158. Forgotten Gurdwaras of Rawalpindi City

Before 1947, Hindus and Sikhs made up a large proportion of Rawalpindi’s population and owned much of the property in the city. Their presence is still reflected in the grand havelis, elegant houses, and bustling bazaars that survive from that era. Earlier this year, I made several visits to the old quarters of Rawalpindi and was amazed to discover true masterpieces of architecture. While Lahore is celebrated for its walled city, the areas around Shah Chan Chiragh in Rawalpindi also contain hundreds of houses that beautifully showcase our rich architectural heritage. I believe that an organization similar to the Walled City of Lahore Authority should be established here as well, to preserve and promote this treasure.

During my tours, I was especially surprised by the large number of Hindu temples tucked away in narrow lanes, hidden behind encroachments and crowded houses. That subject, however, deserves a separate post. In this article, we will focus on a few gurdwaras that are little known today and almost forgotten by time. But before we proceed, I would like to share a table to give you a sense of the demographics of Rawalpindi city and its surrounding areas before 1947. The figures are taken from the official census report of 1941.

Population	Rawalpindi
	Division	District	Tehsil	City
Total	4,700,958	785,231	380,395	185,042
Muslims	4,020,141	628,193	261,720	81,038
%	85.52	80.00	68.80	43.79
Hindus	416,204	82,478	68,389	62,393
%	8.85	10.50	17.98	33.72
Sikhs	234,071	64,127	40,224	32,054
%	4.98	8.17	10.57	17.32
Christians	22,851	4,212	4,095	3,668
%	0.22	0.54	1.08	1.98

The Rawalpindi region was dominated by the Gakkhar tribe for centuries. Their recorded history begins with the arrival of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, and under various royal dynasties, they maintained control of this area well into the 18th century. In 1765, however, the Gakkhar chief Mukarrab Khan was defeated by Sardar Gujar Singh of the Bhangi Misl. Soon afterward, the entire region came under Sikh rule. Sikh domination lasted until 1849, when the British annexed Punjab. During this period, Sikhs settled in the area and maintained a significant presence until 1947.

Earlier this year, I visited several gurdwaras in Rawalpindi. Two of them, Gurdwara Singh Sabha and Gurdwara Narankari, and a few other gurdwaras that are lesser known but historically important.

1. Gurdwara Bhai Mani Singh / Damdama Sahib

Bhai Mani Singh was a close companion of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and the last Guru of the Sikhs. He was born in 1644 in Multan and died in 1738 in Lahore. He was a great scholar and warrior. He served many gurus and spent his life in the service of the Sikh community. Caught in the political turmoil during the decline of the Mughal Empire, he was martyred by the governor of Lahore, Zakaria Khan in Lahore in 1738.

He is greatly revered by the Sikhs for his services and martyrdom. This huge gurdwara was probably built in his memory during the early decades of the twentieth century. Now dozens of families are residing in this gurdwara complex and seldom allow anyone to enter. Overall, the building is in shambles. It is located at  33°37'0.40"N,  73° 3'17.03"E, at the junction of Jamia Masjid Road and Hamilton Road. 

After I published this article, some friends and readers suggested that the above-mentioned gurdwara is not the gurdwara Bhai Mani Singh. It is actually Gurdwara Damdama Sahib, which is built by the famous Sikh personality of Kallar Syedan Baba Khem Singh Bedi (1830 - 1905). The problem is that the occupants do not let anyone to enter the premises, so no plaque or writing could prove its true identity, even if such writing exists. Anyway, I am sharing this new piece of information with my readers and hope to find some conclusive answer to this question. So far I feel that probably it is Gurdwara Damdama Sahib, built by Baba Khem Singh Bedi. Thank you Mirza Beg sahib and Immi Gul sahib for your guidance and assistance. 

Gurdwara Bhai Mani Singh or Damdama Sahib , Rawalpindi. (25.01.2022.)

Gurdwara Bhai Mani Singh or Damdama Sahib, Rawalpindi. (25.01.2022.)

Gurdwara Bhai Mani Singh or Damdama Sahib, Rawalpindi. (25.01.2022.)

Picture of the gurdwara, provided by Salman Khalid. (2021)

2. Gurdwara Baradari

The area around the shrine of Shah Chan Chiragh is probably the oldest locality of Rawalpindi city. The shrine itself is almost 400 years old. About fifty meters north of the shrine, at 33°37'8.00"N, 73°03'34.45"E, stands a gurdwara. The present building appears to have been constructed in the third or fourth decade of the last century. Today, it is occupied by several families who have divided it into separate sections. Although they allowed us to enter, some of the residents were understandably not very comfortable with our presence.

