All photos by author, taken in December 2009.
Travel
Kartarpur:
Abode of The Guru
Article and Photos by AMARJIT SINGH CHANDAN
KARTÄ€RPUR - literally meaning the 'Abode of the Creator' - village on the right bank of the River RÄvÄ« in the present SiÄlkoá¹ district of West Punjab and usually called KartÄrpur RÄvÄ« to distinguish it from another town of the same name in Jalandhar district of East Punjab, is sacred to the GurÅ« of GurÅ«s, Baba NÄnak (1469-1539) to whom it owed its origin and who settled here at the end of his long peregrinations on the subcontinent and abroad to preach the Word of God.
GurÅ« Nanak spent the last 16 years of his life with his wife and sons at KartÄrpur which became the principal seat of the Sikh faith. It was here that the Guru wrote the Japji and made his living by farming. It was here that Bhai Lehṇa, later Guru Aá¹…gad, came to receive instruction and it was here that, after nominating Aá¹…gad his spiritual successor, he passed away on
AssÅ« vÄdÄ« 10, 1596 Bkirami - 7 September 1539 AD.
The three-storeyed building of the GurdwÄrÄ erected later at KartÄrpur in the late 1920s by the Maharaja of Patiala can still be seen from the high embankment near Narowal marking the Indo-Pakistan border north of Ḍera Baba Nanak.
After Partition, it remained derelict for many years. Since 1995, however, when the Government of Pakistan refurbished it, it has become accessible to visitors and pilgrims from all over the world.
Legend has it that when Guru Nanak left for his heavenly abode, both Hindus and Muslims claimed him as their prophet. As a compromise, his shroud was torn into two: the Muslims buried their half of the shroud, and the Hindus cremated their half - as per their respective religious rites.
The mazÄr (grave) is in the courtyard of the gurdwara and the samÄdhi is within.
The well said to be used to irrigate Guru's farm is still kept intact though marble-ized like almost all the Sikh shrines in both East and West Punjab.
Surprisingly the structure above the well is imaginatively designed with a roofless canopy symbolizing the infinite.
[Adapted from the Encyclopaedia of Sikhism.]
July 10, 2010
Conversation about this article
1: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), July 12, 2010, 2:03 PM.
'Saa Dhartee bha-ee haree-aavalee jithai mayra satguru baithaa aa-aay' [GGS:310.5] - 'That land where my True Guru comes and sits becomes green and fertile.' After four arduous Udasis, Guru Nanak finally decided to rest his feet, his work done and discarded his pilgrim's attire and donned ordinary clothes of a householder to once again live with his wife Mata Sulkani, his two sons and his parents, and started farming. It was truly: 'Run away, O sins; the Creator has entered my home." [GGS:460.14] Kartarpur became that blessed and hallowed place to impart hands-on lessons in ideal living: 'Vich dunee-aa sayv kamaa-ee-ai taa dargeh baisan paae-ai' [GGS:26.1] In the midst of this world, do seva and you shall be given a place of honour in the Court of the Lord'. It is here the three cardinal principles were put in practice: 'Naan Japna, Kirat Karni and Vund Chhakna - Remembering the Giver at all times; Honest living and Sharing the fruits of one's labour with others. This is where the first langar started the unique institution of a free kitchen for all, rich and poor, irrespective of caste, creed, gender or status. All sat on the same level as equals. Unkown to most, this ideal example of living instigated an unlettered woman to impart a most valuable lesson to a son that finally produced Bhai Vir Singh j. The story goes like this: Kahn Singh, a scion of Maharaj Kaura Mall, living with his mother Roop Kaur at 'Garh Maharaj' in Multan, was a recluse and of a retiring disposition. One day this only son decided to walk away from his home for a higher calling and went missing for 14 years. The anguish of a mother was difficult to imagine. One day she got news that her son Kahn Singh was now seen in Amritsar, where she rushed to meet him. She found him with matted hair as a sadhu. The mother and son started to live together once again. There was a lot of catching up to do. In the meantime, now Baba Kahn Singh had become an influential sadhu who also practiced indigenous medicine, and a scholar of renown in Sanskrit and Braj, thus laying the foundation of the family's literary tradition that was to produce Dr. Charan Singh, the father of Bhai Vir Singh. But, how did the mother persuade her son Kahn Singh to marry in the first place, then at the age of 40? Baba Kahn Singh one day mentioned to his mother that all the religious texts had mentioned that right at birth, the child comes programmed with a built-in bio or operating system with at least eight 'bandhan' or encumbrances of which 'Khiat' - to be recognized as a man of importance and learning - was the most difficult to conquer. Kahn Singh mentioned that in 14 years he managed to conquer all these bandans. "Well, that is wonderful, and I am proud of you," said the doting mother. "You can now get married." "But, Mata, I am a sadhu. How can I get married?" That unlettered mother, Roop Kaur, had a most devastating reply. "You said that you had conquered the eight encumbrances, but now look at this as the ninth one, your sadhugiri. It has become an encumbrance that you are ashamed to discard." Kahn Singh was speechless, and the mother continued that this encumbrance Guru Nanak had conquered when he discarded his pilgrim's attire and became a house holder at Kartarpur, thus emphasizing the importance of 'Grihasth Ashram'.