PEHOVĀ or Pahoā, also called Pahevā or Bhevā (29º-59'N, 76º-35'E), an ancient pilgrimage centre of the Hindus situated on the left bank of the rivulet Sarsvatī, in Kurukshetra district of Haryāṇā, has two historical gurdwārās.

        GURDWĀRĀ BĀOLĪ SĀHIB, located outside the old town, is dedicated to Gurū Nānak, though Gurū Tegh Bahādur and Gurū Gobind Siṅgh are also said to have visited the site. Gurū Nānak was in Pehovā at the time of the festival of Chet Chaudas (fourteenth day of the dark half of the month of Chet) and preached on the futility of offering oblations for the benefit of the souls of one's ancestors long dead. The indignant priests of the temple on the Sarasvatī banks resented the Gurū's presence in the precincts of their temple, and he shifted to the site marked by the present Gurdwārā. A bāoli (well with steps descending down to water level) was constructed later to cater for the needs of the pilgrims. The Sikh chiefs of Kaithal constructed a gurdwārā, but it fell into a state of neglect after the principality was annexed to the British dominions in 1843. Reconstruction of the gurdwārā was undertaken by Sant Jīvan Siṅgh in 1950. The present building has a main hall, covered with marble slabs, with a central pavilion for the Gurū Granth Sāhib. The central pavilion has a massive lotus dome above it. A spacious rectangular pavilion to the north of the central building serves as a dīvān hall for larger assemblies on festivals and other special occasions. The shrine is controlled by the Shiromaṇī Gurdwārā Parbandhak Committee who have entrusted management for the present to the successors of Bābā Jīvan Siṅgh.

        MĀṄJĪ SĀHIB, situated on the bank of the holy rivulet Sarasvatī, is another historical gurdwārā at Pehovā close to Gurdwārā Bāolī Sāhib. The place is sacred to Gurū Nānak, Gurū Amar Dās, Gurū Hargobind, Gurū Har Rāi, Gurū Tegh Bahādur and Gurū Gobind Siṅgh whose visits the shrine commemorates. To mark the site a Māñjī Sāhib was constructed by the Sikh rulers of Kaithal in the eighteenth century. It was replaced by a larger gurdwārā in recent years. The present building consist of two marble covered halls, one above the other. The Gurū Granth Sāhib is seated in the high ceiling hall on the first floor. For management the shrine is affiliated to Gurdwārā Bāolī Sāhib.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  1. Giān Siṅgh, Giānī, Twārīkh Gurduāriāṅ. Amritsar, n.d.
  2. Narotam, Tārā Siṅgh, Srī Guru Tīrath Saṅgrahi. Kankhal, 1975

Major Gurmukh Siṅgh (Retd.)