Gurdwara Sri Dera Sahib Jee
About Gurdwara Sri Dera Sahib Jee
The Gurdwara Sri Dera Sahib Jee is located just opposite to Lahore Fort and outside of the Walled City (old Lahore) of Lahore. It surrounds many other prominent sites of Lahore including and Lahore Fort, Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Hazuri Bagh quadrangle, Roshnai Gate, and the Badshahi Mosque. Night visit of roof top of Havel restaurant (Food Street) close to Gurdwara gives panoramic view of Gurdwara and Smadhi Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
History and significance
In defiance of many unequal taxes (Jazia) laws and other injustices, the Guru Arjan Dev Ji had undergone torture on the orders of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. The Guru’s torture infuriated his close friend and Muslim mystic, Hazrat Mian Mir. On the fifth day of torture, the Guru’s request for a bath to cool his burns (during torture) in the river was granted after intercession from Mian Mir. After submerging himself in the river, the Guru reportedly did not reappear, and a Mughal search party was unable to retrieve him. After many days of torture, Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji disappeared into the river Ravi here and re-joined with God on 30th May 1606.
The Guru’s son and successor, Guru Hargobind had a memorial built here in 1619. The main Gurudwara building with gilded dome was built during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign, while some other additions were made later up until the partition.
Prakash and the recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib at this Gurdwara now continues daily. Two Singh’s render daily service to this Gurdwara. Every year at the occasion of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan (on Shaheedi Jor Mela) Sikhs visit the Gurdwara to pay homage to the great Guru. In November 1996, the Government of Pakistan built a 47 roomed Mian Mir Block for visitors. Guru’s langar is served round the clock. Parkash temporarily takes place in Smadhi Maharaja Ranjit Singh whereas new Gurdwara complex is supposed to be completed before 2024 Gurpurab time.
