Almost twenty kilometers from Gujranwala city, on the Daska Road, deep in the rural area five kilometers off the road, westward, is a small village Fateh Bhinder. Unlike some other villages in the neighbourhood, it does not seem to be very prosperous. A big canal (probably Marala-Ravi Link Canal) passes near the village and the whole area is lush green. Especially in the rainy season of July, the natural beauty, despite intense humidity was wonderful.
The only significant thing about this village is an old gurdwara, on the outskirts of the village. We reached there in the late afternoon and the light was fast diminishing. The people were busy with their daily chores. The gurdwara is located at 32°19'16.82"N, 74°17'16.51"E.
The building is in very bad shape and huge cracks have appeared in the structure. It is constructed on higher ground and is situated at the southern edge of the village. It is not clear when the present building was constructed, but probably in the early decades of the twentieth century.
The name Pehli Patshahi (the First Kingdom) shows it association with the first Guru Baba Nanak Dev ji, who came here, as one plaque suggests, from Sialkot from Babe Di Ber.
A view of the gurdwara Pehli Patshahi, Fateh Bhinder. (23.07.2019).
A view from the north-east. (23.07.2019).
A view from the north. (23.07.2019).
A front view of the gurdwara Pehli Patshahi, Fateh Bhinder. (23.07.2019).
A closer view of the gurdwara. (23.07.2019).
The ground floor. (23.07.2019).
The upper portion of the building. (23.07.2019).
Doors and windows of the building. (23.07.2019).
੧ ਓ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫ਼ਤੇਹ
ਗੁਰਦਵਾਰਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਰ
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ ਜੀ ਕੀਬਾਬੇ ਦ ਬੇਰ ਤੋਂ ਏਥੇ ਆਏ
1 اونکارسری واہِ گرو جی کی فتح
گوردوارہ نانک سر
سری گرو نانک دیو جی کا
بابے دی بیر توں ایتھے آئے
Gurdwara Nanak Sar. Honourable Gur Nanak Dev ji came here from Babe Di Ber (Sialkot)
Stairs to approach the first floor and the roof. (23.07.2019).
The western side. (23.07.2019).
Cracks in the building are quite visible. (23.07.2019).
A view from the south. (23.07.2019).
A view from the east. (23.07.2019).
The internal arches of the gurdwara. (23.07.2019).
Roofs are collapsing and the whole building is quite unsafe. (23.07.2019).
Gapes in the first floor. (23.07.2019).
Another view of the ground floor. (23.07.2019).
The devastation inside the building. (23.07.2019).
A glimpse of the beauty of the building. (23.07.2019).
The inside view of the two floors. (23.07.2019).
A bridge over Marala-Ravi Link Canal, near Fateh Bhinder. (23.07.2019).
Marala-Ravi Link Canal, near Fateh Bhinder. (23.07.2019).
Sahibzada Shah Sultan. (23.07.2019).
I cannot thank him enough for driving the whole day in that hot and humid weather from place to place. We started from Sargodha and ended in the evening in Sialkot.
The writer. (23.07.2019).
A huge tree beside the canal. (23.07.2019).
Sunset at Fateh Bhinder. (23.07.2019).
As we can see in the pictures the building is now almost a ruin. Huge cracks have appeared in the whole structure and roof and floors inside have partially collapsed. But I think it still can be saved from total destruction. With some research and planning, this whole area can be developed for religious and historic tourism.
Tariq Amir
November 12, 2019.
Doha - Qatar.
Sincere thanks for photos and information
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