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There is a beautiful Gurudwara known as "Pather Sahib" constructed in the memory of Guru Nanak, about 25 miles away from Leh, on the Leh-Kargil road, 12000 ft above the sea level.
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In the late 70s, during the construction of Leh-Nima road, a large stone was found in the middle. The bulldozer driver tried to push and throw away the stone but it did not move and in the process the blades broke and the work stopped. The driver had a dream that night not to move the stone. He narrated his dream to the army officer who did not give any importance to it. When all efforts to remove it failed it was decided to blow it with a dynamite the next day. That night the army officer also had a dream not to remove the stone but he again disregarded it. The next day being Sunday he noticed that early in the morning several Tibetans came and started showing reverence to the stone.
{{p|Image:Full_View_Gurd._Pathar_Sahib.jpg|Gurdwara Sahib}}


On enquiring further he was told that this was a "Wax Statue" of their revered Lama, Nanak and it contained the imnprints of his shoulders, head and backside.he was told that during the period 1515-1518 AD when Guru Nanak was returning back to Punjab through Srinagar, after travelling to Sikkim, Nepal and Tibet, he rested at this place. A woman came to him for help. It was her son that was to be sacrificed to a demon who lived on the hill. Guru Nanak consoled her and asked her not to send her son to the demon. The demon was infuriated and threw a large rock at the Guru which hit the back of the meditating Guru and stopped there. The Guru's body is believed to be imprinted on the rock. The demon felt ashamed and prostrated at the feet of Guru Nanak.
'''[[Gurdwara Pathar Sahib]]''', is a beautiful [[Gurudwara]] sahib constructed in the memory of [[Guru Nanak]], about 25 miles away from [[Leh]], on the Leh-Kargil road, 12000 ft above sea level. The Gurdwara was built in [[1517]] to commemorate the visit to the [[Ladakh]] region of [[Guru Nanak Dev]], the founder Guru of the [[Sikh faith]].  


Nestled deep in the Himalayas, about 25 km from the town of Leh, is the Gurdwara, Pathar Sahib. The Gurdwara was built in 1517 to commemorate the visit of Guru Nanak Dev. It is believed that Guru Nanak Dev reached Leh via Sikkim, Nepal, Tibet and Yarkhand. The place is revered by both the local lamas and Sikh sangat. Currently the Army is looking after the gurdwara.
During his lifetime [[Guru Nanak]] travelled to many distant places and one such place was [[Tibet]]. Guru Nanak is well respected by Tibetan [[Buddhist]]s who consider him a saint; The [[Dalai Lama]], spiritual leader of Buddhists in Tibet, has confirmed this in his discussions with some Sikh leaders saying that Tibetans revere Guru Nanak as a Buddhist saint under the name of Guru Gompka Maharaj.  


As per a legend, there lived a wicked demon who terrorised the people in the area where the gurdwara is situated. The people prayed to the Almighty for help. It is said that Guru Nanak heard their woes and came to their aid. He settled down on the bank of the river below the hill where the wicked demon lived. The Guru blessed the people with sermons and became popular in the area. The locals called him Nanak Lama. The demon got into rage and decided to kill Guru Nanak Dev.
* [[Nanak in Sikkim,Ladakh & Tibet|See also - Guru Nanak in Sikkim,Ladakh & Tibet]]


One morning when the Guru was sitting in meditation, the demon rolled down a large pathar (boulder) from the hilltop, with the intention of killing the Guru. The boulder came rolling down and when it touched the Guru’s body, it melted like wax. The Guru kept on meditating unhurt and undisturbed. Thinking that the Guru had been killed, the demon came down and was taken aback to see the Guru deep in meditation. In a fit of anger, he tried to push the boulder with his right foot, but as the pathar had already melted like wax, his foot got embedded in it. On seeing this, demon realised his own powerlessness as compared with the spiritual powers of the great Guru. He fell at the feet of Guru Nanak Dev and begged for forgiveness. Guru Sahib advised him to get rid of his wicked ways and asked him to lead a life of a noble person. This changed the life of the demon, who gave up evil deeds and started serving the people.
==Discovery==
[[Image:When_demon_throws.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Rock thrown by demon towards Guru Nanak]]


Guru Nanak Dev thereafter continued his holy journey towards Srinagar via Kargil. The pathar pushed down by the demon, with the imprint of the body of Guru Nanak Dev as also the foot imprint of the demon, is at present lying in Gurdwara Pathar Sahib. It is said that since the visit of Guru Sahib (in 1517) to 1965, the local lamas held pathar sacred and offered prayers to it.
In the late 1970s, during the construction of the Leh-Nimu road, a large boulder was found by Lamas in the middle of the road bed covered with [[Buddhist]]s prayer flags. The boulder was covered with Buddhist prayer flags, the type of flags that are often found, strung by Buddhist Lamas, along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas to bless the surrounding countryside.  


