Gurudwara Sri Patthar Sahib Leh

This beautiful monument was created in the memory of the Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, which is located on the Srinagar-Leh road. It is situated at a place which is around 25 kilometers from Leh.

History

The historical value of Gurudwara Sri Patthar Sahib is enhanced by the story of its origin. This is the story which has been told time and again and has been passed from generation to generation. The story goes like this that Guru Nanak Dev Ji embarked on a long journey which took him to places like Nepal, Sikkim and Tibet and on the course of this journey he reached this place, where the Gurudwara stands today. While he was staying here, a bad news came to the guru's knowledge that there was a cruel demon living in the opposite hill. His fury and cruelty took many villagers life as he used to kill them for his food. The villagers were grief-stricken and helpless to fight against the mighty demon. When they heard that the guru has made his holy appearance in their village, they heaved a sigh of relief and hoped that the guru would be able to take care of the demon that tormented them without mercy.

One fine day, when the Guru was submerged in his holy pursuit of worship, the demon decided to take the chance and kill him. The demon had already heard about Guru's arrival and was enraged at the thought of it. Now, when he saw that the guru was all alone and apparently helpless against his might, he decided to put an end to the Guru's existence. He threw a large boulder towards the Guru hoping that it will crush the Guru to death. However, when the boulder hit the guru, the Lord Almighty performed a miracle and turned the stone to wax which stuck on Guru's body without hurting him.

The demon just saw the stone hurtling towards the Guru and thought he had accomplished his mission. When he went to see for himself whether the Guru was dead, he was shocked and furious to see that the guru was not harmed at all. In his rage, the demon kicked the stone, the stone again miraculously turned into wax and his foot got stuck in that wax and he could not release it. That is when the demon realized that he had committed a horrible mistake by insulting a disciple of God. He fell to his knees begging for mercy. The Guru then opened his eyes and acknowledged the demon's act. He told him that if he would be forgiven if his repentance is genuine and has to prove himself by surrendering rest of his life in the service of humanity. The demon complied and the people of that place were no longer afraid of the tormentor.

Gurudwara Sri Patthar Sahib still has the stone, which the demon had used to kill the Guru, inside the building. Many devotees from all over the world come here to take a look at the stone and seek Guru's blessings.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Gurudwara Sri Patthar Sahib is from June to October if you are travelling by road. There are two roads which will take you to Leh, one is via Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir and the other is via Manali, Himachal Pradesh. These roads are barred in the months of November to May due to heavy snowfall. If you are travelling by air, you can take a direct flight to Leh.

However, no matter which means of transportation you choose, please ensure that you are aware and well prepared about the weather conditions in Leh at the time of your visit. Leh is situated at a high altitude and thus the temperate can go abysmally low in winter, to around -20 degrees. So do ensure that you have the necessary equipments and clothing with you to battle against the weather and to keep yourself safe.

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