Gurdwara Mau Sahib

This Gurudwara is situated 10 kms away from Phillaur which comes under the Jalandhar district. The Gurudwara was built in memory of the marriage alliance between Guru Arjan Devji and Rama Devi. The nuptials have thought to have been solemnized in the basement of the Gurudwara.

Phillaur is about 43 kms away from Jalandhar and 14 kms from Ludhiana. It is situated on the Grand Trunk Road.

Facts

Gurudwaras are holy shrines for the Sikh community which houses the Holy Guru Granth Sahib. This book holds special meaning to the believers as it has been written and put together by the Gurus themselves. The Gurudwara is also a place where Sikhs comes to mediate.

In the Gurudwara, there is no distinction on the basis of gender, caste or creed. Although Gurudwaras are found in almost all parts of the world, there are some which carry historical significance. Besides India, these old Gurudwaras are also found in some of the neighboring countries- Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Iraq.

The Gurudwaras are the places which hold a special meaning not only as a place of worship but the role they have played in the history of this religion. The name 'Gurudwara' is attributed to the Sixth Guru- Guru Har Gobind ji. He refers it as a path through which a Guru can be reached.

The Sikhs believe in Seva or service at the Gurudwara or in place of need. They perform various tasks at the Gurudwaras which include serving or cooking food, sweeping and cleaning the holy place and taking care of the congregation.

The Gurudwara Mau Sahib has connections with the Fifth Guru, Arjan Devji. He was the son of Guru Ram Das and Bibi Bhani. He has been credited for establishing two cities – Tarn Taran and Kartarpur. He is also the Guru who put together all the works of the other Gurus and saints into one book –the holy Guru Granth Sahib. He is considered to be the first Guru to attain martyrdom.

The Gurudwara Mau Sahib holds a historical significance as this is the place where the marriage of the Guru Arjan Devji and Rama Devi took place. The Fifth Guru was born in 1561 and was married in 1589. On his way, the Guru is said to have rested in a village called Bilga near Phillaur. Another Gurudwara Sri Patshahi Panjim has been built where the Guru stayed on his way to the wedding at Mau sahib. The story speaks of him distributing his belongings to the people who lived in the vicinity. The cap, purse, Dushala, Simran Malka and Chandan Ki Chawanki belonging to the Guru are preserved at the Gurudwara in Bilga.

Architecture and Covered Area

Gurudwaras do not have set pattern or layout that they follow. Some Gurudwaras may have a library and a class room. Like all Gurudwaras, Mau Sahib adorns a prominent flagpole which has the religious symbol- Nissan Sahib. Mau Sahib has the holy sanctuary where the holy book- Guru Granth Sahib is kept under a canopy. It has a community kitchen which serves free food at Langars.

Location and Its Surroundings

The location of the gurudwara is at 31° 1' 22.73" N 75° 41' 23.90" E. The cities that lie in this area are Ludhiana, Phillaur and Jalandhar.

Celebrations

An annual fair is held in memory of the wedding that took place here.

Visitors Info

Best time to visit

Summer season is hot and dry. It extends from April to June. The monsoon season begins in July and carries on till September. Winters are cold. Best time to visit when the weather is pleasant from January to March.

Traveling to Jalandhar

By Air

If you want to come by air, you can take a flight to Amritsar which has the international airport- Rajasansi Airport. Amritsar is at a distance of 90 kms away from Jalandhar. Flights connect both international and national destinations. The other neighboring cities are Chandigarh and Ludhiana which are 134km and 59 km away respectively.

By Train

Jalandhar has two railway stations- City and Cantt. The Jalandhar station is an important one which has several trains passing through. The cities that are connected with Jalandhar railway station are Delhi, Kolkata, Jammu, Mumbai, Nagpur and Puri. Long distance trains either originate at this station or pass through. Local trains ply between Jalandhar to different parts of the state.

By Road

Jalandhar is accessible by bus services which connects the neighboring states- Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan. Taxi services can be used to reach Phillaur which is 43 kms away.

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