To visit the gurdwara, one can take, a flight to Leh from New Delhi and stay in a hotel at Leh. As Leh is located at a high altitude, one can have breathing problems due to the paucity of oxygen. Visitors are advised to consult their doctors before embarking on this journey. The 25-km road from Leh to the Gurdwara Pathar Sahib is in good condition. Visitors can go by bus or taxi. The Gurdwara Sahib is located next to the road.  
The bulldozer driver tried to push the huge stone to the side, but it refused to move. Gunning the engine he pushed the powerful machine to its limits, but the boulder refused to give way. Suddenly, with a large snap, the blade broke and the work stopped. That night the driver had a dream in which a voice told him not to move the stone.  


[[Category:Gurudwara In Jammu & Kashmir]]
In the morning he narrated his dream to one of the army officers who guard the mountain passes of Ladakh. The soldier told him, not to give any importance to the dream. When all efforts to remove the boulder had failed, it was decided to blow it apart with dynamite the next day. That night the army officer also had a dream not to remove the stone. He too decided the dream should be ignored, but early that morning,  being Sunday, he and the workers were visited by several Lamas and other Ladhakhis who came to tell them the story of a Holy Saint they called Nanak Lama and the unyielding boulder.
 
==A bit of background==
Listening they learned that the pathar the road crew had been having so much trouble with was a 'mould' with a negative impression, of their revered Lama [[Nanak]] that contained a hollow imprint of his shoulders, head and backside. He was told that during the period of 1515-18 when Guru Nanak was returning to [[Punjab]] through [[Srinagar]], after travelling to Sikkim, Nepal and Tibet, he had rested at this place. It is believed that Guru Nanak Dev reached Leh via Sikkim, Nepal, Tibet and Yarkhand. Today the site and the Gurdwara that now covers the boulder is revered by both the local Lamas and [[Sikh]] sangat. Currently the Army is looking after the Gurdwara.
 
According to  a local legend, once a wicked demon live in the area who terrorised the people where the gurdwara is now situated. The people prayed to the Almighty for help. It is said that Guru Nanak heard their woes and came to their aid. He settled down on the bank of the river below the hill where the wicked demon lived. The Guru blessed the people with sermons and became popular in the area. The locals called him [[Guru Nanak|Nanak Lama]]. Seeing this the demon got into a rage and decided to kill Guru Nanak Dev.
 
One morning when the Guru was sitting in meditation, the demon pushed  a large pathar (boulder), down from the hilltop, with the intention of killing the Guru. The boulder gained speed as it rumbled down the hillside, but  when it touched the Guru's body, it softened like warm wax and came to a halt against Guru Nanak's back. The Guru kept on meditating unhurt and undisturbed. Thinking that the Guru had been killed, the demon came down and was taken aback to see the Guru deep in meditation. In a fit of anger, he tried to push the boulder with his right foot, but as the pathar still had the softness of warm wax, his foot got embedded in it. Pulling his foot from the boulder the demon was dumfounded to see the impression  his foot had just left in the stone.
 
[[Image:Pathar_Vich_Rakshash_Da_Pair_Khubiya_Hoeya.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Footprint in the rock]]
On seeing this, the demon realised his own powerlessness in  comparison to  the spiritual power  of the great Guru. He fell at the feet of Guru Nanak Dev and begged for forgiveness. Guru Sahib advised him to get rid of his wicked ways and asked him to lead a life of a noble person. This changed the life of the demon, who gave up evil deeds and started serving the people.
 
Guru Nanak Dev thereafter continued his holy journey towards Srinagar via Kargil. The pathar pushed down by the demon, with the imprint of the body of Guru Nanak Dev and  the footprint of the demon, is at present on display in Gurdwara Pathar Sahib. It is said that since the visit of Guru Sahib (in 1517) to the building of the roadway in 1965, the local Lamas had held the pathar sacred and offered prayers to it as, no doubt, they do to this day.
 
