ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>TAKHT&#362PUR&#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 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">&#65279TA<u>KH</u>T&#362PUR&#256, village 5 km east of Nih&#257lsi&#7749ghv&#257l&#257 (30º-35'N,75º-16'E) in present-day Mog&#257 district of the Punjab, is sacred to Gur&#363 N&#257nak (1469-1539), Gur&#363 Hargobind (1595-1644) and Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh (1666-708). Three separate shrines close to one another and collectively called N&#257naksar after the name of the <i>sarovar</i> or sacred pool commemorate the Gur&#363s' visits.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 P&#256TSH&#256H&#298 PAHIL&#298, on the bank of N&#257naksar <i>sarovar</i>, marks the site where Gur&#363 N&#257nak had discoursed with a few Siddha-yog&#299s who lived on a nearby mound. The building, raised by the local <i>sa&#7749gat</i> on the site of an old mud hut, was constructed in 1975 by Sant Darb&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh of Lopo&#7749. The new six-storeyed edifice is a marble-floored hall, with the sanctum at the far end. The upper storeys built over the sanctum have above them a lotus dome topped by a gold-plated pinnacle.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 P&#256TSH&#256H&#298 CHHEV&#298&#7748, commemorates the visit of Gur&#363 Hargobind, who came here after the battle of Mehr&#257j in December 1634. According to local tradition, Bh&#257&#299 Jakko, a leading farmer of the village served him with devotion. For a long time only a platform set up as memorial had existed here. The present Gurdw&#257r&#257 was built by Sant Sundar Si&#7749gh Bhi&#7751&#7693r&#257&#7749v&#257le in 1921. The sanctum is in the middle of a high-ceilinged, marbled hall, with a gallery at mid-height. There is a basement below and domed pavilion above the sanctum topped by a gold-plated pinnacle.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 P&#256TSH&#256H&#298 DASV&#298&#7748, on the eastern bank of the <i>sarovar</i>, is dedicated to Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, who sited Ta<u>kh</u>t&#363pur&#257 en route to D&#299n&#257 in December 1705. He is said to have bathed in the sacred N&#257naksar. The old building, constructed by an Ud&#257s&#299 saint, Bishan D&#257s, collapsed during the abnormally heavy rains in 1955, and was replaced by the present complex raised by Sant Darb&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh of Lopo&#7749 in 1962. It comprises a marble-floored hall, with the sanctum in the middle.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N&#256NAKSAR, the rectangular <i>sarovar</i>, was partly lined by Dhann&#257 Si&#7749gh Malva&#299, a general under Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh. It was desilted and completed with a marbled circumambulatory terrace in 1921 under the supervision of Sant Sundar Si&#7749gh Bhi&#7751&#7693r&#257&#7749v&#257le.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;These shrines are administered by the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee. Besides the daily services and the observance of important anniversaries on the Sikh calendar, a largely-attended <i>d&#299v&#257n</i> is held on every new-moon day. The major function of the year, however, is a 3-day religious fair held to mark the popular festivals of Loh&#7771&#299 and M&#257gh&#299 (mid-January). The Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee also runs at Ta<u>kh</u>t&#363pur&#257 an educational institution, Gur&#363 N&#257nak <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 High School, managed by a separate 11-member committee.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><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"> 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"> &#7788h&#257kar Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Sr&#299 Gurdu&#257re Darshan</i>. Amritsar, 1923<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Gurnek Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>