'ĀLAMGĪR, a village in Ludhiāṇā district, 13 km to the southwest of the city (30º-54'N, 75º-52'E), is famed for its Gurdwārā Mañjī Sāhib Pātshāhī 10. Gurū Gobind Siṅgh made a halt in the village as he was travelling after the battle of Chamkaur in December 1705. Here the Gurū discarded the palanquin which he had used for part of the journey, and took a horse presented by an old disciple, Bhāī Naudhā. A Mañjī Sāhib was later constructed on the site. At present, the gurdwārā compound covers over three acres of land. A four-storeyed gateway topped over by a small lotus dome opens on a vast paved courtyard across which is the central building-a dīvān hall, with a verandah all around. The prakāsh asthān adjoining the hall has a basement marking the original site of the Mañjī Sāhib. Above the prakāsh asthān there is a 3 storeyed domed tower with domed turrets at the corners. For larger gatherings on festivals, a vast shelter of reinforced concrete was built in 1969 in honour of the 500th anniversary of the birth of Gurū Nānak. The dining hall can accommodate 2, 000 persons at a time. There are several blocks of residential rooms for staff and pilgrims. A legend has grown around the 63 metre square sarovar, the holy tank, called Tīr Sar. It is said that the Gurū shot down a huge python occupying the only well in the vicinity. But the monster bled so profusely that it made the water of the well unfit for drinking. There being no other source of water near by, the Gurū shot another arrow into the ground and caused clean water to spring forth. The pool so formed came to be named after the arrow (tīr). People still believe that the water of this pool cures diseases. A three-day fair is held at 'Ālamgir from 14-16 Poh (December-end) every year.

        The management of Gurdwārā Mañjī Sāhib is in the hands of a local committee under the control of the Shiromaṇī Gurdwārā Parbandhak Committee.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  1. Tārā Siṅgh, Srī Gur Tīrath Saṅgrahi. Amritsar, n. d.
  2. Ṭhākar Siṅgh, Giānī, Srī Gurduāre Darshan. Amritsar, 1923
  3. Randhir, G. S. , Sikh Shrines in India. Delhi, 1990

Jagjīt Siṅgh