VERKA

VERKA, township 9 km northeast of Amritsar (31Â°38`N, 74Â°53`E), is sacred to Guru Nanak (1469-1539) who once came and stayed here near a pond, west of the village. The pond so consecrated came to be known as Nanaksar, Nanak`s pool. The pond was converted into a sarovarin 1899 with funds donated by a Sindhi lady, Birji Bai of Shikarpur. The building of Gurdwara Nanaksar, marking the spot where the Guru had stayed, reconstructed in 1926, was replaced in 1973 by the present complex within a walled compound. It includes a threestoreyed structure topped by a lotus dome and a goldplated pinnacle.

The Guru Granth Sahib is seated at the far end of the hall on the ground floor. The sarovar is on the left and Guru ka Langar and residential accommodation are at the back of the hall. The Gurdwara is affiliated to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee which manages it through a local committee. Besides the celebration of major anniversaries on the Sikh calendar, a fair is held on 12 Chet, now usually corresponding to 25 March, every year in the belief that it was on this date that Guru Nanak was at Verka.

References :

1. Kahn Singh, Gurushabad Ratanakar Mahan Kosh [Reprint]. Patiala, 1981
2. Gurmukh Singh, Historical Sikh Shrines. Amritsar, 1995