Gurudwara Dasvin Patshahi (Nadaun)

Nadaun is in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Here a holy shrine stands in memory of Guru Gobind Singh who fought a pitched battle, the Battle of Nadaun, in support of Raja Bhim Chand of Kahlur and some other hill chiefs against the Mughal general Alif Khan.

The Mughal General had been sent by Miari Khan, Governor of Jammu, to collect arrears of tribute to Aurangzeb's Darbar, from the hill Rajas in 1687. The funds were sorely needed to maintain Aurangzeb's 'war of attrition' against the Marathas and the cunning Sivaji in the Deccan which had all but emptied the once overflowing treasure chests of the Mughal Empire.

The Battle

The battle was fought on 20th March 1691. Alif Khan was routed, forced into retreating in the river's bed, leaving his camp and its store of weapons and ammunition and other valuable contents behind. The Guru had asked his Sikhs to bring weapons and horses. Now the training program, in fighting, that the great Guru had begun was having the Mughals contributing as well!

Original Gurdwara Replaced

After the battle the Guru stayed for 8 days in Nadaun, camping on the bank of the river Beas. The memorial shrine west of the town on the bank of the River is called Gurdwara Dasvin Patshahi. The Gurdwara replaced an earlier Gurdwara, ordered built by the Lion of the Panjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Administration

The present Gurwara building is a square domed room, which was constructed by Rai Bahadur Wasakha Singh in 1929. It was taken over by the S.G.P.C. in 1935 and is administered by it through a local committee.

Location

The town of Nadaun is located along the Una-Amb-Kangra road, about 30 kilometers from Kangra and 70 kilometers from Una. Nadaun is on the left bank of the River Beas, it is some 12 km from the town of Javalamukhi with its 'eternal' flame. The very Mandir to which Bhai Lehna had, before meeting Guru Nanak and becoming Guru Angad, once guided his band of devotees yearly.