Gurudwara Moti Bagh, Delhi

Gurdwara Moti Bagh is associated with the tenth Guru Sri Gobind Singh. He camped here during his first visit to Delhi. He had come to Delhi in response to the request made by Prince Muazzam who sought his help in the battle of succession for the throne of Delhi. This happened in 1707, when the struggle for succession started due to sudden death of Emperor Aurangzeb in Decean. Bhai Nand Lal great scholar and poet of Persian, a Devotee of Guruji, requested him to help Prince Muazzam, the eldest son of Aurangzeb.

Guru Gobind Singh already had a good impression about the prince who earned the displeasure of his father by refusing to attack the former at Anandpur Sahib. The prince had been deputed by the Mughal Emperor to surpress the activities of the Guru in Punjab. He had received alarming reports in Deccan from Chiefs of Shivalik Hills against the Guru. But the prince after making impartial inquiry into the false reports sent by the hill chiefs wrote to the Emperor that Guru Gobind Singh was a darvesh (Holyman) and the real trouble makers were the Hill Rajas. Opposition to father's will had cost the prince imprisonment.

Aurangzeb did not believe in what his son wrote and sent four of his best generals as messengers to find out the truth. These generals also reported that the Guru had done nothing against anyone and he led a saintly life in his city state. They infact also punished some trouble-makers who had been creating problems for the Guru.

In 1704, Anandpur Sahib was again beseiged by the combined troops of hill chiefs and the Mughal contingent when Aurangzeb envisaged to dislodge the Guru from his stronghold on the persuasion of hill rulers and the Mughal Governors. After putting up a tough fight the Guru was forced to vacate Anandpur Sahib.

In subsequent battles also the Guru had suffered heavy losses. But he still had no ill-will against the eldest son of the Mughal Emperor and agreed to help him in the battle of succession. He was such a fine archer that when he shot two arrows from a colony of cobblers in Moti Bagh they hit the 'Divan' of the Prince Muazzam (King Bahadurshah). The Guru shot first arrow to announce his arrival in Delhi and the second arrow carried a chit saying, "It is not magic but skill of archery".

The deohri from where Guru Gobind Singh shot the arrows has been preserved and Guru Granth Sahib has been installed there as a mark of respect to the superb archery of the Guru. Even now from the top of the deohri (gate) one can see the skyline of Delhi and the Red Fort.

The Sikhs of Delhi have constructed a new Gurdwara building. But old building from where the tenth Guru shot two arrows to Red Fort is still intact. The Gurdwara Moti Bagh is situated on the Ring Road between Dhaula Kuan and Shanti Path.

Every year the anniversary pf the first installation of the Adi Granth as Guru is celebrated with great enthusiasm by thousands of Hindus and Sikhs at the Moti Bagh Gurdwara. fhey remember with reverence Guru Granth Sahib. His last injunction to the sikhs was the who wishes to behold the Guru, let him search the holy Granth He left for his heavenly abode on October 7, 1708. Thus at the age of 42 Guru Gobind Singh was immortalised. Throughout his life he struggled against religious intolerance and oppression of the downtrodden. His teachings are summerised in the following line':,

"The same God dwells in the temple and the mosque,

The Hindus worship and the Muslims pray

Human beings are all one though of diverse forms,

Gods, demons, yakshas and the minstrels divine,

The Muslims and Hindus are all one,

Imbibe the influence of environ, they inhabit,

Similar eyes, ears, body they have,

They are made of earth, air and water alike,

A//ah and Abekh are the names of same One,

Whom adore the holy Puranas and Quran,

All are of the same form,

And one in their making"

Gurdwara Moti Bagh is situated on the Ring Road between Rama Krishna Puram and Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi.

This gurdwara is associated with the Tenth Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Guruji came to Delhi on the request of Prince Muazzam, who had requested for help in the battle for the throne of Delhi. Guru Sahib camped at the site of this Gurdwara. On his arrival, Guru Sahib shot an arrow into the Red Fort, informing the Prince of his arrival.

Address

The Secretary, Management Committee,
Gurdwara Moti Bagh,
Nanak Pura,
Ring Road,
New Delhi

Phone Nos. : 91-11-24103070

Images courtesy :www.Gurudwaras.com