RĪṬHĀ SĀHIB, GURDWĀRĀ, 40 km northwest of Nānak Matā in Uttar Pradesh. It is also 40 km from Kichhā railway station on the Bareilly-Kāṭhgodām metregauge section of North-Eastern railway. Here, Gurū Nānak had an encounter with the Nāth Yogīs whom he tried to bring to the path of active humanitarian service and to the path of loving remembrance of God's Name. The story is not mentioned in janam sākhīs, but a strong tradition has grown that here Gurū Nānak miraculously made the normally bitter fruit of a soapnut tree sweet for Bhāī Mardānā to feed on. A soapnut tree (not the original one) is still there and pilgrims receive sweet soapnuts as prasad.

Major Gurmukh Siṅgh (Retd.)