Sri Hazur Sahib
The Hazur Sahib
General information
Architectural styleSikh architecture
Town or cityNanded,
Maharashtra
Country India
Coordinates19°09′10″N 77°19′07″E / 19.15278°N 77.31861°E / 19.15278; 77.31861
Construction started1832

Hazur Sahib[lower-alpha 1] (Hazūrī Sāhib; lit. 'presence of the sahib/master'), also known as Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib, is one of the five takhts in Sikhism. The gurdwara was built between 1832 and 1837 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780–1839).[1] It is located on the banks of the Godavari River at the city of Nanded in the state of Maharashtra, India.

The structure is built at the place where Guru Gobind Singh Ji died. The gurdwara within the complex is known as Sach-Khand (Realm of Truth). The inner room of the gurdwara is called the Angitha Sahib and is built over the place where Gobind Singh was cremated in 1708.[2]

History

Aarti prayers in Hazur Sahib Nanded

Hazur Sahib marks the site where Guru Gobind Singh ji had his camp in 1708. The Guru held his court and congregation here and was convalescing after being attacked by two would-be assassins. One of the attackers stabbed the Guru, and was killed by him with a single stroke of his talwar (curved sword). The other was killed by his followers as he tried to escape. The Guru's wound was deep, but initially healed after being stitched by an English surgeon sent by Bahadur Shah I, who served as his doctor, and Dara Shikoh before him.[3] However the wound re-opened a few days later when the Guru was stringing a bow for one of his Sikhs and the Guru merged into the Primal (Joti Jot) after declaring the Guru Granth Sahib as his successor.[4]

The Sikhs built a room over the platform where Guru Gobind Singh Ji would sit while holding his court and installed Guru Granth Sahib Ji on it. They called it Takhat Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh Ji, while conferring Guruship to Guru Granth Sahib Ji, had himself named Nanded as "Abchalnagar" (literally "Steadfast city") after the first word of a hymn read at random on the occasion.

In October 2008, the 300th-anniversary celebration of the Guruship of Guru Granth Sahib ji took place here. This site is now one of five Takhats which are places of primary importance to the Sikhs. The other four takhats are: Sri Akal Takht Sahib at Amritsar, Takhat Sri Keshgarh Sahib at Anandpur, Takhat Sri Patna Sahib in Bihar and Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, Punjab.

Sachkhand (literally "region of Truth") had been used by Guru Nanak Sahib Ji to mean the abode of God. Ranjit Singh had the present building of the Takhat Sahib constructed with money, artisans, and labor sent from Punjab during the early 1830s. Around the same time, the 3rd Nizam of Hyderabad Kingdom a Muslim ruler of the Deccan Region raised a contingent of Northern Sikhs as part of his army. Most of these men settled permanently in Hyderabad State and also few Hindus of the Deccan embraced Sikhism in the 19th century.

The control of Takhat Sachkhand Sri Hazoor Sahib, which had formerly passed into the hands of Udasi Sikh priests was regained by the Sikhs under the influence of the Singh Sabha Movement of the late nineteenth century. Some of the 'rituals and ceremonies connected with working' are peculiar to this Takhat Sahib. In 1956 an Act was passed by the legislature of Hyderabad under which the management of the Takhat Sahib and other historical Gurdwaras was legally placed under a 17-member Gurudwaras Board and a five-member Managing Committee.

The Takht houses both the Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and the Sri Dasam Granth. This follows the pattern of Takht Sri Patna Sahib.

Nanded is the holy city where Baba Banda Singh Bahadur had his ashram and Baba Banda Singh started his journey of Khalsa victory; hence it has a very high regard in the history of India.

This shrine differs from other historical places of Sikh worship, here all ancient customs which were practised at the time of the Guru are still practiced, for example, sandal-wood tilak is still applied on the foreheads of priests and local devotees.

The most important aspect of this holy shrine is that there are two sanctum sanctorum here. While all the functions are carried out by the priests in the outer room, the inner room is a vault that houses priceless objects, weapons and other personal belongings of the Guru. No one except the head priest can enter this holy vault.[5]

Heritage conservation

Sikh historians and scholars have raised alarms regarding the plight of Sikh historical heritage within the Takht Hazur Sahib complex.[6] Many historical structures have been destroyed by the takht's management committee, much to the dismay of a vocal section of Sikhs who pleaded for these sites to be preserved in their original state.[6] Sharad Chalikwar, a consultant engineer, and Kiran Kalamdani, a restoration architect, had come up with restoration plans to save the historical buildings but Hazur Sahib's management committee ended-up demolishing the buildings under the guise of Kar Seva renovations.[6]

The buildings that were destroyed include:[6]

The gurdwara management committee, specifically chairman P.S. Pasricha, defended their action to destroy the historical sites because of their age, dilapidated condition, need for "beautification", needing room for their development plans, and that land has been allotted for the building of a new 31-room sarai with a museum.[6]

Shri Hazoor Sahib Gurudwara Nanded
Panorama view of Hazur Sahib Nanded

300th anniversary celebrations

In 2008, the 300th Gurudomship ceremony of Guru Granth Sahib and 300th Joti Jot anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh were celebrated on a grand scale at Hazoor Sahib, Nanded. The then Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh also addressed to the Sath-Sangat on the main event function. To publicize the event the "Jagriti Yatra" was arranged which travelled through different cities across the country and also some places in abroad.

