Gurdwara Bangla Sahib:
Bangla Sahib in Delhi was once a superlative and large bungalow of Raja
Jai Singh of Amber (now Jaipur) who commanded great respect and honor in
the court of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. It has been converted in to a
holy shrine since the eighth Guru Sri Har Krishan accepted the
invitation of the king and stayed here for a few months. During his stay
in Delhi, the Guru spent most of his time in serving the humble and the
sick and directed Diwan Dargah Mal to use the daily offerings made to
him by his devotees for the welfare of the poor. Thus, he won many
admirers and there were stories that told about his healing powers
spreading throughout the city.
There is a hospital in its basement run by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara
Management Committee. It also has 225 x 235 ft tank with 18 ft wide
Parikarma and 12 ft wide verandah on its three sides constructed
entirely with people's contribution and voluntary labor of the devotees.
An Art Gallery is also located in the basement showcasing paintings that
depict historical events related to Sikhism.
Gurdwara Nanak Piao:
Gurudwara Nanak Piao enshrines the place where the first Sikh Guru Sri
Nanak Dev camped during his visit to Delhi in June 1505. It was said
that people of Delhi flocked to meet him in large numbers to pay homage
to him and made precious offerings but the Guru distributed all the
offerings, thus collected, among the poor and needy. It was called
'piao' as Guru himself served water here to the thirsty who came here
from far-way places. The well from which he served water is still well
maintained and fully protected.
As a legend goes, Emperor Sikander Shah Lodhi heard of a miracle by
Guru Nanak that he performed here of reviving a dead elephant. He
requested him to revive his royal elephant that had died. But the Guru
refused to oblige him and thus, he imprisoned him. It is said that while
he was in prison, a great earthquake shook the capital on July 3, 1505.
It was said that it was because of the ill behavior of the emperor, that
Nanak has cursed the city. The Chisti Sufi saints and the prison
officials intervened and at last, the Emperor ordered the release of the
Guru Nanak along with many other prisoners, on his request.
Gurdwara Rakab Ganj:
On November 11, 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur's head was cut off in public in
Chandani Chowk, on the orders of Aurungzeb. It is said that such a dust
storm ensued just after the event that nothing could be seen and
everything was in dark. It was then, when Guru's disciple Bhai Jaita, a
Rengreta Sikh, saw his chance and took away the head of the great martyr
and escaped to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab where it was cremated with
proper ceremony. Almost at the same time, Bhai Lakhi Shah Banjara and
his son, Bhai Naghaiya, got hold of the Guru's body and placed it in a
ox-driven cart under the cotton bales and escaped to their village,
Raisina. This place later came to be known as Rakab Ganj as most of the
residents were employed in manufacturing straps for the cavalry of
Mughal Army. In saving the body of their peer from the hands of the
enemy, they cremated the holy body by burning their own house and put
his ashes in a gagar (urn) and buried it on the spot. A mosque was later
In 1783, Sardar Bhagel Singh along with 30,000 Sikh warriors claimed
this spot as their own sacred place. Muslims contested this claim and it
was decided that Sikhs would reconstruct the mosque on their expense in
case the urn containing the ashes of the respected Guru was not found
buried beneath. However, the urn was found and thus a magnificent
Gurdwara, at a cost of 25 lakh rupees and 12 years of time, was built by
the Sikhs there to keep up the memory of the great Guru who made supreme
sacrifice for the freedom of worship, belief and expression.
Gurdwara Sis Ganj:
Gurdwara Sis Ganj is a famous Sikh pilgrimage, which was built on the
land where the Sikh Guru Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, was martyred in 1675 on
the orders of the Mughal emperor Aurungzeb. It is said that suddenly
after this unfortunate event, the skies were overcast by the clouds and
seeing their chances, Guru's disciple Bhai Jaita, a Rengreta Sikh, took
away his head and escaped to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab while Bhai Lakhi
Shah Banjara and his son, Bhai Naghaiya, took the Guru's body and
cremated it in their home in the Raisina village, where the Gurudwara
Rakab Ganj stands today.
A century later, in 1783, Baba Baghel Singh claimed the place as the
sacred spot of Sikhs and constructed a shrine here. One can still see
the trunk of the tree under which the Guru was martyred, which has been
well preserved along with the well, where the great Holy Spirit took his
daily bath while he was in prison.
Gurdwara Majnu Ka Tila:
Gurdwara Majnu-ka-Tila is positioned on a hillock on the right bank of
river Yamuna in Delhi. It is said that in the times of Sultan Sikander
Shah Lodhi, a Muslim hermit used to live a secluded life here and helped
people cross the river in his boat free-of-charge. His wish to see the
glimpse of God was so great that he was always lost in his own thoughts.
Thus, the people nicknamed him as 'Majnu', the well-renowned Persian
lover who became symbolic of intense love and passion. He attained
enlightenment with the blessings of Guru Nanak. His hermitage came to be
known as Majnu-ka-Tila (the hilllock of Majnu).
This hermitage had the honor of visits of other Gurus and their devout
disciples and became a famous pilgrimage place for the Sikhs. The main
personalities who graced the place with their divine presence were Shri
Guru Hargobind Sahib ji, the sixth Guru, Shri Ram Rai, the son of the
seventh Guru Har Rai, General Baghel Singh, who built the first small
structure of shrine here. The maintenance of the shrine was done by the
income from the Jagir endowed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh who also built a
tiny, old marble Gurdwara that can still be seen today. The devotees
constructed Gurudwara in its present massive form in 1950.