the whole <i>sa&#7749gat</i> of Pa&#7789n&#257 along with child Gobind R&#257i, came out to pay him homage. Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur was pleased to see the <i>sa&#7749gat</i> and his young son. This meeting took place on Bais&#257kh <i>sud&#299</i> 7, 1727 Bk/17 April 1670. A small shrine was built later near an <i>iml&#299</i> tree under which the Gur&#363 had sat. Only a dried stump of that tree now remains. The old shrine was demolished to give place to a new building the construction for which was taken up by the Ta<u>kh</u>t S&#257hib Committee in 1971-72.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 SR&#298 GUR&#362 GOBIND SI&#7748GH GH&#256&#7788 is a small shrine over that Gh&#257&#7789-gate, close to Ta<u>kh</u>t Harimandar S&#257hib. The Ga&#7749g&#257, which has since receded further north, used to flow past this <i>gh&#257&#7789</i>, or landing place. Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh as a child often turned out here with his playmates. Tradition preserves many stories of these childhood days. Shiv Datt, a pious Br&#257hma&#7751, used to meditate daily in the morning on the riverbank. His one wish was to see his deity in flesh. One morning he did see Lord R&#257ma in person. He was delighted at the vision. The next moment he found himself gazing at child Gobind R&#257i standing in front and smiling graciously at him. He instantly felt as if the child was the deity he had been longing to see. Shiv Datt treated Gobind R&#257i so ever after. A small cave-like shrine, with idols and icons believed to have belonged to Pa&#7751&#7693it Shiv Datt himself, still stands opposite to Gurdw&#257r&#257 Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh Gh&#257t. The Gurdw&#257r&#257 is administered by Ta<u>kh</u>t Harimandar S&#257hib.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 H&#256&#7750&#7692&#298 S&#256HIB at D&#257n&#257pur, about 20 km west of Ta<u>kh</u>t Harimandar S&#257hib, is also sacred to Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh. When, summoned by Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur, his family left Pa&#7789n&#257 for the Punjab. D&#257n&#257pur was their camp at the end of the first day's journey. An old lady, named by chroniclers variously as Jamn&#257 or Pardh&#257n&#299, had offered to provide the evening meal to the party. She had cooked <i>khich&#7771&#299</i>, a dish of rice and lentils in a <i>h&#257&#7751&#7693i</i>, a small earthen kettle, but she saw that a large body of Pa&#7789n&#257 <i>sa&#7749gat</i> had followed to see off young Gobind R&#257i. She had neither the means nor the time to cook more food. But she had her faith. She prayed to the Gur&#363 and started serving food to the <i>sa&#7749gat</i>. It is said that the whole party was fed, but <i>Khich&#7771i</i> in the <i>ha&#7751&#7693&#299</i> was not exhausted. A <i>sa&#7749gat</i> was established in the lady's house which came to be called Ha&#7751&#7693&#299 V&#257l&#299 Sa&#7749gat. It was looked after for a long time by Ud&#257s&#299 priests until the Ta<u>kh</u>t Harimandar S&#257hib took it over and reconstructed it. The Gurdw&#257r&#257, on the bank of a seasonal stream called Son, consists of a small hall, with a verandah on three sides and a small brick paved compound in front.</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"> Narotam, T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Sr&#299 Gur&#363 T&#299rath Sa&#7749grahi</i>. Kankhal,1975<BR> <li class="C1"> &#7788h&#257kar Si&#7749gh, <i>Sr&#299 Gurdu&#257re Darshan</i>. Amritsar, 1923<BR> <li class="C1"> Mehar Singh, <i>Sikh Shrines in India</i>. Delhi, 1975<BR> <li class="C1"> Randhir, G.S., <i>Sikh Shrines in India</i>. Delhi, 1990<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>