I am not certain how old this gurdwara originally is, or why it is referred to as a baradari. Perhaps an earlier structure once stood here and was later rebuilt in its present form.

Entrance of the gurdwara Baradari. (25.01.2022.)

ਗੁਰਦਵਾਰਾ ਬਰਾਦਰੀ

Gurdwara Baradari

Gurdwara is divided among many families. (25.01.2022.)

Another view of the entrance from the street. (25.01.2022.)

3. Gurdwara Sri Guru Nanak Satsang

This gurdwara is situated about one kilometer northeast of Shah Chan Chiragh, in a locality still called Kartar Pura. The name suggests that before Partition, it was inhabited largely by Sikhs, or at least had a considerable Sikh population. Fortunately, the date of its construction is recorded as Samvat 1991, which corresponds to 1934 AD. The well-planned streets and the architectural style of the houses in the area also indicate that its origins are relatively recent.

Despite having a fairly precise location for the gurdwara, it was somewhat difficult to find. It is a beautiful building, though it does not resemble a traditional gurdwara in appearance. Further details are provided on the commemorative plaque shown below. The gurdwara is located at 33°37'26.97"N, 73°03'46.93"E.

Facade of the gurdwara Sri Guru Nanak Satsang. (28.01.2022.)

Above is the ground floor of the gurdwara. The entrance is on the left side, the door is covered with a curtain. The plaque is behind the cot, that's why we could not find it earlier, despite coming twice to this small street. We could see it only when I asked the owner about the plaque. 

Another view of the gurdwara. (28.01.2022.)

ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਸੰਗ ਕਰਤਾਰ ਪੂਰਾ

ਰਾਵਲਪਿੰਡੀ

ਇਸ ਗੁਰਦਵਾਰੇ ਦਾ ਬੁਨਿਆਦੀ ਪਥਰ 

ਜੇਠ ਸ: ੧੯੯੧ ਮੁਤਾਬਿਕ ੨੦ ਮਈ ਸਨ ੧੯੩੪

ਨੂੰ

ਸ੍ਰੀ ਮਾਨ ਸਰਦਾਰ ਬਹਾਦਰ ਸੋਹਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ ..................... ਜੀ

ਰਯੀਸੇ ਆਜ਼ਮ ਰਾਵਲਪਿੰਡੀ ਨੇ ਰਖਇਆ

سری گورو نانک ست سنگ کرتار پورہ

راولپنڈی

اس گوردوارے دا بنیادی پتھر

جیٹھ سمت 1991 مطابق 20 مئی سن 1934

نوں

 سری مان سردار بہادر سوہن سنگھ جی ۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ جی

رئیسِ اعظم راولپنڈی نے رکھیا

Sri Nanak Sat Sang , Kartarpur

Rawalpindi

The foundation stone of this gurdwara was laid on

Jeth Samvat 1991, corresponding to 20 May, 1934.

By Sriman Sardar Bhadar Sohan Singh ji ................... Ji

Raees-e-Azam of Rawalpindi.

The well of the gurdwara is still functioning. (28.01.2022.)

An adjoining house. (28.01.2022.)

Another old house in the street. (28.01.2022.)

The following three pictures were provided by Salman Qamar, who belongs to Gujranwala and has an interest in history and heritage. 

4. Gurdwara Lalkurti

Almost nothing is known about this gurdwara, which is located in Lalkurti, Rawalpindi. As the name suggests, the area was developed by the British Army in the 19th century and, even after independence, remained an important part of the cantonment. The gurdwara is a simple house, unlike traditional gurdwaras, and was probably used by Sikh servicemen in the British Army. A Hindu temple also exists nearby. When I visited, the gurdwara was closed and nobody knew who controlled the property. The temple was also not accessible. The gurdwara is located at 33°34'57.21"N, 73°03'28.42"E.

There is also some confusion about this place. A mark on google maps suggests it is a gurdwara. But as the occupants do not let anyone enter it, so nobody is sure. I shall continue my research on this topic and request my readers to also share any information on this topic.  

A gurdwara in Lalkurti, Rawalpindi. (27.01.2022.)

Shikhara or spire of the temple. (27.01.2022.)

A beautiful old house, in front of the temple. (27.01.2022.)

I have four more gurdwaras in Rawalpindi city on my list. Hopefully, I shall visit them soon and add the information to this article. You are welcome to make your share any useful information about such abandoned gurdwaras and temples. 

Tariq Amir

June 22, 2022.

Islamabad