GURŪ KĀ LAHORE, a town in Bilāspur district of Himāchal Pradesh, 12 km north of Anandpur Sāhib associated with the matrimony of Gurū Gobind Siṅgh. In 1673 Bhāī Hari Jas, a Subhikkhī Khatrī of Lahore, had while on a visit to Anandpur betrothed his daughter Jīto to him and had desired that the marriage party should come to Lahore where the marriage would be performed with due dignity. But the fateful events leading to the martyrdom of Gurū Tegh Bahādur intervened, and in the changed circumstances it was not possible for the young Gurū to go to Lahore. A temporary encampment was therefore raised near the village of Basantgaṛh and named Gurū kā Lahore. Bhāī Hari Jas with his family and relations took up his residence there. Gurū Gobind Siṅgh at the head of the marriage procession arrived from Anandpur and the nuptials were held on 23 Hāṛ 1734 Bk/21 June 1677. Three gurdwārās now adorn the place.

        GURDWĀRĀ ANAND KĀRAJ STHĀN PĀTSHĀHĪ DĀSVĪṄ marks the site where the marriage ceremony was performed. The present building, constructed during the 1960's under the supervision of Sant Sevā Siṅgh of Anandpur Sāhib, comprises a marble-floored hall, with the sanctum in the middle of it. Gurū kā Laṅgar is to the east of the assembly hall.

        GURDWĀRĀ PAUR SĀHIB, 200 metres south of Gurdwārā Anand Kāraj Sthān, is close to a spring of water which, according to a popular legend, was caused to break forth by the stamping of the hoof (paur, in Punjabi) of Gurū Gobind Siṅgh's horse. The Gurdwārā is a small mosaic-floored domed room constructed by Sant Sevā Siṅgh.

        GURDWĀRĀ TRIVAIṆĪ SĀHIB encloses another spring, 250 metres apart from Pauṛ Sāhib, believed to have been created by the stroke of Gurū Gobind Siṅgh's spear. It was formerly called Karpā (lit. spear) Bāolī. The name Trivaiṇī, meaning the confluence of three rivers, became popular after the Hindu tīrtha at Allāhābād bearing the same name. The Gurdwārā building is a marble-floored rectangular room, with a dome above and a pavilion in front covering the spring, which feeds the adjoining sarovar.

         All the three Gurdwārās are affiliated to the Shiromaṇī Gurdwārā Parbandhak Committee. A religious fair is held coinciding with the spring festival of Basant Paṅchamī (February).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  1. Santokh Siṅgh, Bhāī, Srī Gur Pratāp Sūraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-33
  2. Kuir Siṅgh, Gurbilās Pātshāhī 10. Patiala, 1968
  3. Gian Siṅgh, Giānī, Twārīkh Gurū Khālsā. Patiala, 1970

Gurnek Siṅgh