Gurdwara Chakki Sahib, at Eminabad is located where a large millstone was kept which was once used by Guru Nanak. In the Janamsakhis, it is mentioned that Guru Nanak Dev was taken as a prisoner along with thousands of his fellow countrymen by Babar's men.
Baba ji was, along with many of his fellow prisoners, forced to grind corn with hand-driven chakkis (millstones). His captors were surprised to see that the millstone used by Guru Nanak was turning, by itself, while Baba ji was simply pouring grist into the opening in the stone as he sang songs to the Glory of One God.
The Guru's songs to 'One God' (the Mughals as Muslims also believed in One God) and, even more the stone's turning by itself amazed the Mughal soldiers who brought this to the immediate attention of Babar.
The present building, inside the town of Eminabad, is a simple flat-roofed room with some ancillaries surrounded by a brick paved compound.
Gurdwara Khuhi Bhai Lalo Ji: Bhai Lalo was a carpenter living at Eminabad during the 1500's. Guru Nanak Dev, the founder Guru of the Sikhs stayed with him on several occasions. Bhai Lalo's house became a dharmsal (a place where dharam is taught and learnt), meeting place for local followers of the Guru, and was later developed into Gurdwara which was named after a "khuhi" (narrow well) which existed even when the old house had crumbled.
Bhai Lalo, a resident of Saidpur (Eminabad), was a carpenter of Getaura caste. Guru Nanak stayed at his house when came he to Eminabad in about the early 1500's. It is the place where the Guru composed the following bani (hymns) in Tilang raag.
A man by the name of Malik Bhago was a minor official of the ruler of Eminahad. He arranged a big feast for the Brahamins (Braham Bhoj) and also invited the Guru, who declined the invitation. This made him angry and he summoned the Guru through official command.
The Guru squeezed his buttered bread with one hand and with other hand squeezed the plain bread of Bhai Lalo before all present in the court. Blood started trickling from Malik's buttered bread and milk oozed out of plain bread of Lalo, the carpenter. The Guru explained that Malik's income was earned by "sucking" the blood of the poor people whereas the income of this carpenter had the milk earned by his hard labour. "This was the reason behind my rejection of your rich food and that was why I had preferred the simple diet earned through hard labour," said the Guru.
Lalu's house, where Guru Nanak Dev Ji had stayed, was made into a Gurdwara. This is called Gurdwara Khuhi Bhai Lalo Ji - "Gurdwara at the well of Lalu". The well in front of the Gurdwara still provides drinking water is still intact and usable.
I did not know the exact location of these gurdwaras, so I asked a few people, and they guided me to them. But I became alarmed to find both of them closed and locked. However, a person advised me to contact a Sikh who had a cosmetics shop in the main bazaar. I found him without any difficulty, for being the only Sikh in the town, everybody knew about him.
Sandip Singh received us warmly but apologised that he could not help us much regarding visiting the gurdwaras, as he did not have the keys to them, and advised us to contact the administration of Gurdwara Rori Sahib, which we had just visited. However, he offered us cold drinks and water, which we accepted immediately, as after roaming about in the hot and humid weather, we were exhausted. His shop was a refuge from the heat outside.
In the hope of finding some solution to our problem, we lingered on, and I tried to charm him with my basic knowledge about Sikh history and the Gurmukhi alphabet. And probably that worked, for after some time, he relented, called a person, and then went to meet him, leaving the shop in our care. He returned in about ten minutes and brought the keys to both of the gurdwaras. He showed us the gurdwaras from inside and also informed us about their history. I shall never forget his hospitality and help. Sandip Singh, s/o Himmat Singh, was born in Hassan Abdal and has been living in Eminabad for the last ten years. His elder brother also lives in Eminabad.
No comments:
Post a Comment