Anandpur Sahib Explained

Anandpur Sahib
Other Name:Anandpur
Settlement Type:City
Image Alt:Anandpur Sahib
Nickname:Chak Nanaki
Pushpin Map:India #India Punjab
Pushpin Label Position:right
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Punjab
Coordinates:31.235°N 76.4988°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: India
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name1:Punjab
Subdivision Name2:Rupnagar
Established Date:1665 CE
Founder:Guru Tegh Bahadur
Leader Title1:MLA
Leader Name1:Harjot Singh Bains (AAP)
Leader Title2:MP
Leader Name2:Manish Tiwari (INC)
Demographics1 Info1:Punjabi
Unit Pref:Metric
Elevation M:311
Population Total:16,282
Population As Of:2011
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type1:Languages
Demographics1 Title1:Official
Timezone1:IST
Utc Offset1:+5:30
Postal Code Type:PIN
Postal Code:140118
Area Code:91-1887
Area Code Type:01887
Registration Plate:PB 16
Blank2 Name Sec1:Nearest city
Blank2 Info Sec1:Kiratpur Sahib

Anandpur Sahib, also referred simply as Anandpur (lit. "city of bliss"), is a city in Rupnagar district (Ropar), on the edge of Shivalik Hills, in the Indian state of Punjab. Located near the Sutlej River, the city is one of the most sacred religious places in Sikhism, being the place where the last two Sikh Gurus, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh, lived. It is also the place where Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699.[1] The city is home to Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib, the third of the five Takhts in Sikhism.[2] [3]

The city is a pilgrimage site in Sikhism.[4] It is the venue of the largest annual Sikh gathering and festivities during the Hola Mohalla in the spring season.[5]

Location

Anandpur Sahib is located on National Highway 503 that links Kiratpur Sahib and Chandigarh to Nangal, Una and further Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. It is situated near the Sutlej river, the longest of the five rivers that flow through the historic crossroads region of Punjab.

History

Anandpur Sahib was founded in June 1665 by the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. He previously lived in Kiratpur, but given the disputes with Ram Rai – the elder son of Guru Har Rai and other sects of Sikhism, he moved to village in Makhoval. He named it Chakk Nanaki after his mother. In 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur was tortured and beheaded for refusing to convert to Islam under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, a martyrdom that led Sikhs to rename the town to Anandpur and crown his son Gobind Das as per his orders (also known as Gobind Rai)[6] as his successor and famous as Guru Gobind Singh.[7] [8] [9]

The village grew into town, likely dramatically state Louis E. Fenech and W. H. McLeod, as Sikhs moved near Guru Gobind Singh.[7] The growing strength of Sikhs in Anandpur under the tenth Guru, after the execution of the ninth Guru, raised concerns of the neighboring Pahari rajas - the vassals of the Mughal Empire, along with the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.[7] In 1693, Aurangzeb issued an order that banned large gatherings of Sikhs such as during the festival of Baisakhi.[10]

On the Vaisakhi day of 1699, the Guru sent out invitations across the land to distant and nearby Sikh congregations to convene at Anandpur for the upcoming festival. It was normal for the Guru to celebrate Vaisakhi at Anandpur with Sikh congregations annually but this time much more importance was placed on attendance than usual and more stringently. Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa Panth in Anandpur on the day of the 1699 Vaisakhi festival after an elaborate ceremony and gathered a large armed militia. This triggered Aurangzeb and his vassal Hindu kings around Anandpur to blockade Anandpur. This led to several battles:

According to Louis Fenech, Anandpur's history during the late 17th century and early 18th century was complex and war prone because the relationship of Guru Gobind Singh with his neighbors was complex. Sometimes the hill chiefs and Guru Gobind Singh cooperated in a battle, sometimes they fought against each other, where the difficult mountainous terrain made it difficult for the Mughal to subdue everyone with force and the terrain made it easier for Pahari chieftains to rebel against the Mughals routinely.[10]

