PHATTE NANGAL

PHATTE NANGAL, village near Dhanval (31″57`N, 75°19`E) in Gurdaspur district of the Punjab, claims a historical shrine Gurdwara Burj Sahib, marking the spot where Guru Arjan, returning from a visit to Baba Sri Chand at Barath, stayed near what used to he a pond. The devotees, who flocked to see the Guru, constructed, after his departure, a tower (burj, in Punjabi) of earthwork; hence the name of the shrine Gurdwara Burj Sahib.

The old tower was replaced by a small gurdwara built of burnt bricks during the last quarter of the nineteenth century through the initiative of one Bhai Mahtab Singh Aulakh, who looked after it for several years and was followed by a line of mahants until 1926, when the administration passed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. The old pond was lined and pavements constructed. A divan hall, now housing the Khalsa High School, was added in 1945 and the central building, a square hall with a doublestoreyed domed sanctum in the middle, was completed in 1962-63.

The Gurdwara owns about 40 acres of land and is managed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Largely attended gatherings take place on the last day of dark half of the month (amavasya) especially those falling during the lunar months of Chet and Bhadon. A day especially marked is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan which falls in May June.

References :

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