India & Pakistan Trip 2011, Gurdwara Dehra Sahib (Shrine place of Guru Arjan Dev Ji)

Gurdwara Dehra Sahib is situated opposite the Royal mosque or Shahi Masjid. At the place, after torturing, the fifth Guru was drowned into the Ravi. At that time, the Ravi flowed along the wall of the fort. The Guru after enduring the most unheard and unseen tortures, without repining, merged into the eternal light on 30th May,1606.In A.D. 1619, when the sixth Guru Hargobind visited this historical place, he got a memorial rostrum built here to commemorate the martyrdom of his Guru-father. Maharaja Ranjit Singh got built a small but beautiful Gurdwara. As there was no congregational hall attached to this place, the present hall was foounded in A.D. 1909 and daily congregations were regularly held. A sarai was got built for the convenience of the pilgrims. The marble gate was erected. The Flag post was fixed nearby. The Gurdwara has a square passage-way inside. In 1925 A.D. a local committee was formed during the Gurdwara Reform Movement that render a good service to this shrine. In A.D. 1927, the S.G.P.C. took over the management and started rebuilding a Gurdwara on 21th April, 1930. That was completed on 9th September, 1934 wherein on both sides of the Gurdwara was clay area which was paved. Domes were gold plated. The number of devotees in daily congregations increased. Another scheme to extend the hall was chalked out but due to the partition of the country, that could not be accomplished. On 9th September 1947, the Sikhs had to leave this Gurdwara too. The recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib at this Gurdwara continues to date. Two Singh render daily service to this shrine. Every year at the occasion of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (On Shahidi Jor Mela) Sikh devotees visit the shrine to pay homage to the great Guru.