Nada Sahib is a

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

gurudwara in the Panchkula district of the Indian state of

Haryana Haryana () is a States and union territories of India, state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out after the linguistic reorganisation of Punjab, India, Punjab on 1 November 1966. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with les ...

. Situated on the banks of the

Ghaggar-Hakra River The Ghaggar-Hakra River () is an intermittent river in India and Pakistan that flows only during the monsoon season. The river is known as Ghaggar before the Ottu barrage at , and as Hakra downstream of the barrage in the Thar Desert. In pre-Ha ...

in the

Sivalik Hills The Sivalik Hills, also known as Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas. The literal translation of "Sivalik" is 'tresses of Shiva'. The hills are known for their numerous fossils, and are also home to the Soanian Middle Pale ...

of Panchkula, it is the site where Guru Gobind Singh Ji halted while travelling from Paonta Sahib to Anandpur Sahib after the Battle of Bhangani in 1688.

History

The place remained obscure until nearby villager Bhai Motha Singh discovered the sacred spot and raised a platform to memorialize the Guru's visit. Nothing more is known of the devout Motha Singh nor of the date of the establishment of the Manji Sahib, except that the shrine was under the Dharmarth Board of

Patiala and East Punjab States Union The Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) was a States and union territories of India, state of India, uniting eight princely states between 1948 and 1956. The capital and principal city was Patiala. The state covered an area of 26,208 ...

(PEPSU) in 1948 and was taken over by the

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee ( SGPC; Supreme Gurdwara Management Committee) is an organization in India responsible for the management of ''gurdwaras'', Sikh places of worship, in the states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and ...

(SGPC) after the merger of the state with

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

in 1956. Battle of Bhangani was fought between

Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...

's army and

Bhim Chand (Kahlur) Bhim Chand (born 1651) was the Rajput King of Bilaspur state (reigned 1665 – 1692) and Anandpur Sahib fell under his territorial area. He launched his first expedition against Guru Gobind Singh in 1682. In 1686 he conflicted with the armies of ...

of Bilaspur on 18 September 1686, at Bhangani near Paonta Sahib. Number of Rajput Rajas of

Shivalik Hills The Sivalik Hills, also known as Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas. The literal translation of "Sivalik" is 'tresses of Shiva'. The hills are known for their numerous fossils, and are also home to the Soanian Middle Paleo ...

participated in the war from

‘s side. It was the first battle fought by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth

Sikh Guru The Sikh gurus (Punjabi language, Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ; Hindi: सिख गुरु) are the spiritual masters of Sikhism, who established the religion over the course of about two and a half centuries, beginning in 1469. The year ...

, at the age of 19. The Bachitar Natak mentions that the battle resulted in the victory of the Guru's forces and the enemy forces fled from the battlefield. The Guru, though victorious, did not occupy the conquered territory. Some historians such as H. Raturi, Anil Chandra Banerjee and A. S. Rawat speculate that the battle must have ended without conclusive result, since the Guru's victory is not reflected in any territorial annexations. The Guru entered into an understanding with Bhim Chand soon after the battle. However, this was most likely because the Guru was not after territorial gains, behaving as his great grandfather Guru Hargobind had done when winning battles against the

Mughals The Mughal Empire was an early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to the highlands of pre ...

Architecture

The original Manji Sahib was replaced by a two-story domed structure, with an adjacent large rectangular meeting hall. A spacious brick courtyard separates these buildings from the complex comprising the Guru ka Langar and rooms for pilgrims. The holy flag flies atop a high staff on one side of the courtyard, near the site of the old shrine. Religious gatherings and community meals take place daily. Every full moon day is celebrated, attended by large crowds.

Sikh heritage museum

There is a Sikh heritage museum at Nada Sahib which showcases Sikh history.

Conservation and enhancements

Under the PRASAD scheme, the

Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

, allocated INR 25cr (US3.3 million) for the upgrade of facilities in and around Gurudwara Nada Sahib.

References

Panchkula district Gurdwaras in Haryana Tourist attractions in Panchkula district {{Sikhism-stub

History

Architecture

Sikh heritage museum

Conservation and enhancements

See also

References