==How to Visit==
To visit the gurdwara, one can take, a direct flight to Leh from New Delhi,JAMMU & SRINAGAR and stay in a hotel at Leh. To visit Leh by road there are two routes,one is via SRINAGAR {J&K} and the other is via MANALI{HP}.Both the roads are closed from November to May every year due to excessive snowfall and remain open from June to Oct. As Leh is located at a high altitude, one can have breathing problems due to the paucity of oxygen. Visitors are advised to consult their doctors and arrange proper woolen clothes before embarking on this journey as the temperature falls beyond    -20 degree in Winter. The 25-km road from Leh to the Gurdwara Pathar Sahib is in good condition. Visitors can go by bus or taxi. The Gurdwara Sahib is located next to the main road near [[Magnetic Hill India]].
 
==Also see==
 
* [[Nanak in J & K]]
* [[Lama Sikhs]]
* [[Nanak in Sikkim, Ladakh and Tibet]]
* [[Guru Nanak in Tibet Quotes]]
* [[Rulers of Ladakh]]
* [[Guru Nanak Buddhist]]
* [[Guru Nanak Universal Saint]]
* [[Gurdwara Nanaklama Sahib]]
* [[Interfaith Conference on Guru Granth Sahib]]
* [[Sikhi and Dhamma]]
 
==External links==
 
* [http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article574284.ece An Army man stands inside the Gurdwara Pathar Sahib during its restoration work after the flash-floods in Leh]
 
 
==Photo Gallery==
<gallery caption="Picture Gallery" widths="175px" heights="175px" perrow="4">
Image:Long_View_Gurd_Pathar_sahib_Leh_Ladhakh.jpg|Aerial View
Image:Long_Short_Palsi_Sahib.jpg|Diwan Hall
Image:PATHAR SAHIB.jpg|The sacred stone
Image:Pil2.gif|Diwan Hall
File:Gurdwara Pathar sahib Darbar hall.jpg|Inside the Gurdwara - Darbar Hall
File:Gurdwara Pathar sahib -Gurdwara entrance 2.jpg|Entrance to the Gurdwara
Image:Gurd._Pathar_Sahib_Aerial_View.jpg|Gurdwara Pather Sahib, Aerial View
File:Gurdwara Pathar sahib Notice board.jpg|Notice board outside the shrine
File:Gurdwara Pathar sahib Roadside sign.jpg|Roadside sign pointing to the Gurdwara
File:Gurdwara Pathar sahib Roadside entrance.jpg|Roadside entrance to Gurdwara complex
File:Gurdwara Pathar sahib - roadside approach.jpg|Roadside approach to Gurdwara
File:Gurdwara Pathar sahib - Path leading to Gurdwara complex.jpg|Path leading to Gurdwara complex
File:Gurdwara Pathar sahib - view of the Gurdwara complex.jpg|View of the Gurdwara complex from roadside
File:Gurdwarw Pathar Sahib - Top Aerial View.jpg|Another view from above -Aerial View
File:Gurdwarw Pathar Sahib - View of the rock with impression.jpg|View of the rock with impression
File:Gurdwara Pathar sahib - steps leading to Gurdwara sahib.jpg|Steep steps leading to Gurdwara sahib
</gallery>
* [http://www.bcmtouring.com/forum/travelogues-north-india-f61/pathar-sahib-gurudwara-leh-online-darshan-t16399/ some images thanks to user:Jeep at bcmtouring.com]
 
 
[[Category:Gurdwara in District Leh]]
 
 
[[Category:Jammu Kashmir]]

Latest revision as of 19:55, 26 December 2010

Gurdwara Sahib

Gurdwara Pathar Sahib, is a beautiful Gurudwara sahib constructed in the memory of Guru Nanak, about 25 miles away from Leh, on the Leh-Kargil road, 12000 ft above sea level. The Gurdwara was built in 1517 to commemorate the visit to the Ladakh region of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder Guru of the Sikh faith.

During his lifetime Guru Nanak travelled to many distant places and one such place was Tibet. Guru Nanak is well respected by Tibetan Buddhists who consider him a saint; The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Buddhists in Tibet, has confirmed this in his discussions with some Sikh leaders saying that Tibetans revere Guru Nanak as a Buddhist saint under the name of Guru Gompka Maharaj.

