BILGA,

BILGA, village 14 km west of Phillaur(31°1`N, 75°47`E) in the Punjab, is sacred to Guru Arjan, who passed through it in June 1589 on his way to Mau where he got married. According to local tradition, Bilga was then a small settlement of only a few huts. The Guru changed his apparel here and gave away the discarded articles to the poor hutdwellers who, it is said, preserved them as sacred relics. These are now exhibited in Gurdwara Panjviri Patshahi located inside the village.

They include a gown, a pair of trousers, a scarf, a handkerchief, a shawl, a purse, a small rosary and a low stool fitted with a brass sheet. The Gurdwara, built on high ground, comprises a divan hall, with the sanctum at the far end where the Guru Granth Sahib is seated. Besides the relics, largesized paintings depiciting scenes from Sikh history are also on display. The Gurdwara is administered by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee through a local committee. A largelyattended fair from 18 to 20 Har (early July) commemorates Guru Arjan`s visit.