SRI GOBINDPUR. or SRI HARGOBINDPUR

SRI GOBINDPUR. or SRI HARGOBINDPUR (30″41`N, 75°29`E), a small town in Gurdaspur district of the Punjab, located on the bank of the River Beas, was originally a ruined mound of a village called Ruhela, which formed part of the estates of Chandu Shah, diwan of the Mughal times. Guru Hargobind came here from Kartarpur during the rainy season probably of 1629 and, pleased at the attractive view the site commanded, he rehabilitated it and named it Sri Gobindpur. But because of his own association with it, the place came to be known as Sri Hargobindpur, a name still commonly used.

According to another version, the village was established on the ruins of Ruhela by Guru Arjan Dev in 1587 and named Sri Gobindpur, but it was appropriated by Bhagvan Das Gherar helped by Chandu`s machination. Guru Hargobind recovered it after four decades. Bhagvan Das, a rich Khatri of Gherar clan, challenged Guru Hargobind and asked him to vacate the site. In the skirmish that occurred, Bhagvan Das was killed. Mis son, Ratan Chand, with the help of Chandu`s son, Karam Chand, sought the assistance of the fau/`darofJalandhar, who sent with them an armed body of troops to expel the Guru.

The attack launched by this force, however, aborted and both Ratan Chand and Karam Chand were killed. Two shrines commemorate Guru Hargobind`s stay at Ruhela. GURU Kl HAVELI, formerly called Guru ke Mahal, is now an extensive ruined compound in the centre of the town. It is the private property of a branch of the Sodhi family of Kartarpur. The Nihangs have lately established a singleroomed Gurdwara here, and the former owners have taken the matter to the court. GURU Kl MASIT, or the Guru`s mosque, is in the eastern part of the town overlooking the riverbed. Sikh chronicles record that Guru Hargobind had a mosque as well as a dharamsala built for use by Muslim and Hindu settlers in the town. The Nihangs have now established a Gurdwara in the mosque which had remained deserted since the partition of the country in 1947.

References :

1. Gurbilas Chhevm Patshahl. Patiala, 1970
2. Narotam, Tara Singh, Sri Guru Tirath Sangrahi. Kankhal, 1975
3. Gian Singh, Giani, Twankh Gurduanari. Amritsar, n.d
4. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj` Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35
5. Kahn Singh, Bhai, Gurushabad Ratanakar Mahan ` Kosh [Reprint]. Patiala, 1981
6. Gurmukh Singh, Historical Sikh Shrines. Amritsar, 1995