Discovery

The Rock thrown by demon towards Guru Nanak

In the late 1970s, during the construction of the Leh-Nimu road, a large boulder was found by Lamas in the middle of the road bed covered with Buddhists prayer flags. The boulder was covered with Buddhist prayer flags, the type of flags that are often found, strung by Buddhist Lamas, along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas to bless the surrounding countryside.

The bulldozer driver tried to push the huge stone to the side, but it refused to move. Gunning the engine he pushed the powerful machine to its limits, but the boulder refused to give way. Suddenly, with a large snap, the blade broke and the work stopped. That night the driver had a dream in which a voice told him not to move the stone.

In the morning he narrated his dream to one of the army officers who guard the mountain passes of Ladakh. The soldier told him, not to give any importance to the dream. When all efforts to remove the boulder had failed, it was decided to blow it apart with dynamite the next day. That night the army officer also had a dream not to remove the stone. He too decided the dream should be ignored, but early that morning, being Sunday, he and the workers were visited by several Lamas and other Ladhakhis who came to tell them the story of a Holy Saint they called Nanak Lama and the unyielding boulder.

A bit of background

Listening they learned that the pathar the road crew had been having so much trouble with was a 'mould' with a negative impression, of their revered Lama Nanak that contained a hollow imprint of his shoulders, head and backside. He was told that during the period of 1515-18 when Guru Nanak was returning to Punjab through Srinagar, after travelling to Sikkim, Nepal and Tibet, he had rested at this place. It is believed that Guru Nanak Dev reached Leh via Sikkim, Nepal, Tibet and Yarkhand. Today the site and the Gurdwara that now covers the boulder is revered by both the local Lamas and Sikh sangat. Currently the Army is looking after the Gurdwara.

According to a local legend, once a wicked demon live in the area who terrorised the people where the gurdwara is now situated. The people prayed to the Almighty for help. It is said that Guru Nanak heard their woes and came to their aid. He settled down on the bank of the river below the hill where the wicked demon lived. The Guru blessed the people with sermons and became popular in the area. The locals called him Nanak Lama. Seeing this the demon got into a rage and decided to kill Guru Nanak Dev.

One morning when the Guru was sitting in meditation, the demon pushed a large pathar (boulder), down from the hilltop, with the intention of killing the Guru. The boulder gained speed as it rumbled down the hillside, but when it touched the Guru's body, it softened like warm wax and came to a halt against Guru Nanak's back. The Guru kept on meditating unhurt and undisturbed. Thinking that the Guru had been killed, the demon came down and was taken aback to see the Guru deep in meditation. In a fit of anger, he tried to push the boulder with his right foot, but as the pathar still had the softness of warm wax, his foot got embedded in it. Pulling his foot from the boulder the demon was dumfounded to see the impression his foot had just left in the stone.

Footprint in the rock

On seeing this, the demon realised his own powerlessness in comparison to the spiritual power of the great Guru. He fell at the feet of Guru Nanak Dev and begged for forgiveness. Guru Sahib advised him to get rid of his wicked ways and asked him to lead a life of a noble person. This changed the life of the demon, who gave up evil deeds and started serving the people.

Guru Nanak Dev thereafter continued his holy journey towards Srinagar via Kargil. The pathar pushed down by the demon, with the imprint of the body of Guru Nanak Dev and the footprint of the demon, is at present on display in Gurdwara Pathar Sahib. It is said that since the visit of Guru Sahib (in 1517) to the building of the roadway in 1965, the local Lamas had held the pathar sacred and offered prayers to it as, no doubt, they do to this day.

How to Visit

To visit the gurdwara, one can take, a direct flight to Leh from New Delhi,JAMMU & SRINAGAR and stay in a hotel at Leh. To visit Leh by road there are two routes,one is via SRINAGAR {J&K} and the other is via MANALI{HP}.Both the roads are closed from November to May every year due to excessive snowfall and remain open from June to Oct. As Leh is located at a high altitude, one can have breathing problems due to the paucity of oxygen. Visitors are advised to consult their doctors and arrange proper woolen clothes before embarking on this journey as the temperature falls beyond -20 degree in Winter. The 25-km road from Leh to the Gurdwara Pathar Sahib is in good condition. Visitors can go by bus or taxi. The Gurdwara Sahib is located next to the main road near Magnetic Hill India.

Also see

External links


Photo Gallery