Salis Rai Jouri

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Salis Rai,also Called Johri Salis Rai or Salis Rai Johri, was a Jain who lived in Patna, Bihar, India, during 15th Century when Guru Nanak Dev visited Patna. He was Johri by profession i.e Jeweler. After Having Discourse with Great Guru Nanak he became Sikh of Baba Nanak.

Met Guru Nanak

He was middle aged person when Guru Sahib visited his locality and he was influenced by the divine personality of Guru Nanak, through his follower Mardana, so he requested Guruji to sanctify his home. Salis Rai Johri was also a man of religious and poetical bent of mind. Due to his true devotion Guru Nanak accepted his request and stayed for about four months at Salis Rai's house. A congregational center was established and people of locality used to attend it daily in the morning and evening.

Salis Rai Johri's Sangat

At the time of Guru Nanak's departure, Salis Rai Johri's trustee servant Bhai Adhraka by name was appointed as head of this congregational center with the purpose to continue the propagation of Guru Nanak's mission.

Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru of Sikh religion, along with his family members started a preaching tour to the East. In the beginning of 1666 A.D. he reached Patna and stayed at Jaitamal's house where Guru Nanak had made a center. The fourth successor of Salis Rai Johri's Sangat (Center) namely Ghanshyam the great grandson of Adhraka was also ambitious to get blessing from the ninth successor of Guru Nanak. When he heard of Guru Tegh Bahadur's visit to Patna, he brought Guru's family in a procession from Jaitamal's House to Salis Rai Johri's sangat. (Now the birthplace of Sri Guru Gobind Singh called Takhat Sri Harimandirji.)

An old donated house of Salis Rai Johri (A jeweller of Patna Sahib) to Guru Nanak has been converted to congregational center of Sikh religion. Once again the sacred light emerged on 22nd Dec 1666 AD, when (Guru) Gobind Singh (10th guru of Sikh religion) was born. The son of God had taken birth to dispel the darkness of world. This was ordained by the Almighty Supreme Lord.


Article 2 during 1660's when the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur with his wife wife Mata Gujri visited this ancient city on his way to Assam with Raja Ram Singh. Worried that the arduous trip to Assam would be too difficult for Mata Gujri, arrangements were made for her to stay at the haveli of Salis Rai Jouri at Patna. Having traveled about 170km to the east to the village of Munger the news reached the Guru that his child (Gobind Rai) had been born.

Salis Rai Jouri was a great devotee of Guru Nanak and one of his ancestors is believed to have met the founder Guru on his Udasis (journey) to the East. He was so much influenced by the teachings of the Guru that he converted his haveli (palatial home) into a dharamsala (place where dharam is learned).

Noted author Khushwant Singh notes that many eminent Jains admired the Sikh Gurus and came to their help in difficult times. When the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, was on his preaching mission in east India, he and his family were invited by Salis Rai Johri to stay in his haveli in Patna.

In his hukamnamas sent from Assam, the Guru Sahib referred to Patna as guru-ka-ghar — home of the Guru. Salis Rai donated half of his haveli to build a gurdwara, "Janam Asthaan" (monument recognising the birth place), because Guru Gobind Singh was born there. On the other half, he built a Shvetambar Jain Temple — both have a common wall.

==Takhat Sachkhand Sri Patna Sahib==Gurdwara Pakki Sangat

This house of Salis Rai Jouri is one of only five Takhats or Seats of Authority of the Sikhs built in remembrance of the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. Like many historical Gurdwara's in India and Pakistan, the forerunner of present Gurdwara was initiated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Mullah Ahmed Bukhari, the author of "Mirat-ul-Ahwal Jahan Nama", who stayed at Patna for some time at the close of 18th century, has made a reference to "Harmandir Sahib". He writes, "Over the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the Sikhs have raised a public edifice, made it a place of power and strength, and call it 'Harmandir'.

It is also called 'Sangat' and is held in great esteem and veneration. They have made it a place of pilgrimage. Maharaja Ranjit Singh started the work of reconstructing the Harmandir in 1839 following destruction by fire, but did not survive to see the new structure.

Again in 1934, when an earthquake rocked the entire state of Bihar, some portions of the Harmandir fell down. Construction of the present building was taken up on November 19, 1954 and was completed in about three years.

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Sakhis of Guru Nanak
Bhai Lalo's honesty Darshan The Guru always blesses all Durga worshipper from Khadur Sahib
Dukh Sukh Duni Chand Establishment of Kartarpur Nanak in Sikkim,Ladakh & Tibet
First Udasi Second Udasi Third Udasi The Udasis of Guru Nanak
Fourth Udasi Fifth Udasi Guru Ji's Sickness Guru Nanak and the Vaishno ascetic
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