After the city was sacked in 1704, its control passed into the hands of Budh Singh, a disciple of Guru Gobind Singh. Budh Singh later handed over control of the city over to Patiala State under the reign of Ala Singh. In 1764, the descendent of Sodhi Suraj Mal (one of the sons of Guru Hargobind), Nahar Singh, purchased the city plus a fort called Manji Sahib (which was a dwelling associated with Suraj Mal). As more Sodhi families moved into the city, four Sarkars were established, with them namely being: Badi, Dusri, Tisri, and Chauthi. The Badi sarkar was the most eminent of the four yet all of them were revered by the Sikh population of the era. Each sarkar had its own associated palace that was fortified, commune, and congregation of followers. The sarkars also maintained a militia of their own, consisting of infantry, cavalary, and elephants.

Virasat-e-Khalsa Museum campus links, particularly with the need of the population, providing business to the locals and makes the city marked on urban literature globally. Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board paid to have it installed in order to attract worldwide tourism. Open spaces which are going to be used by ritual activities during ceremonies and festivals also serve as alternative parking grounds, reserved grounds for political rallies which brings the intact ingredient of Indian cities together “The Interaction”.[19]

Heritage conservation

Historical sites and structures in the city have been poorly maintained and the vast majority have been destroyed.[20] Buildings, such as forts, that are associated with the lives of the Sikh gurus have been demolished and renovated beyond recognition, including the Anandgarh Baoli. Much of this defacement involves encasing historical structures in marble. Though the locality once was littered with various forts, these have been destroyed over the years as the city has expanded and changed. In the 1930s, a new structure was constructed over the original site and structure of Anandgarh Qila. By 1988, essentially all of the principal standing shrines of Anandpur Sahib had been reconstructed at some point in either the late 19th or early 20th centuries during the Singh Sabha movement, based upon older edifices that stood at their spot. There were formerly mural paintings and floral embellishments decorating the walls of Gurdwara Akal Bunga but these are no longer extant, though surviving traces of these wall paintings could be seen on the wall skirting the roof of the structure. Qila Sodhian was the last surviving remnant of a fortification in Anandpur Sahib in the year 1999.

Landmarks

Elements convening definitions of the city Anandpur Sahib are:Heterogeneous societies and discrete buildings as economic and administrative, social, institutional, political, neighborhoods and associated personnel, compacted and overlapped packing of residential and nonresidential structures, monumental core of unique buildings (for example, Keshgarh Sahib Gurudwara, bus stand structure), Five Forts of city and Khalsa Heritage Museum, special characteristic features “City profile” of Anandpur Sahib that shows maximum building height at the centre of the city and less height as one moves away from the city centre, central focus the enshrined centre, whose access was restricted and where Gurudwaras predominated.[19]

Gurdwaras

Anandpur Sahib is in Punjab state of India, close to the Himachal Pradesh border. It is about north of Ropar (Rupnagar) and south of Nangal.[5] The gurdwaras of Anandpur are classified as historical since they are connected to the Sikh gurus or other aspects related to the history of Sikhism. The architecture of the Sikh shrines of Anandpur have commonalities in their themes but also have unique quirks and aspects to their design that do set them apart from each-other. Anandpur has been significant to the Sikh history. These historical locations now feature the following Gurdwaras:

Forts

10th Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singh made five forts on the border of the city. The buildings to commemorate each of these were built between late 1970s and the late 1980s:[5]

Sacred sites near Anandpur Sahib

Demographics

India census,[23] The Anandpur Sahib Municipal Council has population of 16,282 of which 8,545 are males while 7,737 are females as per report released by Census India 2011.

Population of children with age of 0-6 is 1774 which is 10.90% of total population of Anandpur Sahib (M Cl). In Anandpur Sahib Municipal Council, Female Sex Ratio is of 905 against state average of 895. Moreover, Child Sex Ratio in Anandpur Sahib is around 932 compared to Punjab state average of 846. Literacy rate of Anandpur Sahib city is 82.44% higher than state average of 75.84%. In Anandpur Sahib, Male literacy is around 85.75% while female literacy rate is 78.78%.

