Gurdwara Chatti Patshahi Bangla Sahib
Gurdwara Chhati Padshahi Rajouri, only one among the many Gurdwaras existing in the District, is a very important religious place which has been constructed in the memory of the Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji who stayed at this place in 1616 when he was on the way to Kashmir along with Emperor Jahangir.
According to the legend told here concerning his visit, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji Maharaj had a dream that Mai Bhag Wanti (popularly known as Mai Bhagpari) in Kashmir had been preparing a Cholla (a long shirt or cloak) as a gift for the Guru and that she had lond been praying to God for the darshan of the Guru Ji so that she could present her gift to the Guru. As her advancing age, would not allow her to visit the Punjab, it seemed she would never get the chance to present her Cholla to Guru Ji. Having seen the plight of Mai Bhagpari in his dream, Guru Ji decided to visit Kashmir to take the present from Mai Bhag Wanti. The visit also allowed him the chance to preach Sikhism in the mountainous belt of Peer-Panchal and Kashmir.
According to an inscription in Gurdwara Sahib Nowshera, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji entered Rajouri district in the year 1616. Firstly, Guru Ji stayed in a village named Jhangir, in the home of a Brahman named Jhangir Dass. (Later on, the name of the area also became Jhangar). At Jhangar, Guru Ji also met Bawa Beeram Shah Ji Dutt and after detail deliberations with Bawa Beeram Shah Ji regarding religious matters, Guru Ji selected him to preach Sikhism in the foothills of the Panchal range
After Partition
After 1947, a Gurudwara Committee was constituted under the leadership of Sardar Thakur Singh as President, Bhai Jagannath as Vice-President and the late Nanak Chand as Secretary. Because of the deteriorating condition of the Gurdwara and the limited space of the Diwan hall that could only accommodation 60-70 people, the Sangat (1960) passed a memorandum that called for the reconstruction of Gurudwara Chhati Padshahi Rajouri. The Committee was asked to work for the construction and collection of funds.
In 1964, the blue print of the new Gurdwara was prepared by Engineer Sardar Tara Singh of Punjab who was working in MES as SDO and was posted at Rajouri at that time. After the approval of blue print by the Sangat, the construction was started in 1964. Masons and carpenters were brought in from Punjab to give the Gurdwara the Sikh architectural touch.
By this way, the first phase of the building had been completed.
The four-storey Gurudwara has accommodation of 15 rooms for yatries, as well as a big Diwan Hall. Additionally a Pathshalla consisting of 8 rooms is being constructed and a school namely "Shri Hargobind Sahib Ji Institute of Education" began functioning in April, 2000.
Presently, the Gurudwara Management Committee is comprised of Sardar Nirman Singh as President, Sardar Daljit Singh as Secretary and Sevadar Chattar Singh & Bhai Ranjit Singh, apart from other members of the Committee. No doubt that there are only 17 Sikh families residing in the Town and some Sikh families are habitating in villages such as Saranoo, Bathuni, Mera, Sawni, Gurdhanbala and Sadhyal, Dehrian-Tralla and Chityari. Gurdwara Chatti Padshahi, however, is having great importance for Hindus also and number of Hindu devotees are daily visiting the Gurdwara to offer prayer.
The main congregation is organized on Sunday and the Birthday of Guru Hargobind Ji Maharaj is celebrated with great enthusiasm jointly by Sikhs and Hindus every year.
