HADIAYA

HADIAYA or Handiaya, village 6 km southwest of Barnala (30°22`N, 75°32`E) in Sangrur district of the Punjab, is sacred to Guru Tegh Bahadur. According to local tradition, the Guru came here in 1722 Bk/ AD 1665 and sat in a grove near a pond. The villagers at first paid no attention to him. Then a person came and complained of a certain disease that was rampant in the village. He particularly lamented the suffering of his son. The Guru advised him to have the patient bathed in the pond. He objected that the tanners of the village dipped the hides in the water, completely polluting it.

The Guru told him to ignore the tanning and try the remedy. The villager complied, with the result that the patient felt relieved and cured. As the news spread, the whole village flocked to the pond to bathe in it and get rid of the disease. They gratefully served the Guru thereafter and were blessed by him. The pond has since been developed into a 64metre square sarovar and its water is still believed to possess curative properties. The shrine established to commemorate the sacred visit is called Gurdwara Sahib Guru Sar Pakka Patshahl IX.

The present building, constructed by Maharaja Karam Singh (1798-1845), ruler of Patiala state, is a large haved, highwalled house, entered through a high gateway with a heavy wooden gate. The sanctum, a 5metre square domed room on a high plinth, stands in the middle of the brickpaved inner compound. The Guru Granth Sahib is seated on a platform in the centre of this room. A wellventilated divan hall was added in 1962. The Gurdwara owns 90 acres of land and is now managed directly by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Large gatherings take place on amdvasya, the last day of the dark half of every lunar month.

References :

1. Malva Desh Ratan di Sakhi Pothi. Amritsar, 1968
2. Tara Singh, Sri Gur Tirath Sangrahi. Amritsar, n.d.
3. Thakar Singh, Giani, Sri Gurdudre Darshan. Amritsar, 1923
4. Gian Singh, Giani, Twarikh Gurduarian. Amritsar, n.d.