Anandpur Sahib Municipal Council has total administration over 3,270 houses to which it supplies basic amenities like water and sewerage. It is also authorized to build roads within Municipal Council limits and impose taxes on properties coming under its jurisdiction.

Villages

Villages administered by the tehsil of Anandpur Sahib include:

Festivals and fairs

Anandpur Sahib features a major festival and gathering of Sikhs every year on the occasion of Hola Mohalla, which is celebrated one day prior to Holi. This tradition dates back to the times of the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. The guru decreed that the occasion of the festival of Holi be the occasion for the display of the martial spirit of his people. He gave this festival of Holi the Sikh name of 'Hola Mohalla'. Each year Hola Mohalla marks the congregation of nearly 20,00,000 (2,000,000) Sikhs from all over the country for a festival of colour and gaiety. The festival, among other things, remembers the creation of Khalsa on the Baisakhi day in 1699.[24]

The fair lasts for three days. The Gurudwaras are specially decorated for the occasion. During Hola Mohalla, Anandpur Sahib wears a festive appearance and hums with activities in March. Community conferences and religious functions are also organized. On this occasion, Nihangs from all over the country gather for the celebrations. The highlight is a huge procession by the Nihangs, clad in their traditional dress and weapons, on the last day of the fair. The procession starts from the headquarters of the Nihangs, opposite Gurudwara Anandgarh Sahib, and passes through the bazaar, goes to village Agampur and reaches the fort of Holgarh, the place where Guru Gobind Singh used to celebrate this fair. Thereafter, the procession heads toward the sandy bed of Charan Ganga, where demonstration of martial games including riding, tent pegging, sword-wielding, etc. are witnessed by a large number of people.[25]

Baisakhi in 1999, at Anandpur Sahib marked the completion of 300 years of the birth of the Khalsa. It was on Baisakhi day in 1699 that Guru Gobind Singh baptised the Panj Pyaras at the place where Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib stands.

Other places

The world's tallest khanda is installed at Sri Anandpur Sahib at Panj Piara Park with an estimated height of 70 feet.

See also

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Pashaura Singh. Louis E. Fenech. The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. 2014. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-969930-8. 237–238.
  2. Book: W. H. McLeod. The A to Z of Sikhism. 2009. Scarecrow. 978-0-8108-6344-6. 16.
  3. Book: Kang, Kanwarjit Singh . Punjab Art and Culture . Atma Ram & Sons . 1988 . 9788170430964 . 80–82 . 16. The Sikh Shrines of Anandpur Sahib.
  4. Gurmukh Singh (2009), Anandpur Sahib, Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Editor in Chief: Harbans Singh, Punjab University; Quote: "Being one of the supremely important pilgrimage centres of the Sikhs, it is reverently called Anandpur Sāhib. Takht Sri Kesgaṛh Sāhib, one of the five Takhts (lit. thrones) or seats of highest religious authority for Sikhs".
  5. Gurmukh Singh (2009), Anandpur Sahib, Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Editor in Chief: Harbans Singh, Punjab University
  6. Gurmukh Singh (2009), Anandpur Sahib, Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Editor in Chief: Harbans Singh, Punjab University; Quote: "Naming his young son, Gobind Dās (Later, Siṅgh), hardly nine years of age, his spiritual successor, he set out on the journey, preaching the holy word in towns and villages he passed through. In Delhi, he was taken into custody, tortured and executed publicly under the orders of Emperor Aurangzib in the Chandni Chowk on 11 November 1675".
  7. Book: Louis E. Fenech. W. H. McLeod. Historical Dictionary of Sikhism. 2014. Rowman & Littlefield. 978-1-4422-3601-1. 34–35.
  8. Web site: Religions - Sikhism: Guru Tegh Bahadur. BBC. 20 October 2016.
  9. Book: Pashaura Singh. Louis E. Fenech. The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. 2014. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-969930-8. 236–238.

