Gurdwaras In Ambala City
Gurudwara Manji Sahib -Ambala City
Ambala city is situated on the National Highway popularly called Sher Shah Sun Marg about 190 km from Delhi and 48 km from Chandigarh.
This city was sanctified by the sixth Guru Sri Hargobind and Sri Guru Gobind Singh the tenth Guru. Gurudwara Manji Sahib was constructed at the place where the sixth Guru stayed during his visit to Ambala city. The grand building of the Gurudwara is located on the G.T. Road (Sher Shah Suri Marg). The devotees visit this shrine to have a dip in the tank nearby. They also take Amrit from the Baoli constructed by the sixth Guru, during his stay here. Gurdwara Baoli Sahib or Gurdwara Manji Sahib - Guru Hargobind is said to have stayed here overnight while on his way to meet emperor Jahangir. The villagers of the nearby Khurampur Majri complained of perennial scarcity of drinking water. The Guru encouraged them a dig a baoli and instructed some Sikhs who lived here to assist the villagers in digging and lining the baoli. The Guru was pleased to see the work completed on his return from Delhi. The Sikhs established a memorial platform, Manji Sahib, at the place where the Guru had stayed near the baoli. But the baoli again got partly filled up and fell into disuse. After the conquest of Sirhind in 1764, when the Dal Khalsa distributed territories among various misls, Ambala was occupied by Sardar Mehar Singh of Nishananwali Misl. He got the baoli cleared and cleaned and established a Gurdwara at the site of the manji Sahib. This is the present Gurdwara Manji Sahib, the premier Gurdwara of Ambala. Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha (1871-1911) rebuilt it in the beginning of the 20th century. Further development took place after 1947. The Gurdwara is close to the first bus stop of the city when approached from Punjab by the Grand Trunk Road. The old baoli is still there and therefore the Gurdwara is also called Baoli Sahib.
Location: Gurudwara Manji Sahib is situated on the NH1, Ambala City
Gurudwara Gobind Pura – Ambala City
Guru Gobind Singh came to Ambala, on his way back from Kurukshetra to Anandpur Sahib, where he had gone on the occasion of solar eclipse to preach the name of God and the message of Guru Nanak. Gurudwara Gohind Pura was constructed by faithful disciples of the tenth Guru near the railway station of Ambala city. It is said to be the holy place where Guru Gobind Singh gave some Amrit to sparrows which got so much courage and strength from it that they killed the hawk of Qazi Mir Din greatly revered by the people.
Gurdwara Gobind Pura Sahib is associated with Guru Gobind Singh Ji. When the Guru made sparrows fight and then kill Pir Amir Din’s hawk, the hawk fell at this place. Guruji visited this place then and uttered his famous words:
Chirion se main baaz turaun, Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun Gidderon se main sher banaun, Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun Nichon se main ucch banaun, Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun Sawa lakh se ek laraun, Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun. (It is when I make sparrows fight hawks that I am called Gobind Singh It is when make I lions out of wolves that I am called Gobind Singh It is when I make the lowly rise that I am called Gobind Singh It is when I make one fight a hundred thousand that I am called Gobind Singh)
Pir Sayyid Shah, another Muslim cleric, witnessed the miracle and sought from the young Guru the favor of a spring of sweet water, as the wells in the area were brackish. Guru Gobind Singh Ji sanctified the water of a well that is still present in the Gurdwara and ordained that whoever would bathe there would achieve salvation
A beautiful building consisting of a Main Hall, the Dashmesh Barat Ghar, Library, Dispensary and Staff quarters has been constructed here
Two other Gurdwaras, dedicated to the memory of Guru Gobind Singh, who is said to have visited it during his stay at Lakhnaur in 1670-71, are connected by a legend that young Gobind Rai made sparrows kill a hawk. These are, Gurdwara Badshahi Bagh patshahi Dasvin enar the civil courts, and Gurdwara Gobindpura Patshahi Dasvin located along the Jain College Road close to Labbhu Ka Talab (lit. Labbhu's pond). It is said that Guru Gobind Singh came on a hunting excursion. Once Pir Nur Din or Mir Din, the haughty priest of the shrine of Pir Gaib Shah near the site of Gurdwara Badshahi bagh, ridiculed the young son of a holy man going out hunting and boastfully brought out his own hawk for a kill. It was then that Guru Gobind Singh set some sparrows against the Pir's hawk which flew away badly mauled and fell down dead near Labbhu Ka Talab, where another Pir, Sayyad Shah, saw the miracle, and came to pay homage to the miracle-maker. Pir Nur Din, too, his pride now humbled, fell at the child's feet and asked his forgiveness and blessing. Pir Sayyad Shah also prayed for a well of sweet water because the sub-soil water all around was brackish. Guru Gobind Singh pointed to a spot where to dig, and surely enough the water of the new well tasted sweet. This two Gurdwaras were also established by Sardar Mehar Singh of Nishananwali Misl. Gurdwara Badshahi Bagh was destroyed by British shelling on a rebel force during the 1857 mutiny. It was rebuilt only in 1931 by Sant Gurmukh Singh of Patiala. Its present building is however the result of another reconstruction, this time by Sants of the Nirmala sect who are still managing it. The present building of Gurdwara Gobindpura is also a product of post-independence era.
