NIZAMABAD, a small town in Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, was visited both by Guru Nanak and Guru Tegh Bahadur. According to local tradition, the former stayed here for 21 days. Guru Tegh Bahadur came to Nizamabad in 1670 while travelling back to the Punjab from the eastern parts. A shrine looked after by Udasi sadhus existed here until Baba Kripa Dayal Singh Bhalla of Goindval came and established a gurudwara, which is called Gurdwara Charan Paduka Patshahi 1 to 9.
He was followed by his son, Sadho Singh, and his grandson Sumer Singh, a noted poet and later mahant of Takht Harimandar Sahib, Patna. Later, the management of the Gurdwara was assumed by Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Azamgarh. Renovation of the buildings was taken up by Sant Sadhu Singh Mauni in 1976-77. An important relic preserved here is a pair of wooden sandals belonging to Guru Tegh Bahadur. For security reasons it has been entrusted to the custody of a prominent businessman of Azamgarh, and is brought to the Gurdwara for display on special occasions. In the Gurdwara are preserved fourteen old handwritten volumes of the Guru Granth Sahib and six of the Dasam Granth. Some of them go back to the eighteenth century.
References :
1. Gian Singh, Giani, Twarikh Curduarian. Amritsar, n.d.
2. Narotam, Tara Singh, Sri Guru Tirath Sangrahi. Kankhal, 1975
