ગુજરાતી
English
Thanks to BBC Gujarati
16 April 2022
About three and a half hundred years ago in 1699, on the day of Baisakhi, the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, Gobind Singh, established the Khalsa Panth.
Mokham Chand showed readiness to sacrifice his head. Who belonged to the present Bet-Dwarka and used to do cloth and dyeing work. Today the birthplace of Bhai Mokham Singh stands as a gurdwara, where langar runs daily and free food is served to the people.
Whose aim was to protect humanity and establish religion. Before this, Guru Gobind Singh took a unique test, in which initially five passed.
One of these was associated with Gujarat and its saga is still narrated.
Guru Gobind Singh became the Guru of Sikhism in 1666 after his father Teg Bahadur was murdered by the Mughals. He was born in Patna, from where he was brought to Anandpur. Here he was trained in Sanskrit, Persian, poetry and martial arts.
In 1699, on the day of Baisakhi, a grand fair was organized in Anandpur, in which all Sikhs were asked to participate.
During this meeting, he established the Khalsa Panth to protect humanity and establish religion. During this meeting, Guru Gobind Singh announced his ‘Panj Pyare’, but its method was unique.
It is believed that a throne was placed for Guruji in the field, behind which there was a tent. When he came in front of the people, he had an open sword in his hand. He said from the stage, “I want a man’s head. Can anyone of you give me the head?”
The people present there were stunned to hear this. During this time a person named Dayaram came forward. Dayaram was a resident of Lahore (now Pakistan). He was the first to agree to give his head to the Guru and religion.
As soon as the Guru took him to the tent, there was a fierce clash of swords. Guru Gobind Singh came out of the tent with a blood-soaked sword. He said that the sword was still thirsty and wanted another head.
Then Dharamdas came forward in second place. He was a farmer living near present-day Delhi. Himmat Singh of Jagannathpuri in Orissa, who was a Bhisti, came third demanding another head. Sahib Chand came forward in fifth place.
However, Mokham Chand showed his willingness to sacrifice his head for the fourth time. He belonged to present-day Bat-Dwarka and worked in cloth and dyeing. Today the birthplace of Bhai Mokham Singh stands as a gurdwara, where langar is run daily and free food is served to the people.
Every year in the month of March a big fair is held here, in which Sikhs from other states including Gujarat and Punjab come to participate. It is said that Guru Nanak Dev also visited this place before his journey to Baghdad. Mokham means ‘strong leader’ or ‘manager’.
Guru Gobind Singh would come out with a bleeding sword carrying people one after the other and demand sacrifice. This happened five times.
People were looking at each other speechlessly, they could not understand what was happening.
Then five young men wearing saffron clothes (Bana) came out from behind the tent. Five sacrificial goats were lying at their feet.
He had a turban on his head. Then Guru Gobind Singh announced in the presence of the Sikhs present that these five were his beloved and they were known as ‘Panj Pyare’. He announced the establishment of the Khalsa (holy) sect.
Guru Gobind Singh performed his Amritsanskar by mixing sugar in milk. Then the Khalsa sect was opened to all those who wanted to join it.
A person adopting the Khalsa religion has to renounce his name, caste, gotra and family surname etc. ‘Singh’ is added to the boy’s name and ‘Kaur’ (princess) to the girl’s name.
Guru Gobind Singh added ‘Singh’ to the names of all of them. Since then these five are known as Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh, Bhai Himmat Singh, Bhai Mokham Singh and Bhai Sahib Singh. A follower of Khalsa Panth is required to wear ‘five folds’ Kesh, Kangho (Dantiyo), Kara, Kachcha and Kirpan. Khalsa Sikhs do not cut their hair and cover them with a turban.
Five people are also chosen symbolically during important events like Sangat, Nagarkirtan, Karseva, Dharmik Yatra, Khatmuhurat of Gurdwara. It is worth mentioning that Bhai Mokham Singh, Bhai Himmat Singh and Bhai Sahib Singh were killed in the battle with the Mughals at Chamkaur.
With the longest coastline in India, the state of Gujarat has been at the forefront of sea travel and foreign trade for centuries. The ports of Gujarat have played a major role in the economic development of the state.
Along with economic development due to the sea, the state of Gujarat has also become very rich in terms of cultural heritage and development. Due to the sea and ports, many foreign communities like Parsis, Siddis, Jews, Portuguese got connected to Gujarat and developed relations.
Even today, the cultural heritage of many religions and communities is safe on the land of Gujarat. One such heritage is the memory of the founder of Sikhism and the first Guru Nanak Dev.
Dev Diwali celebrated in Gujarat is also celebrated as ‘Guru Parv’ (festival) or ‘Prakash Parv’ in Punjab.
