Guru Nanak & Bal Gundai
Guru Nanak sahib and Bhai Mardana, having traveled through Hasan Abdal while on their return journey from west, met with Saint Bal Gundai on a hill known as Tilla Bal Gundai in district Jhelum (now located in Pakistan). After his g discourse with Saint Bal Gundai, guru ji continued his journey towards Rohtas.
Who was Bal Gundai
Bal Gundai was a saint who had established a shrine on a tilla (a small hill), which even then known as the Tilla of Bal Gundai. Even though he was well known and wealthy, he was still very down to earth. He used to serve his guests and the saints who came to his tilla, preparing food for them and even provided a palinquin or sent horses for guests, who were weak or infirm or just tired of their long journey, so that they could reach his shrine easily. He had many followers including Sidhas.
- It was on this same hill that part of one of the four most famous tragic romances of Punjab, Heer-Ranjha (Punjabi: ਹੀਰ ਰਾਂਝਾ) took place. It was here (presumably earlier) on this hill then known as 'Tilla Jogian' (the 'Hill of Ascetics') that a heartbroken Dheedo Ranjha, a Jatt of the Ranjha clan became a Jogi.
Bal Gundai & Nanak meet
Reaching the tilla, Guru Nanak ji stopped at a distance away from the Sufi's shrine. Bal Gundai had been told that some saintly person was on his way to his shrine, had gone out to see for himself. Noticing that the two visiters had apparently stopped to make camp at the base of the hill and seeing that a rain storm was about to overtake them, with respect he sent some of his siddhas with a palki to bring them to his shrine. The Siddhas asked guru ji to sit on the palinqin and rest during the treck to the shrine. Guru ji refused their offer, telling them that he was a faqir who could survive anywhere. The servants reported dutifully that Guru Nanak sahib had refused their master's offer.
Hearing this Bal Gundai promptly went down thee hill to welcome Guru Nanak Sahib and invited him to his shrine. The Guru accepted Bal Gundai's invitation (we are told that along the way Bal Gundai asked Bhai Bala & Bhai Mardana to tell him about Guru Nanak sahib. Bal gundai showed guru sahib the surroundings, shrines, horses, kitchen, etc., and then prepared meals for guru sahib. Saint told guru sahib that everything was a gift of God as they were serving saints. Guru Nanak Sahib was extremely pleased with Bal gundai and told him he was a ""Real Jogi"". Bal Gundai became devotee of Guru Nanak sahib.
Guru Nanak Dev ji stayed with Bal Gundai for one night and very next day guru sahib went forward to rohtas.
Memorial
Gurdwara Pehli Patshahi is situated at the place From Jehlum it's 28 KM towards the west. There were once footprints of guru sahib which have since erroded slowly away. From Dina Railway station situated on 13 km west side.
References
- Guru Nanak Dev, By Prof. Sahib Singh
- Bhai Bala JanamSakhi