Location: Gurudwara Gobind Pura Sahib is situated near the S A Jain College, Ambala City
Gurdwara Sat Sang Sahib – Ambala City
Gurdwara Sat Sang Sahib - The remaining two historical Gurdwaras are related to the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, and the carrying of his head to Kiratpur and Chakk Nanaki by Bhai Jaita in November 1675. Gurdwara Sat Sang Sahib is on the Hospital Road in Mohalla Kukharan (lit. potters) on the site where Bhai Jaita traveling incognito, with the Guru's severed head placed in a basket and carried on his head, had first halted on his arrival from Traori and enquired about any Sikh's house. One Mehar Dhumian directed him to a house where he spent the night and where now stands Gurdwara Sis Ganj in Mohalla Kainth Majri close to the shrine of Hazrat Tawakkal Shah Naqshbandi.
Location: Gurudwara Sat Sabg Sahib is situated on the kumbhara wala mohalla, near the Government Polytechnic , Ambala City
Gurudwara Badshahi Bagh - Ambala City
Gurudwara Badshahi Bagh, near district courts Ambala city, commemorates the visit of Guru Gobind Singh who stayed here while coming from Lakhnaur, where he had gone to meet his maternal parents. He &ed in the garden, under a cluster of trees. A tank has also been built near the Gurudwara Badshahi Bagh.
GurudwaraBadshahi Bagh commemorates the visit of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Guru, who visited this place around 1670 during one of his excursions to Lakhnaur. While on a hunting trip one day on his horse, he came to a big garden just outside the city of Ambala. Then only a small child of eight years, he had with him his white hawk as well. The garden belonged to Pir Amir Din, the custodian of the Muslim shrines of the city. He happened to be present in the garden at the same time. Pir Amir Din had with him a black hawk. On seeing Guruji’s white hawk, the Pir took a liking to it and began thinking of how to take it himself. He threw a challenge to the Guru for a fight between the two hawks. But, Guruji realizing the real intention of the Pir, refused and said that instead of the hawk, he would make sparrows fight the Pir’s hawk. The Pir laughed and said that sparrows were food for his hawk, but Guruji repeated his words. With this, Guruji called upon two sparrows that were sitting on a tree to fight with the hawk. The sparrows fought so ferociously that the hawk was injured badly. It finally fell to its death about a kilometer away, near Labbu ka Talaab, the site of GurudwaraGobindpura. The Pir realized his folly and built a platform in honor of the Guru. It is here that Guru Gobind Singh uttered his famous words: Chirion se main baaz turaun, Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun. (It is when I make sparrows fight hawks that I am called Gobind Singh)
Every year a big festival is held here on the Baisakhi, regarded as the birthday of Khalsa Panth Keeping in view the historical importance of three holy shrines, Haryana Tourism has set up a new tourist complex 'Kingfisher; at a strategic site on the main highway.
This complex has 10 air conditioned rooms, a restaurant, a bar, a swimming pool and all other ancillary recreational facilities. The tourists on their way to Simla, Chandigarh and Bhakra Nangal by road, enjoy the facilities provided in this complex.
