Search Indian Maps, Pincodes, Local Info and more...
Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Sahib Bidar
This Gurudwara is a very important site of worship for the Sikhs. Every year on the day of Guru Nanak Jayanthi there are extensive steps that are taken to celebrate the day with pomp and grandeur. The place is set up with bright colours and multi coloured flags to celebrate the spirit of joy on these days. Devotees throng to the Gurudwara to chip in with their efforts in the activities - whether it is cleaning the place, decorating the place, or cooking food for the pilgrims who gather there.
History
Guru Nanak ji travelled extensively in the southern parts of India when he started his second trip around India. He first had darshan at the Omkareshwar Shiva temple that lies on River Narmada and then started moving south through Golconda and Hyderabad. He never put a cap to any religion and visited Muslim saints like Yakoob Ali and Pir Jalaludin. These Islam leaders were staying in Bidar and so Guru Nanak had stayed at the border of the district of Bidar. Those days Guru Nanakji had stayed here along with Mardana who was his aide. Today the Gurudwara stands in exactly the same place that Guru Nanak stayed.
Guruji had stayed in Bidar and conducted his religious sermons in this place. There were pilgrims from all over the country who had come to listen to his speeches.Even today there are inscriptions with the Guru's preaching and this is considered to be very holy by the Sikhs.
The story that goes behind the construction of the Gurudwara is also very interesting. When Guru Nanak stayed in Bidar he was appalled at the miserable condition of the villagers who didn't have enough water for survival. This led them to face a lot of hardships and Guru Nanak wanted to save them from this suffering. So, he used his toe to displace some sand from the peak of the hillock and water gushed out like a spring. The place came to be known as Nanak Jhira.
The fountain of water can be seen to this day and the Gurudwara has been constructed just by the side of the fountain. There is an amritkund which is a receptor for the water that gushes out from the fountain is also seen here. The Gurudwara is a symbol of peace and tranquillity and the water fountain and the preaching inscribed in the Gurudwara stand as a true testimony to the power of Guru Nanak and his compassion towards people whore were in distress. This makes this Gurudwara one of the most visited Sikh religious sites and attracts a lot of tourists. According to the records, there are close to five lakh devotees who come and have darshan of Guru Nanak annually.
Other than the compassion and preaching of Guru Nanak there are a lot of reasons for the Sikhs and devotees of other religions coming over to visit this Gurudwara all through the year. Religion is no barrier for people who are looking for peace of mind and some quiet solace, and that is present in this Gurudwara in abundance. The Gurudwara also has a lot of devotee welfare schemes that encourages devotees to visit this place.
Devotees who come here are all treated to free food and this is a very nice gesture by the Gurudwara authorities. The Sikh museum throws a lot of light in the Sikh Culture and this is a great attraction to the tourists who visit here. Non Sikhs who visit this museum get to know a lot about the Sikh culture. As a social responsibility the Gurudwara authorities also manage effectively and efficiently a school, one engineering college, an institute for polytechnic studies and a hospital that offers free treatment.
How to Reach
- Begumpet airport at Hyderabad is the nearest airport.From there the pilgrims can take buses to the site of the Gurudwara. These buses are available at frequent intervals.
- Gulbarga and Bidar are nearest railway stations. Bidar is obviously nearer, but may have limited connectivity. There are better train connections from all over to Gulbarga and the pilgrims can take a bus to Bidar.
- The temple is located on the highways from Bangalore to Hyderabad. There are good bus connections that reach the pilgrims at Bidar.
Photo Gallery