It is said that he stayed in Lakhpat for an estimated 41 days. During his stay at Tikeywala place in Lakhpat, Guru Nanak Dev held satsang with saints of all religions.
Guru Nanak Dev came to Gujarat not once, but twice. According to authentic books and sources of Sikhism, Guru Nanak
Dev performed four pilgrimages.
For which in Sikhism, Guru Nanak
Dev has a special place in the world.
The word ‘Udasi’ is used. During the fourth Udasi, Guru Nanak Dev traveled to Mecca-Medina, sacred for Islam, Jerusalem, sacred for Judaism and Christianity, and other religious places.
He started this sea journey from the very famous Lakhpat port of that time. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Lakhpat port was in its heyday. It is said that this port was named Lakhpat because one lakh kori (old currency) was traded at this port.
Dalpat Danidharia, a cultural heritage scholar from Kutch, says that there was a time when Lakhpat was literally the ‘gateway to India’. The fact that Guru Nanak Dev started both his journeys to Medina from here is proof that Lakhpat was a world famous port.
It was because of Lakhpat port that Guru Nanak Dev came to the state of Gujarat.
According to a booklet published by the Punjab government on Nanak’s travels, Guru Nanak Dev first visited Lakhpat during his second Udaasi period (1506-’09 AD), then again during the fourth Udaasi period in AD. In the period 1518-21 he went to Mecca-Medina via Lakhpat.
Guru Nanak Dev covered most of the journey on foot and was accompanied by Bhai Mardana at this time.
It is said that he stayed at Lakhpat for an estimated 41 days. During his stay at Tikeywala place in Lakhpat Guru Nanak Dev held satsangs with saints of all religions. His memorial Charanpaduka, patronised by saints of the Udaasi sect, is today a gurdwara and still houses the footwear (chakhari) of Guru Nanak Dev.
Since this gurdwara is associated with the first Guru of Sikhism, it is also known as ‘Pratham Patshahi Gurdwara’ in the Sikh language.
The Gurdwara at Lakhpat is currently being managed by the Lakhpat Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. The chairman of this committee and Jugraj Singh, popularly known as ‘Raju Sardar’, says that ‘after partition, there are very few memorials of Guru Nanak Devji in India, whereas Lakhpat Gurdwara is considered a very important place. Apart from the Sikhs living in Kutch, thousands of people from the country and abroad also come here.’
‘Langar Prasad has been arranged in the Gurudwara, in which 200 to 250 people take the Prasad every day. Hundreds of people come here on special days and festivals. Apart from Sikhs, people of other religions also come to this Gurudwara. There has been very good support from the government for the conservation and development of the Gurudwara.’
The Gurudwara was declared a protected monument by the Government of Gujarat in 1992. Due to the 1998 cyclone and the 2001 earthquake, the ancient building of this Gurudwara was damaged and was in urgent need of repair.
In the year 2003, this historical place was restored with great care and attention. Without making any changes to the original structure of the building and using only locally available and ancient materials, it was repaired so efficiently that it received a UNESCO award.
In the year 2004, Lakhpat Gurudwara was awarded in the ‘Award of Distinction’ category of the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
Dalpatbhai Danidharia, Manager of the Library at Darbargadh, Pragmel, Bhuj, says, ‘Recently Kutch came on the world map because of Dholavira, but before that UNESCO had declared the memorial of the first Guru of the Sikhs as ‘Adi Gurdwara’. The community in Lakhpat was awarded for building the same thikana (place) as well as rebuilding it after the earthquake. Giving equal importance to all religions, Guru Nanak Dev stayed in Lakhpat for about one and a half months during his journey to Mecca and Medina. This place has an honorable place among the religious places of Kutch.’
The devotees of the Udasi sect preserved the feet and place of Guru Nanak Devji, continued to worship him, resulting in a cultural heritage that is still alive today.
Apart from Guru Nanak Dev, his son Baba Srichandji also came to Lakhpat. It is said that Bal Yogi Baba Srichandji came to Lakhpat and that too before Gurudev.
Baba Sri Chandji founded the Udasi sect, which believed in monism, whose Guru-disciple tradition still exists today. Udasi Sureshji, the tenth Gadipati of the Udasi sect, says that ‘During his stay in Lakhpat, Guru Nanak Devji also had satsang with Bhagirathji, a great man of the Udasi sect. Gurudev gave him his chakri as a souvenir. Whose Guru-disciple tradition was revered and preserved for ten generations.
Bhagirathiji also had extensive meetings with Sri Chandji, who had reached Lakhpat before Guru Nanak Devji. Bhagirathji made Baba Srichandji his Guru. Even today, in our house, as per the Guru-disciple tradition of the Udaasi sect, the Charanpaduka of Guru Nanak Devji and Bhagirathji are worshipped at this place. (Google translation from Gujarati)