Two other Gurdwaras, dedicated to the memory of Guru Gobind Singh, who is said to have visited it during his stay at Lakhnaur in 1670-71, are connected by a legend that young Gobind Rai made sparrows kill a hawk. These are, Gurdwara Badshahi Bagh patshahi Dasvin enar the civil courts, and Gurdwara Gobindpura Patshahi Dasvin located along the Jain College Road close to Labbhu Ka Talab (lit. Labbhu's pond). It is said that Guru Gobind Singh came on a hunting excursion. Once Pir Nur Din or Mir Din, the haughty priest of the shrine of Pir Gaib Shah near the site of Gurdwara Badshahi bagh, ridiculed the young son of a holy man going out hunting and boastfully brought out his own hawk for a kill. It was then that Guru Gobind Singh set some sparrows against the Pir's hawk which flew away badly mauled and fell down dead near Labbhu Ka Talab, where another Pir, Sayyad Shah, saw the miracle, and came to pay homage to the miracle-maker. Pir Nur Din, too, his pride now humbled, fell at the child's feet and asked his forgiveness and blessing. Pir Sayyad Shah also prayed for a well of sweet water because the sub-soil water all around was brackish. Guru Gobind Singh pointed to a spot where to dig, and surely enough the water of the new well tasted sweet. This two Gurdwaras were also established by Sardar Mehar Singh of Nishananwali Misl. Gurdwara Badshahi Bagh was destroyed by British shelling on a rebel force during the 1857 mutiny. It was rebuilt only in 1931 by Sant Gurmukh Singh of Patiala. Its present building is however the result of another reconstruction, this time by Sants of the Nirmala sect who are still managing it. The present building of Gurdwara Gobindpura is also a product of post-independence era.
Location: Gurudwara Badshahi Bagh Sahib is situated on the Ambala-Hisar Road, near the District Courts, Ambala City
Gurdwara Sis Ganj (Mohalla Kainth Majri)
Lakhnaur is a small village, situated at a distance of 12 km from Ambala city, on Ambala-Barrola road. Here the tenth Guru spent about seven months during his childhood. The child Guru used to play his favourite game of mock warfare.
Sayeed Bhikhan Shah, from Thaska near Thanesar, to pay respects to the child Guru here. Earlier this Muslim holy man had dreamt that a great prophet has taken birth as Gobind at Patna. He went all the way to Patna from his home and bowed before the child Guru. He also presented two baskets full of sweets to him. He had expected that the Guru would accept one basket But the Guru placed his hands on both the baskets, thereby signifving that he would bestow his love and affection, on both Hindus and Muslims.
Gurdwara Sis Ganj (Mohalla Kainth Majri) When Guru Gobind Singh passed through Ambala on his way to Kurukshetra in 1702, he alighted under a tree near the potter's huts. Mehar Dhumian, now an old man, told him about the stranger with basket who had stayed under the same tree 27 years earlier. When Guru Gobind Singh related to him the story of his father's martyrdom and of the courageous devotee who had conveyed the former Guru's severed head to Anandpur, Mehar Dhumian bowed to him in awe and wonder. The story spread and many people assembled to see Guru Gobind Singh, who held a congregation (satsang) there. The Guru is also said to have visited the house where Bhai Jaita had stayed overnight. Both places became holy for the devotees who established tharas (platforms) at them where they occasionally assembled for prayers. Gurdwara Satsant Sahib remained in private hands till 1934 when a local committee was formed to manage it. A new building was raised during 1935. Further development has taken place since. A large hall now encloses the old double-storey domed structure. To acquire Gurdwara Sis Ganj the Sikhs had to fight a court case, which going in their favour, the newly formed Shriomani Gurdwara Committee took it over in 1926. All the five Gurdwaras are now administered by S.G.P.C. through a local committee, which has its office at Gurdwara manji Sahib (Baoli Sahib).
Another Muslim saint, Pir Arif Din, enjoying great respect visited Lakhnaur and bowed before the child Guru. His disciples resented this action of the holyrnan. The Pir quietened them, by saying that he had bowed before none else than the Lord, whom he saw manifested in the child. Gurdwara Lakhnaur Sahib is associated with the Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Lakhnaur was the ancestral home of Mata Gujri Ji, the mother of Guru Gobind Singh. Guruji came to this place with his mother and uncles from Patna and spent some time here. The Muslim cleric, Pir Bhikhan Shah met the young Guru at this place. Another Muslim cleric, Pir Arif Din also paid obeisance to the young Guru at this place. Guruji spent his time playing with his friends. Mata Gujri's well, sarovar and Baoli are remnants of the visit of Guru Gobind Singh Ji to this village. Among the other articles associated with the Guru and his family on display here include are the Guru's bed, Mata Gujri's bed, weapons and utensils used in the langar
The Gurudwara at Lakhnaur is visited by devotees of all relgions,to pay respects to the memory of the tenth Guru.
Location :Gurdwara Lakhnaur Sahib is located on the Ambala Barola Road in village Lakhnaur, about twelve kms from Ambala City.