Laser fountain show

Shri Hazoor Sahib Gurdwara Nanded
Interior view of the gurdwara

Recently, a laser-ray show has been started at Gobind Bagh near the main gurdwara. In this show, the lives of the ten Gurus are briefly described. The show became very popular in a short period not only among Sikhs (local or visitors) but also people of other religions. It is the second largest laser show in Asia.

Historical gurdwaras in Nanded

  • Gurdwara Nagina Ghat Sahib
  • Gurdwara Banda Ghat Sahib (Baba Banda singh Bahadur)
  • Gurdwara Shikaar Ghat Sahib
  • Gurdwara Baoli Sahib (Nr. GURU Gobind singh Museum)
  • Gurdwara Heera Ghat
  • Gurdwara Mata Sahib
  • Gurdwara Maal Tekdi
  • Gurdwara Sangat Sahib
  • Gurdwara Damdama Sahib (Basmat Nagar, Parbhani)
  • Gurudwara Bhajangarh Saheb

List of Jathedars

No. Name Assigned by Term Reference(s)
1. Bhai Santokh Singh ? 1709–1715
2. Bhai Khushal Singh ? 1715–1722
3. Bhai Laal Singh ? 1722–1730
4. Bhai Bakhtawar Singh ? 1730–1736
5. Bhai Charat Singh ? 1736–1786
6. Bhai Mohar Singh ? 1786–1793
7. Bhai Raam Singh ? 1793–1804
8. Bhai Dharam Singh ? 1804–1812
9. Bhai Charat Singh ? 1812–1817
10. Bhai Sahib Singh ? 1817–1818
11. Bhai Aaya Singh ? 1818–1824
12. Bhai Jassa Singh ? 1824–1839
13. Bhai Isher Singh ? 1839–1841
14. Bhai Waryam Singh ? 1841–1844
15. Bhai Tara Singh ? 1844–1858
16. Bhai Atar Singh ? 1858–1867
17. Bhai Prem Singh ? 1867–1875
18. Bhai Deva Singh ? 1875–1876
19. Bhai Brij Singh ? 1876–1877
20. Bhai Jawahar Singh ? 1877–1883
21. Bhai Naanu Singh ? 1883–1890
22. Bhai Maan Singh ? 1890–1913
23. Bhai Daya Singh ? 1913–1914
24. Bhai Hari Singh ? 1914–1919
25. Bhai Hira Singh ? 1919–1945
28. Bhai Bahadur Singh ? 1945–1946
27. Bhai Hira Singh ? 1946–1950
28. Bhai Harnaam Singh ? 1950–1956
29. Bhai Joginder Singh ? 1956–1984
30. Bhai Hajoora Singh ? 1984–2000
31. Bhai Kulwant Singh ? 2000–present

Kirtan Maryada Ragis at Hazur Sahib

Bhai Jagat Singh (1917–1978) was an eminent Ragi who did Seva at the Takhat from AD 1934 to 1978 (till death).

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Not to be confused with a building with the same name located near the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
  1. ↑ Also spelt as Hazoor Sahib.

References

  1. ↑ Singh, S. Harpal (29 December 2019). "Guru Nanak's centuries-old link with Nizam's Nirmal". The Hindu.
  2. ↑ "ऐतिहासिक दसरा पर्वाची गुरुद्वारात जय्यत तयारी" [Aitihāsika Dasarā Parvācī Gurudvārāta Jayyata Tayārī]. Sakal (in Marathi). Nanded. 27 September 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "European Surgeon who Attended Satguru Gobind Singh in 1708".
  4. ↑ G.S., Randhir (1990). Sikh shrines in India. New Delhi: The Director of Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
  5. ↑ "The Tribune - Windows - Sites and Scenes".
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Dogra, Chander Suta (3 May 2016). "Have You the Eyes for It?". SikhNet (republished, originally published by Outlook Magazine). Retrieved 21 September 2023.

Further reading

  • Nidar Singh Nihang and Parmjit Singh, In the Master's Presence - The Sikhs of Hazoor Sahib, Kashi House (2009), ISBN 978-0-9560168-0-5.
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