Gurudwara Guru Nanak Dham
Gurudwara Nanak Dham, A famous shrine in remambrance of Guru Nanak is situated in Rameshwaraam in Tamil Nadu. Rameswaram is well known as a pilgrim centre for Hindus. Equally famous is the Gurunanak Dham (Gurudwara) situated here. Sikhs believe that Guru Nanak stayed here 500 years ago.
History
According to the the Sri Gurunanak Sat Sangh Sabha and Educational Society, which maintains the Gurudwara, Sri Guru Nanak visited Rameswaram on 1511 and stayed for 19 days on his return journey from Sri Lanka, where he preached to break the barriers of passion and prejudice. He made significant contribution in solving the problems of Shivnabh, King of Sri Lanka, and 18 others.
During his stay in Rameswaram, Gurunanak found the water in the island saline. But the spring that Gurunanak created by digging the soil produced sweet water. Devotees still have presrved the small `mandapam,' where Sri Gurunanak stayed and the well.
For the pilgrims
The Governor of Tamil Nadu, Surjeet Singh Barnala, during his first stint in the gubernatorial office, visited Rameswaram. Mr. Barnala arranged donations from Sikhs living in and around Tamil Nadu to construct a Gurudwara in Rameswaram. He himself performed. Now, the sprawling 2.5 acres campus of Gurunanak Dham offers peace and solace to pilgrims who come from different parts of the country.
Sri Gurunanak Sat Sangh Sabha, Chennai, under the leadership of Rachhpal Singh Kalsi and Inderjit Singh Grewal, runs the Gurudwara. "Though it is situated at the extreme end of the country's map, pilgrims even from Punjab visit here. There are 24 rooms in the campus and stay is free of cost. Steps have been taken to include the Gurudwara in the list of pilgrims and tourism-interested places in Rameswaram," says Bawit Singh Dhindsa, Manager, Sri Gurunanak Dham.
