Historical Gurdwaras in India

State of HARYANA

Panjokhara

Gurdwara Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji

Gurdwara Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji - 10 kilimetres northeast of Ambala City along the Ambala-Naraingarh road, marks the spot consecrated by Guru Har Krishan, by his stay during his journey from Kiratpur to Delhi in February 1664. The Guru had been summoned to meet the Emperor Aurangzeb. A large number of his followers, disturbed by summons from one known to be a bigoted tyrant, had followed the young Guru. As the caravan arrived at Panjokhara at the end of the third day of their journey, the Guru told them all except a few on the household staff to go back to their homes with a firm belief in the rightness of divine dispensation. There lived in Panjokhara a Brahaman, Krishan Lal or Lal Ji, who was proud of his learning. Seeing the young Guru, he sarcastically remarked that the boy who bore the name of Krishna could not even read Krishna's Bhagwad Gita. Guru Har Krishan simply smiled at the Brahman's impudence and, calling a passerby, Chhajju the water-carrier, made the latter give a discourse on Gita. Such was the erudition of Chhajju that Lal Ji Pandit bent his head in shame and besought the Guru's forgiveness. The Guru resumed his journey after three days stay at Panjokhara. A small memorial raised in honor of the Guru was developed into a Gurdwara during the Sikh Rule, and during the past decade or two has become a vast complex including the double-storey sanctum entered through a spacious hall, Guru ka Langar with a vast dining hall, and enclosed sarovar and ancillary buildings for staff and pilgrims. Besides largely attended Sunday morning congregations, an annual fair is held on Magh Sudi 7 to 9 (January - February) commemorating the days of the Guru's stay here over 300 years ago.