DALLA,

DALLA, an old village, 6 km southeast of Sultanpur Lodhi (31° 13`N. 75° 12`E) in Kapurthala district of the Punjab, is one of the oldest centres of the Sikh faith. It had a flourishing sangat a fact which has been noted by Bhai Gurdas in one of his Varan. Prominent among the earliest devotees were Bhai Paro and Bhai Lalu, contemporaries with Guru Arigad and Guru Am ar Das. According to Bhai Mani Singh, Sikhan di Bhagat Mala, Guru Amar Das himself once visited Dalla.

Guru Arjan visited it in 1605 leading the marriage party of his son, Hargobind, who was married to (Mata) Damodari, of the family of Bhai Paro. There are a number of Gurdwaras raised in memory of the Gurus and their Sikhs. GURDWARA PRAKASH ASTHAN BHAI LALUJI, most prominent of the local shrines, has a rectangular divan hall, in front of the sanctum. A high, domed tower stands at one end of the front verandah. The Guru Granth Sahib is also seated in Bhai Lalu`s samadb, a small domed structure, to the north of the hall.

GURDWARA JANJGHAR, an octagonal domed building, on a brickpaved platform in walled compound, marks the place where the marriage party accompanying (Guru) Hargobind put up. GURDWARA MATA DAMODARI Ji, 100 metres to the west of the main building, marks the dwellinghouse of the bride`s parents where the nuptials were held on 15 February 1605. It is a small singleroom shrine rectangular in shape, within a terraced compound.

Opposite to the compound, across the village street, is an old khuhior a narrow well called Khuhi Bhai Paro. A special congregation takes place in August every year. GURDWARA BAOLI SAHIB, about 100 metres east of the village, is also a small rectangular room with a verandah in front. It stands next to the Baoli, an open well with steps leading down to water level, which is said to have been constructed under the direction of Guru Arjan.

All these shrines are managed by a village committee under the auspices of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Thirtytwo acres of land are assigned to them. A twoday religious fair is held in the month ofAssu (September-October) at Gurdwara Prakash Asthan Bhai Lalu Ji. At Baoli Sahib is observed with special divans the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan (in May-June) and at Gurdwara Mata Damodari Ji the anniversary of the marriage of Mata Damodari Ji.

References :

1. Mani Singh, Bhai, Sikhan dr Bhagat Mala. Amritsar, 1955
2. Tara Singh, Sri Gur Tirath Sangrahi. Amritsar, n.d.
3. Thakar Singh, Giani, Sri Gurduare Darshan. Amritsar, 1923