Talwandi Sabo
Talwandi Sabo, also known as Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, is the home of the fourth temporal seat (Takhat) of the Sikh religion. The land is located in the district of Bathinda, Punjab, India.
After a protracted siege of Anandpur by his neighboring tyrant rulers and elements of the Mughal army, Guru Gobind Singh ji with his mother and four sons (Sahibzade and a group of Sikhs, left Sri Anandpur Sahib in 1704 under a promise of safe passage to Punjab. Attacked at the rain swollen Sarsa by their pursuers, the Sikh columns were scattered, but the attackers lost many men and were forced to retreat. The Guru's mother and the Younger sahibzadas were separated from the main party and took refuge with a former servant of the Guru who turned out to be untrustworthy. Captured and turned over to Wazir Khan they were martyred a few days later in Sirhind. The Guru, his two oldest sons, and about forty Sikhs, including some of the Panj Piare took shelter at Chamkaur. Only the Guru and a few of his valiant Sikhs were to escape the carnage that ensued the next morning as the Sikhs were attacked by a much larger force. After leaving Chamkaur, the Guru was under constant threat of capture, but a clever ruse allowed the Guru and his companions, three Sikhs and two sympathetic Muslim brothers to elude their pursuers. After traveling through, Maachhiwara, Deenagarh, Mukatsar Sahib, Lakhhi Jangal and Pakka Pathrala, the Guru reached Talwandi Sabo in 1705.
The revered Guru stayed there for more than fifteen months. Here, Guru Ji wrote the sacred bir of the Adi Granth, Sri Guru Granth Sahib which was penned by Bhai Mani Singh ji who was later to become one Sikhi's most revered Martyrs. Before leaving to visit Sikh Sangats in the Deccan, Guruji blessed Talwandi Sabo, as Guru Ki Kashi. Now known better as Damdama Sahib after the Gurdwara became one of the four temporal Takhats of the Sikh religion. Another great Shaheed (Martyr) of Sikhi, Baba Deep Singh ji was installed as the the first Jathedar (head) of this temporal seat. He penned additional copies of the Aad Sri Sahib and sent them to the other four temporal seats of the Sikh religion.
The auspicious occasion of Vaisakhi is being celebrated at this place with great enthusiasm and devotion.
Guru Kashi Campus of the Punjabi University was set up in 1988 for transforming the education scene in the heart of the Malwa region of Punjab. The unique distinction of the Guru Kashi Campus is that it is highly oriented towards the extension of professional education in the management and computer application areas in an otherwise backward rural region. At this Campus, the University School of Business Studies has been created to fill a vital gap in management education. The establishment of Yadavindra College of Engineering in 2004 at this Campus is proving a catalyst for the overall development of this region. The YCoE institute is totally based on the new and unique idea where the students from rural areas are being provided free education through scholarships.
Guru Kashi College, which was started in the 1960s has become an integral part of the Campus. B.A. & B.Sc. courses are being offered in this institute.
