BABA BAKALA (31°34`N, 75°16`E), a small town in Amritsar district of the Punjab, is sacred to Guru Hargobind and Guru Tegh Bahadur. The original name of the place was Bakala. As Guru Har Krishan lay on his deathbed in Delhi, he was asked by the sangat to name his successor. All that the Guru could say at that time was \'Baba Bakale\' meaning that (Guru) Tegh Bahadur, who was the brother of his (Guru Har Krishan\'s) grandfather (baba) and who was living at Bakala, was to be the next Guru. Bakala, thereafter, came to be called Baba Bakala.
BABA BAKALA GURUDWARA, AMRITSAR The historical shrine at Baba Bakala is associated with an important event in Sikh history. Here Makhan Shah Lubana declared from house top that he had found the true Guru. It may be recalled that before his death at Delhi on March30, 1664 Guru Harkrishan mumbled feebly \'Baba Bakala\', thereby meaning that his successor was to be found at Bakala village in Amritsar. On that day, the only Baba at Bakala was Baba Tegh Bahadur and none else. But many imposters tried to grab the Guru Gaddi by posing themselves as the real Guru.