    Fenech . Louis E. . Martyrdom and the Execution of Guru Arjan in Early Sikh Sources . Journal of the American Oriental Society . American Oriental Society . 121 . 1 . 2001 . 10.2307/606726 . 20–31. 606726 .

  10. Fenech . Louis E. . Martyrdom and the Sikh Tradition . Journal of the American Oriental Society . American Oriental Society . 117 . 4 . 1997 . 10.2307/606445 . 623–642. 606445 .

  11. McLeod . Hew . Sikhs and Muslims in the Punjab . South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies . Taylor & Francis . 22 . sup001 . 1999 . 0085-6401 . 10.1080/00856408708723379 . 155–165.
  12. Book: Louis E. Fenech. The Sikh Zafar-namah of Guru Gobind Singh: A Discursive Blade in the Heart of the Mughal Empire. 2013. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-993145-3.
  13. Book: Tony Jaques. Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: A-E. Greenwood Publishing. 2007. 978-0-313-33537-2. 48–49.
  14. Book: Louis E. Fenech. W. H. McLeod. Historical Dictionary of Sikhism. 2014. Rowman & Littlefield . 978-1-4422-3601-1 . 9 .
  15. Book: Louis E. Fenech. Martyrdom in the Sikh Tradition: Playing the "game of Love". 2000. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-564947-5 . 92 .
  16. Book: W. H. McLeod. The A to Z of Sikhism. 2009. Scarecrow. 978-0-8108-6344-6 . 43 .
  17. Book: Singh, Prithi Pal . The History of Sikh Gurus . Lotus Books . 2007 . 978-81-8382-075-2 . 128–147.
  18. Book: Robin Rinehart. Debating the Dasam Granth. 2011. Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-975506-6 . 22–23.
  19. Book: Hardip Singh Syan. Sikh Militancy in the Seventeenth Century: Religious Violence in Mughal and Early Modern India. 2013. I.B.Tauris . 978-1-78076-250-0 . 220–222 .
  20. Book: Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh. Sikhism: An Introduction. 2011. I.B.Tauris. 978-0-85773-549-2. 84–85.
  21. Sharma V.C., Vimal S. (2017) Religion Interacts with New Urbanism Holistic City Anandpur Sahib. In: Seta F., Biswas A., Khare A., Sen J. (eds) Understanding Built Environment. Springer Transactions in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Springer, Singapore
  22. Book: Rai, Gurmeet S. . Nishaan Nagaara magazine - premiere issue . 1999 . 14–27 . Abode of Bliss: Historiography of Anandpur Sahib . PDF.
  23. Book: Pashaura Singh. Louis E. Fenech. The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. 2014. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-969930-8. 446–447.
  24. Book: Pashaura Singh and Louis Fenech. The Oxford handbook of Sikh studies. Oxford University Press . 2014. 978-0-19-969930-8. 236–445, Quote:"This is the reputed place where several Kashmiri pandits came seeking protection from Auranzeb's army.".
  25. Web site: Census of India 2011: Data from the 2011 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional). https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. 2004-06-16. 2008-11-01. Census Commission of India.
  26. Gurmukh Singh (2009), Anandpur Sahib, Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Editor in Chief: Harbans Singh, Punjab University; Quote: "On Baisakhi day, 30 March 1699, Guru Gobind Singh carried out the supreme task of his career converting the sangat into Khalsa. Instructions had been sent out during the previous year to sangats, or Sikh communities, in various parts not to recognize any longer the masands as the Guru's representatives and to come to Anandpur for the following Baisakhi festival in large numbers. ".
  27. http://rupnagar.nic.in/html/festivals.htm Festivals/Melas - Rupnagar