Gurudwara Sri Plaaha Sahib, Amritsar

Gurudwara Sri Plaha Sahib is situated in the Village Khairabad, Amritsar. Now a days surrounded with modern houses and extended limits of Amritsar city. Sri Guru HarGobind Sahib ji used come here for hunting and use to spent time taking rest. The reason for first battle of sikh history came into existence here only. In 1629, when Guru Sahib came here for hunting with sikhs, shahjahan was also here for same purpose near gumtala. Singh's saw that one hawk (baaz) was killing his prey very cruely. And this hawk (baaz) was of king shahjahan. Singhs sent there own hawk and captured the royal hawk. When royal army of shahjahan came to know about this incident they tried to threat sikhs and asked for royal hawk. But Singhs denied to give it. Royal army warned them of battle but sikhs replied "tusi baaz di gal karde ho asi tuhade taaz nu hath pawange". Royal army went back and explained the whole story to shahjahan. In result of this shahjahan sent royal army under the command of mukhalas khan. And first battle of sikh history was fought at Pipli Sahib where mukhalas khan was killed. Gurdwara Sri Plaaha Sahib is situated near the old Khairabad village but has now become part of the outer limits of Amritsar city. Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji would come here to a rest in a leafy green wooded area surrounded by trees. It was from here that an incident led to the first Sikh battle with the mughals. After persecution from the mughal government the Sikhs began organizing regular training exercises and became a rallying point for people disaffected by the mughals. Increasing tensions erupted during a clash between a group of Sikh and mughal hunting parties. The Battle of Amritsar started with the capture of a rare white Baz (hawk) which had been a gift to Shah Jahan from the Emperor of Persia. (The Hawk was at the time one of the royal symbols of authority). On Vaisaki a party of Shah Jahan's troops were hunting in a royal private reserve near Gumtala village near Amritsar at the same time as some of the Guru's Sikhs. The Guru's hawk downed a special, rare white hawk that had been a gift of the Shah of Persia. The Sikhs had picked up and tethered the white hawk unaware that it belonged to the emperor. The mughal troops, no doubt in a panic had seen the hawk fall and came looking for the Emperors prized Baz.