BASARKE GILLAN,

BASARKE GILLAN, village 12 km southwest of Amritsar (31Â° 38`N, 74Â° 52`E) on the ChhehartaJhabal link road, is sacred to Guru Amar Das, Nanak III, who was born here on 5 May 1479. There are three historical shrines in the village. GURDWARA JANAM ASTHAN, a small shrine privately managed, is situated on the site of the old village Basarke, now extinct, to the north of the present habitation. It marks the ancestral house and birthplace of Guru Amar Das.

GURDWARA SANNH SAHIB, the premier shrine here, is also outside the village, 200 metres to the northeast of it. It marks the room where, according to tradition, Guru Amar Das coming from Goindval had shut himself, because Datu, the son of Guru Angad, had objected to his succeeding his father as Guru. Before the Guru sat down in solitary meditation, he had hung a notice at its locked door saying that anyone who opened the door would earn his displeasure.

When Baba Buddha, leading a sangat anxious to see the Guru, came and saw the notice, he entered through a sannh, lit. hole in the wall as made by burglars, from the rear, and, apologizing for the act, entreated the Guru not to hide himself from the sangat, his followers and devotees. Guru Amar Das, amused at Baba Buddha`s stratagem, returned with him to Goindval. The room with the wall broken through was preserved as such by Sikhs as a consecrated place of pilgrimage. Sardar Lahina Singh Majithia (d. 1854) converted it into a proper gurdwara.

The present complex spreading over six acres including a congregation hall with its pinnacled dome over the sanctum, sarovar. Guru ka Langar, residential accommodation and parks, was constructed by Baba Kharak Singh Sevavale during the 1950`s. The Gurdwara is managed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. An annual fair is held on the fullmoon day of Bhadon (September) to mark the death anniversary of Guru Amar Das. SAMADH BiBi AMARO Dl, near the village pond north of the village, is a memorial to Bibi Amaro, daughter of Guru Angad who was married to Guru Amar Das`s nephew. It was through her that Guru Amar Das became acquainted with the sayings of the Gurus which led him to the presence of Guru Angad at Kha^ur.

References :

1. Tara Singh, Sri Gur Tirath Sangrahi. Amritsar, n.d.
2. Thakar Singh, Giani, Sn Gurduarc Darshan. Amritsar, 1923