Historic Sikh gurdwara reopens in Lahore after 79 years — Dawn
In Lahore, Pakistan, the historic Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib on Temple Road in the Mozang area reopened after restoration was completed. The shrine had been closed since the 1947 partition of British India. The reopening ceremony after 79 years was jointly held by the Evacuee Trust Property Board, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, and the government of Punjab province, Dawn reports.
The event was attended by representatives of the Sikh community, Punjab Minister for Minorities and President of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, as well as officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board.
History of the shrine
The gurdwara is associated with Guru Hargobind Sahib’s stay in Lahore. He was the sixth of Sikhism’s ten gurus and lived from 1595 to 1644. According to Sikh historical traditions, at the invitation of the local community, he spent three days at the house of his follower Bhai Jiwan in Mozang. Afterwards, the owner converted his home into a gurdwara.
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The shrine is also associated with Bhai Bidhi Chand, who, according to tradition, stayed there during two trips to Lahore while recovering the horses Dilbagh and Gulbagh. They had been seized by the then Mughal governor of Lahore from a follower who intended to present the animals to Guru Hargobind Sahib.
Restoration and further work
In 1915, the local Sikh community expanded the gurdwara hall, and in 1921 it took over its management and established a local committee. The old building was erected in 1926 through the efforts of Sardar Mehar Singh. The following year, management of the shrine passed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. At the same time, the report notes that the original structure was built during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Minister Ramesh Singh Arora said that the restored gurdwara is now open for worship by the Sikh community. According to him, more than 50 gurdwaras are currently being repaired in Pakistan to preserve Sikh religious heritage and improve conditions for pilgrims. Evacuee Trust Property Board Secretary Nasir Mushtaq said that the shrines department would also continue restoring historic gurdwaras and temples.
