DARAULI BHAI,

DARAULI BHAI, Bhai ki Darauli, or simply Darauli, village 14 km west of Moga (30°48`N, 75° 10`E), in Faridkot district is sacred to Guru Hargobind who stayed here for fairly long periods on more than one occasion. His brotherinlaw, Bhai Sam Das, the husband of Mata Damodari`s elder sister, Mai Ramori, lived in Darauli. The couple were more than mere relations of the Guru; they were his devoted disciples and felt honoured in rendering service to him. Bhai Sam Das had built a new house, but would not occupy it until the Guru had come and stayed in it.

Their heart`s desire was fulfilled when Guru Hargobind and his family arrived at Darauli in 1613. The Guru`s eldest son, Baba Gurditta, was born here on 15 November 1613. The second long stay of the Guru at Darauli, in 1631, ended sadly. Mata Damodari, Mai Ramon, Bhai Sam Das and the Guru`s parentsinlaw, Bhai Narain Das and Mata Daya Kaur, died one after the other within a few days. After performing the obsequies, Guru Hargobind sent his own family to Kartarpur with Baba Gurditta, and himself went towards Bhai Rupa.

The memory of the holy family was perpetuated in Darauli through the establishment of several shrines, now being controlled by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. ANGITHA (SAMADH) MATA DAMODARI JI, a small shrine, marks the spot where Mata Damodari, her parents and her sister and her sister`s husband were cremated. GURDWARA DAMDAMA SAHIB PATSHAHI CHHEVIN marks the site where Guru Hargobind had set up camp and where he used to call religious assemblies.

The present building, constructed in 1963, consists of a large marblefloored hall, with a square sanctum in the middle. There are two storeys of square rooms and a lotus dome above the sanctum. There are decorative domes and domed pavilions at the corners of the hall. The sarovar, holy tank, on a flank and lined with oldtype bricks, is of much older construction. JANAM ASTHAN BABA GURDITTA JI is inside the village, in the midst of an extensive compound that was once the haveli of Bhai Sairi Das.

Constructed in 1970, the central building, in which the Guru Granth Sahib is placed, is a circular hall on a high plinth, with four storeys of square rooms rising above it topped by a lotus dome and a golden pinnacle. GURU KA KHUH is an old well believed to have been sunk under the orders of Guru Hargobind himself. The relics, preserved in a private house nearJanam Asthan Baba Gurditta Ji, include a rosary with eight glass beads, a small scrubber, a huge wooden box, three letters and four garments.

A volume of the Guru Granth Sahib known as Bhai Nand Chand Vali Bir, is also preserved here. Bhai Nand Chand was the masand of Darauli during Guru Gobind Singh`s time. He was a reputed warrior who had fought bravely in the battle of Bharigani.

References :

1. Gurbilas Patshahl Chhevin. Patiala, 1970
2. Tara Singh, Sri Gur Tirath Sangrahi. Amritsar, n.d.
3. Thakar Singh, Giani, Sn Gurduare Darshan. Amritsar, 1923