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Gurdwara Bangla Sahib |
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| One of the most important historical and sacred
pilgrimage destinations of the Sikh comunity, Gurdwara Bangla
Sahib is the ‘Haveli’ or palace, where Guru Hari
Krishan, the eighth Sikh Guru stayed during his tour to Delhi
in 1664. The Guru was entertained as a royal guest by Mirza
Raja Jai Singh in this ‘bangla’ (palace), which
was built on the model of the existing palace of Raja Jai Singh
in Jaipur. Later the architecturally impressive palace was dedicated
to the memory of the Guru and has been a place of worship since
then. Every day more than seven thousand devotees and visitors
come to worship in this Sikh holy shrine. |
| Legend says that Raja Jai Singh’s chief
queen was greatly impressed by the spiritual powers of the child
prophet, Guru Hari Krishan. It is said that during his stay
in Delhi, diseases like small pox and cholera had broken out
in the city. The Guru served the poor and the needy, irrespective
of caste, creed and religion. With his spiritual powers he distributed
sanctified water to the ailing people, which had a miraculous
healing affect on their bodies. To this day water sanctified
by the Word of God, sung all day in this temple, is distributed
from the holy tank known as Chaubacha Sahib. The Guru died at
a young age because according to his followers he took all the
diseases in the city upon himself to stop the endemic. |
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| Gurdwara Complex |
| The large main hall has an open central shrine,
where a sculpted bronze cupola hangs over a smaller golden dome
under which silk sheets are spread out and covered with flowers.
This is where the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs,
is placed. Devotional music is played continuously and relayed
through the complex. The Gurdwara complex has a higher secondary
school, a museum, a bookstall, a library and a hospital. There
is also a holy pond in the complex where people take holy dips
and pray to the Guru. The birth of Guru Hari Krishan Sahib and
the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh are celebrated
here with great reverence. |
| The two important features of this temple are
Sangat congregations and Pangat or community kitchen also known
as Guru-ka-langar. Located in the east of the main complex,
the community kitchen provides food to all devotees, pilgrims
and visitors. More than seven thousand people are served free
food by this community kitchen every day. |
| Precautions: |
| Visitors need to take off their shoes, cover
their head with a scarf and wear clothes that cover the legs
and shoulders to enter the main complex. Upon entering the shrine
where the holy book is placed, Sikh devotees bow before the
Guru Granth Sahib, before finding a place to sit within the
prayer hall. Visitors are expected to display their respect
to this sacred text. Information regarding the Gurdwara Bangla
Sahib can be is offered at the visitors information office. |
| Management |
| The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee
manages the Gurdwara and has over 250 employees who look after
the functioning of this place of worship in different shifts.
Hundreds of people volunteer and work out of devotion in the
gurdwara, every day. The gurdwara has a very good parking facility
and a multi-level parking lot is also under construction, which
can accommodate more than thousand cars at a time. The complex
has all the basic facilities for visitors. |
| All in all, a visit to this sacred place is very
enriching experience. You can feel the devotion, faith, belief
and hospitality of the Sikh community as well as receive the
blessings of the priests when you visit the Gurdwara Bangla
Sahib. |
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