PHAGGUVAIA

PHAGGUVAIA, village 19 km cast of Sangrur (30°14`N, 75°50`E) in the Punjab, has a historical shrine dedicated to Guru Tegh Bahadur, who halted here during one of his travels through the Malva country. Gurdwara Patshahi Naumi, to the south of the village, marks the site where the Guru had stayed, Phagguvala village did not exist at the time of the Guru`s visit. According to local tradition, Guru Tegh Bahadur, who coming from Bhavanigarh (3b°14`N. 76°3`E), 3 km to the east, was travelling west ward, was served here by a Brahman working in the fields, who, after the Guru`s departure, built a platfrom which came to be worshipped as a sacred shrine.

Later, a small gurdwara was established in a mud hut where an annual religious fair was held to celebrate the festival of Basant Panchami. The present building was constructed on the old site in the 1960`s. It consists of a semioctagonal sanctum with a square hall in front of it. The sanctum has a domed octagonal room above it. Besides the Gurdwara, the walled compound has within it rooms for pilgrims, Guru ka Larigar, and a sarovar.

The Gurdwara owns 14 acres of land and is affiliated to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Special gatherings take place on the fifth day of the light half of each lunar month and on important anniversaries on the Sikh calendar. An Akali politician who belonged to this village made himself famous as Jagir Singh Phagguvalia (1899-1974) for his steadfast work for his party.

References :

1. Kahn Singh, Gurushabad Ratnakar Mahan Kosh. Patiala 1981