Guru Nanak in Gujrat

This article is about the travels of Guru nanak Sahib in the part of India called Gujrat today. The Gujrat area was then a bastion of Hinduism with the peoples' devotion being divided between differing sects whose cherished or chosen devata (lit. bright, shining beings/angels or demigods) being one of several in the Hindu pantheon. There were Vaishnavites who propriated either Vishnu (Balagi, Krishna, Radha, Rama, Lakshmi, Hanuman); Shiva (Ganesha) or Shakti (Kali, Durga, Parvati, ect.) singly or in miriad combinations of Devtas and Devis. The Hindu Mandirs were then as now homes of Murtis of these Devatas that were daily awakened from their quarters, dressed in rich clothing, even fed and draped with garlands of gold, jewels and flowers. The riches of the Hindu temples of Gugerat were so well known that raiders from the hills of Afghanistan had, by the days of Guru Nanak, had been pouring through the passes of the Hindu Kush in search of easy money.

After living their lives as their fathers had lived their's, in whatever caste, wether priest, warrior, merchant, potter or sweeper they lived life as it had always been lived, only death would bring any hope of a better life in a better caste. The most hoped for ending of life was winning release from what was seen as a seemingly endless cycle of birth, life and death, which if lived well resulted in mukti (escaping the cycle of life). After living the life of a householder and having a son many men would take to the forest and give up their attachments to maya and even torture themselves in hope of gaining salvation. It was towards the many rituals of Hinduism that had little or no meaning that Guru nanak Sahib turned his teachings. As a child he had, rather than playing with other children his age, roamed the woods in search of such religious men. As a child he had refused the second birth the special string, he had demonstrated the futility of throwing water at the sun to quench the thirst of ones ancestors living in the stars. He was appalled at the treatment of women - denied an education, the coveted special string, of their being blamed for the deaths of their husbands because of their supposed bad karma in an earlier life - not to mention Suttee (the scarifice of a wife thrown live on the pyre of a deceased husband). The Guru would travel to the camps of the mendicants to leave all this false faith and worship only the one true undefinable, formless lord, telling them that such things as the Lingam or Yoni, but in each and every human and every living creature. He told them that one should meditate only upon God.

Guru ji would also visit with his devotees in the region. He and Bhai Mardana would also meet and discuss religion with the Jains during these travels.

Places visited by Guru Nanak:

Junagarh

Guru Ji went to Junagarh with King Bharthri who had become a Jogi. He arrived at this place through Spiritual Power with King Bharthari. In the guru Granth sahib it is said, Prabh ke Simran Ridh Sidh Nav Nidh (a person who meditates on god's name will get spiritual powers and Nine treasures (Including worldly and spiritual treasures) and one cannot suspect on Meditation of Guru Nanak Sahib. Now if we talk about his mission it was to bring people on right way. It is easy to bring devoted people on way, but few people who do not believe in the god chooses another path. The same is in case with guru nanak sahib. He never used miraculous powers without any reason and yes if required he never hesitated in using it.

Jogi turned King Bharthari was in Takhtupura(Moga) in Malwa Punjab. He was told that he had to marry princess of Junagarh, and for that he had only a day left and if King failed to reach there, she will die. After that he will have to come in life again to get married to her. Her Transmigration will only cut after marrying with him.

Raja Bharthari requested Sidhs to help him reaching there, But sidhs refused because they were not able to do so in such a short time. Then on Raja's request Guru Nanak Dev took him to Junagarh. After marriage of Bharthari Guru Nanak Sahib brought him back.

A Gurdwara Sahib is present in Takhtupura which commemorates the incident. There is place of Bharthari too there. The Oldest Manuscript called Bhai Bala Janamsakhi also mentioned the said incident in detail.

Guru Nanak Sahib visited this place secondly during his south travels. He visited ’’Girnar Parbat’’ is a very sacred hill for the Jains. A large number of Jain sadhus and munis had undertaken penance on this hill long ago and have attained ’’Moksha’’ or ’’Nirvan.’’ The Jain Tirthankara ’’Neminath’’ is supposed to have attained his Nirvana on this hill. The hill has a very large number of beautiful Jain temples. It is a very important pilgrimage spot for the Jains. Guru Ji preached to jain the way of life as dhoondiyas sadhus have unhygenic way of life.Then he proceeded to , Baroda and finally reached where there was a famous Jain temple. Jaini Sadhus would not take bath for many days thinking bathing killed some life in the water. Here he had discussion with a Jain Sadhu named Ambhi. He explained to the Sadhu that running away from water would not do any religious good but the worship of the Almighty was the only answer.

Here Narsi Bhagat Data ganjbakash Peer brought his chelas to meet guru ji and enjoyed essence of gurbani.

There is shrine commemorates Guru Nanak sahib's visit called Gurdwara Charan Kamal Sahib.

Vadodara

Saurashtra

Guru ji Visited to Somnath temple. The Somnath Temple located in the Prabhas Kshetra near Veraval in Saurashtra, on the western coast of Gujarat, India is the most sacred of the twelve Jyotirlings (lingas of light) of the God Shiva. Somnath means "The Protector of Moon God". The Somnath Temple is known as 'the Shrine Eternal', as although the temple has been destroyed six times it has been rebuilt every single time

Guru Ji was against idol worship. People used to worship Shivlingam which is against principles of sikh philosphy and guru ji went their to preach the teaching of one god the monotheism and to stop idolatory. For this purpose he preached people to stop idol worship. not to worship Shiva lingam and Shiva lingam is not the way to get god. Many people became sikhs of guru and stopped worshipping lingam.

Kutch

Dwarka

Gomti Dwarka (No to idol woreship) Ramrha (No to tatoos) Bet Dwarka(Updesh of not to treat krishna as god just worshipo god)

Others

Sudamapuri, Seeta Mundarhi, Panj Tirathi, Porbandar, Bhavnagar, Bilawal bandar, Parbhash Region, Suraj Kund, Brahm Kund, Madhopur, Prachi, barhwan, Nimrhi, Palitana, Ahemdabad, Sabarmati

Give updsh to Pundits of Bheem Udyaar Tirath Narayana Sarovar Lakhpat Bhujj Asapuri(Kapadiya Panth, Vam Margi sant)