By Parkash Singh | Pakistan |
Imagine stepping back into an ancestral home, a city you left behind, and suddenly finding yourself walking its familiar streets again after years, even decades. The emotions that surface are indescribable, a blend of nostalgia, longing, and a deep connection to the roots you thought had faded. This is the feeling many experience when they revisit places that hold a significant part of their history, especially those left behind during the harrowing events of 1947.
The partition of India and Pakistan divided not only lands but also fractured communities, leaving behind sacred sites that still wait for their people to return to heal the wounds of abandonment. Among these are numerous Gurdwaras in Pakistan, once vibrant centers of spirituality, now standing as silent sentinels to a past that refuses to be forgotten.
I recently had the opportunity to not only visit but do Kirtan at two historical Gurdwaras that hold immense significance yet have faded from our collective memory as a community. The experience was spiritual and deeply emotional, a connection to my roots and heritage that I had seldom explored.
Gurdwara Makan Bauli Sahib, Lahore
Nestled behind the Sunehri Masjid of Lahore, with an entrance from the bustling roads leading to Rang Mahal, at the intersection of Dabbi and Kashmiri bazaars, lies Gurdwara Makan Bauli Sahib. This sacred site, initially established by Siri Guru Arjan Sahib in the late 1500s, was a place of worship and community. Guru Sahib constructed a Bauli (step well) and a Langarkhana (community kitchen) here before leaving Lahore for Amritsar.
However, the Gurdwara’s history is marred by the destruction and rebuilding that followed. In the early 1750s, under the rule of Mir Mannu, the Governor of Lahore, the Bauli was filled, the Langarkhana demolished, and a mosque — now the Sunehri Masjid — was built over it. In the early 1800s, possibly with the support of the Bhangi brothers, some local Sikhs placed Siri Guru Granth Sahib within the mosque’s building, converting it back into a temporary Gurdwara.
It wasn’t until the early 1830s that Maharaja Ranjit Singh, as per Umdat Ut Tawarikh, cleared the debris and constructed a new Gurdwara, leaving the mosque intact — this is a testament to the complex history of religious coexistence. The site, now known as Bauli Park, with its massive “borr” tree, stands as a poignant reminder of a past where spirituality transcended the boundaries of faith.
During my visit, an elderly local shopkeeper, Mueen Mendhi Ji, shared his memories of the entire complex, vividly pointing out where the buildings once stood. His stories were not just recollections but a bridge to a time when the Gurdwara complex was a thriving center of spiritual life. He recounted how the Bauli was filled again in the 1950s, the outer walls removed, and shops built, further diminishing the sacred space.
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Author: Parkash Singh from Lahore, Pakistan, is a graduate student at The Ohio State University. He is a musician and has interest in history, travel. singh.2068@osu.edu
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