Gurudwara Sri Garna Sahib, Bodal

Gurudwara Sri Garna Sahib is situated in Village Bodal, district Hoshiarpur. It can be reached via Gardhiwala from Hoshiarpur. Sri Guru HarGobind Sahib ji came here from Kartarpur spreading the message of sikhism. Here was dense forest of garna trees. When Guru Sahib was crossing this jungle a bush of dried garna cought in Guru Sahib's dress. Guru Sahib asked his Singhs to burry it in land and blessed it that you have stoped us now in future you will stop problems of peoplein real life. Then Guru Sahib further left towards Mukerian. When Guru Sahib again came here on his next trip there was fully grown garna tree. Guru Sahib sat under that tree. A person sang shabad in front of Guru Sahib. He bleesed him and gave him a rabab and left for his further journey.

Bodal Village was muslim Village. The owner of land ordered to cut the jungle. He also got cut this garna tree. But when next day he saw that tree was of standing of same height as it was not cut. He again got it cut. When on third he saw again it was standing like same old one. When on third day he asked to cut it there was akashbani that this tree will remain for centuries and you will not be able to finish it. That muslim left this Village and moved some where else.

BODAL, Village 4 km south of Dasuya (31°49`N. 75°39`E) in Hoshiarpur district of the Punjab, is sacred to Guru Hargobind (1595-1644) who once visited here during a hunting expedition and rested under a garna tree (Capparis horrida) for some time. Bhai Chuhar, a Muslim bard of the Village, entertained him by playing on his rebeck. The Guru advised him to learn to perform kirtan, i.e. the singing of sacred hymns. The tree about 200 metres southwest of the Village under which Guru Hargobind had sat came to be known as Garna Sahib.

Gurdwara Garna Sahib was first established during the time of SardarJodh Singh (d. 1816), leader of the Ramgarhia misi, in whose territory Bodal then lay. Later, Bhai ishar Singh Ramgarhia of Taqipur, a Village 6 km northeast of Bodal, constructed the present marblefloored octagonal domed room with the sanctum in the middle and a covered passage around it for circumambulation. The old garna tree still stands close to it. Further additions to the building have been made during recent times.

An imposing three storeyed gateway came up in 1972; a spacious mosaicfloored divan hall was constructed in 1980; and a new dining hall was added to Guru ka Langar in 1984. The Gurdwara is administered by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee through a local committee. Besides the daily services and celebration of major Sikh anniversaries, a religious fair is held on the occasion of Baisakhi (mid April) every year.