KARA

KARA, situated in Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh, on the right bank of the River Gariga, was once a flourishing town and a provincial capital under the Muslim Sultanate and under the Mughals though now it is no more than a large village. Sikh chronicles usually refer to it as KaraManakpur, but Manakpur is a separate village 5 km away on the opposite bank of the Gariga. Guru Tegh Bahadur in the course of his journey to the eastern parts in 166566 halted at Kara on his way from Kanpur to Allahabad. At Kara, he met Sant Maluk Das, a famous Vaisnava saint. Maluk Das had heard about Guru Nanak and the spiritual line issuing from him. He was surprised to see his Ninth successor accompanied by armed disciples who hunted animals. But on beholding Guru Tegh Bahadur, his doubts disappeared as clouds disperse before high winds. He, according to Sn Our Pratdp Suraj Granth, said to himself, “Though the Guru is clad as a prince, his mind is fixed in divine knowledge. He is the occean of qualities. How can an ignorant one like me praise him? Sinner I have been from birth. His sanctity I did not fathom.” Maluk Das fell at the Guru`s feet and took him to his hut where he served him with humility. There is no Sikh shrine at Kara at present, but a pamphlet published by the followers of Sant Maluk Das testifies that a Sikh sangat and a Sikh gurudwara once flourished here, and that once in a year a gathering took place here of members of all communities when kardh prasdd was freely distributed. . 1. Gian Singh, Giani, Twartkh Gurdwiridn. Ainrilsnr, n.d. M.G.S