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Gurdwara Achal Sahib
Falling under the district of Gurdaspur in the state of Punjab, Gurudwara Achal Sahib is situated along the boundary of the villages of Chahal and Saho. It is a place of great religious and historical significance and is one of the main religious sites for the followers of Sikhism. This Gurudwara attracts a large number of pilgrims from far and wide areas. It falls on the Jalandhar-Batala road, around 7 km south of the city of Batala.
The Gurudwara epitomizes the essence of humanity and brotherhood. It represents the illustrious history of Sikhs and Sikhism in its true spirit, apart from their rich heritage and resplendent legacy. The Gurudwara owes its origin to the historical and religiously famous visit of Guru Nanak- who was the first of the ten Gurus of the Sikhs and is responsible for the foundation of the religion of Sikhism- to the site where the gurudwara was later built to commemorate the memory of his holy visit.
The Gurudwara rests on a low mount and is quite close to the Hindu temple that worships Lord Kartikey, eldest son of the highly worshipped Hindu god- Lord Shiv. The temple is also known as Achal Vatala, especially on the occasion of the holy festival of Shivratri that also witnesses an annual fair. Hindu and Sikh pilgrims both the places coexist in harmony- which is what the Achal Sahib Gurudwara signifies at the very core of its teachings and tradition.
History
The legend of Gurudwara Achal Sahib is older than the gurudwara's physical existence. The annual fair on the occasion of the holy festival of Shivratri had and has been taking place near the site of the gurudwara since years. During one such annual celebration, Guru Nanak- the first Sikh Guru and the founder of Sikhism- came to visit the place himself become a part of the celebration. Siddh yogis used to live in the area in huge numbers at that time.
Since the Shivratri fair had made a great name for itself for its grandeur and spiritual fervor, the great Guru Nanak traveled to witness it all in front of his eyes. It is said that the moment Guru Nanak entered the town, word of his presence spread all across town and people started chanting the Nanak name. Earlier, only songs and hymns to honor the holy saint were heard and sung by the townsfolk but never had any of them seen him in person. Therefore, when they found out that it was actually him, they flocked to catch a glimpse of the divine soul in great numbers and meet him in person to seek his blessings. Seeing all the attention of the public focused solely on Guru Nanak, the yogis felt jealous and got offended. They decided to confront him in front of everyone so that they could assert their superiority and went to meet Guru Nanak with Bhangar Nath, their leader.
The bitter yogis got into a heated debate with the Guru, with Bhangar Nath leading the pack. In the long discourse Guru Nanak held with the Nath yogis, he questioned Bhangar Nath and the yogis way of begging for food house after house, even after laying great claims of renouncing the world. Guru Nanak then went on to tell them that they had no right to claim themselves to be more superior to others when they displayed such levels of shallowness and hypocrisy.
Bhangar Nath, instead of coming up with a response to Guru Nanak's words, decided to sway public opinion in his favor by putting his magic tricks and miracles on display to make him silent. No sooner than he started to show off his miracles to the public, he lost his powers and could not continue to perform them, irrespective of how hard he tried. It is then that Bhangar Nath, along with the other yogis, realized the true divinity of Guru Nanak. Instantly humbled, they fell on his feet and begged for his forgiveness. The Guru forgave them, after telling them that it is the love and compassion for God that is the most supreme and no miracle or magic can come anywhere close to it.
Architecture and Covered Area
There are many legends associated with the construction and surrounding area of the Achal Sahib Gurudwara. After the famous altercation between Guru Nanak and the Nath yogis, in which the Guru humbled them, a small platform was constructed to honor him. Somewhere in the 18th century, a small Gurudwara was built to commemorate the sacred memory of the holy Guru. The foundation of the structure of main gurudwara, as it stands now, was laid on the 17th of October 1935. Finished in the year 1946, the complex of the gurudwara is comprised of a hall with a high ceiling, an 8 meter sanctum and a gallery all around at its mid height. A pinnacle lotus shaped dome rests comfortably on top of the structure. The wall tops have solid lotus leave blossoms. The corners of the roof of the hall have square domed kiosks.
According to another legend, Guru Nanak planted a twig belonging to a kikkar tree (a 'datan') at the site of the gurudwara. However, to address people’s fear since it was a tree with thorns, he asked them which tree they would like in its place. To this, they all responded that they wanted a tree that bears fruits. The Guru then reassured them that it would grow into a fruits tree, and bear fruits all 12 months of the year. The same tree is present in the premises of the gurudwara till date.
Guru Hargobind Singh, the sixth Sikh Guru visited Batala for the wedding of his eldest son Gurditta Ji, and also visited this gurudwara. On his visit, digging was done to create way for an eight cornered well. That well is present even now in front of the main gate of gurudwara.
Location and Surroundings
Gurudwara Achal Sahib is situated along the boundary of the villages of Chahal and Saho. It falls under the district of Gurdaspur, under the state of Punjab. It is located close to a mere 7 km from the city of Batala. The low mound on which it is located is quite close to the ancient Hindu temple of Achal Vatala, built in the memory of Lord Kartikey- elder son of the celebrated Hindu god- Lord Shiv. The temple attracts hordes of sadhus and pilgrims from all corners of the country. It has been a significant place for Nathpanthi yogis during the Mughal era. The Shivratri fair organized in its premises attracts people from all faiths.
Celebrations
While the annual fair organized on the holy festival of Shivratri near Achal Vatala is primarily a Hindu festival, it has gained a distinct local Sikh flavor thanks to the peaceful coexistence of Hindus and Sikhs, as also due to it being celebrated in a district as well as state that have a largely Sikh population.
How to Reach
By Air
Since the Gurdaspur district does not have an airport, the nearest airport would be Amritsar- which too isn’t far from Gurdaspur.
By Rail
The nearest railway station is Gurdaspur, connected via the Jammu-Delhi railway line. Jammu Mail and Chennai Mail are among the major trains that halt at Gurdaspur.
By Road
Gurdaspur is connected to all parts of the country through the National Highway 15. Private as well as Government buses operate between Gurdaspur and other cities.
Services
A bricked enclosure in the gurudwara premises provides rooms for the pilgrims. The enclosure also offers the Guru Ka langar- providing food free of cost to all visitors.
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