GUJJARVAL

GUJJARVAL, village in Ludhiana district, 30 km from the city (30°44`N, 75°43`E), has an historical shrine called Gurdwara Guru Sar Mariji Sahib Chheviri Patshahi. Guru Hargobind, during his tour of the Malva country in 1631, halted here and put up camp near a pool. Chaudhari Phatuhi of Gujjarval served him with devotion. But he became proud of the service he had rendered, and returned to the Guru in state, attended by servants and richly attired, with a hawk on his hand, and asked the Guru if he could do anything for him. The Guru asked him to give him his hawk.

Chaudhari Phatuhi was taken aback at this unexpected demand. He prized his hawk highly and did not want to part with it. When he hesitated and began to make excuses, the Guru told him not to bother and keep the bird. It so happened that, as Phatuhi returned home, his hawk swallowed a thong and was acutely sick. All efforts to cure him failed. Phatuhi realized his error in denying the bird to the Guru. He took the hawk to the Guru and supplicated him to save his bird`s life. The Guru patted the hawk. He immediately vomitted the thong and got well. Phatuhl offered the hawk to the Guru, who, however, declined saying that if Phatuhl had shed his pride, he need not make any further offering.

The Guru in fact bestowed a turban on Phatuhl which is still preserved by his descendants as a holy relic. The Gurdwara building, constructed in 1935, is in a walled compound. The prakdsh asthdn is under the cupola of a wide dome, about 10 metres across. The Guru Granth Sahib is seated in a wooden cabin, with glass panes covering its front and sides, and a handsome lotus dome and pinnacle, all covered with zinc sheets. In front of the prakdsh asthdn is a large rectangular hall with a verandah on three sides. The square tank, Guru Sar, is on one side of the long hall. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee manages the Gurdwara through a local committee.

References :

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