Home > Travel And Tourism > Places Of Worship > Gurudwaras > Gurudwara Sahib Shaheed Baba Banda Singh Bahadur

Gurudwara Sahib Shaheed Baba Banda Singh Bahadur




  • Entry Fee: - no entry fee
  • Timings: - All days of the week

Gurudwara Sahib Shaheed Baba Banda Singh Bahadur is one of the most beautiful Gurudwaras in Delhi. Located close to the post office in Mehrauli, the Gurudwara holds historical significance. The Gurudwara is about one and a half kilometers from Qutub Minar. It is dedicated in the memory of Baba Banda Singh, as this is the site where Baba Ji, his toddler son and forty other devout Sikhs were tortured and killed by the Mughals.

The Gurudwara is open for visitors throughout the day all around the year. Any time is suitable to visit the Gurudwara and observe its rituals. The Gurudwara has been built fairly recently but the site is of historical importance. It is visited by devout Sikhs in large numbers and carries out all the rituals and traditions that a Gurudwara observes. Ardas starts early in the morning and prayers are conducted throughout the day. The Gurudwara also observes all important festivals and celebrations related to Sikhism. There is no entry fee charged for visiting the Gurudwara. The ambiance of Gurudwara is quite peaceful and devotees can be seen meditating and praying inside the main prayer hall. The structure of the Gurudwara is not elaborate or very huge. The building is quite modest and the design is simple yet impressive.

History

The Gurudwara Sahib Shaheed Baba Banda Singh Bahadur signifies the site of sacrifice of Baba Banda Singh. Baba Banda Singh is considered to be among the most prominent people in the Sikh history. Banda Singh Bahadur was initially called as Lakshman Das, after he turned into a sage he took up the name Madho Das. He left the worldly pleasures and stayed on the banks of the River Godavari about 15 miles away from Nanded which was once the camping area for the tenth Guru of Sikhism. Madho Das once met the Guru and became his disciple. He accepted Sikhism and was then known as Banda Singh.

Along with other Sikhs he was sent to Punjab to fight against people who were persecuting Sikhs. Baba Banda Singh arrived in Punjab in 1709 and started movements against those who harmed the Sikhs. In a matter of one year they succeeded in occupying the entire area of Punjab. But soon the Emperor arrived in the area and it became difficult for them to stay in power beyond 11 months. After this, Baba Banda Singh took shelter in the hills and continued to fight against the Mughals for the next 5 years.
However soon his army was defeated and cornered in Gurdas Nangal. They were forced to surrender on the condition that no wrong would be done to them. Baba Banda Singh was arrested in 1715 on 15th December and was taken to Delhi with other prisoners. In the following year many of the prisoners were executed. Banda Singh Bahadur was paraded in a procession near Qutub Minar. He was forced to convert to Islam but after denying repeatedly Emperor Farukh Siyar tortured Banda Singh Bahadur brutally to death. Banda Singh Bahadur’s young son was beheaded and his heart was taken out and forced into Banda Singh Bahadur’s mouth. His eyes were extorted out and his body was hung on a gate and his skin was forcefully removed from his body as a part of the torture. Later his limbs were excised one by one.

The Gurudwara Sahib Shaheed Baba Banda Singh Bahadur was built on the very site of the martyrdom of Banda Singh Bahadur. The Gurudwara is fairly small and there are considerations on its expansions. The first floor of the Gurudwara is raised on pillars. The lower floor is planned to be converted into a hall for organizing langars (community meals). Most of the structure of the Gurudwara is built out of marble. The structure is stopped with a small dome that sits on a square. Around the Gurudwara is a parikrama that connects it to the gate where the initial prakash was done.

The Gurudwara is managed by the Delhi Sikh Management Committee. There is also a school that has been established in the name of Banda Singh Bahadur. There is a pillar rising to a height of 50 meters that stands overlooking the Khwaja Bakhtair Kaki Dargah which now has the Gurudwara. The pillar has a steel hook which is believed to be the hook from which Baba Banda Singh Bahadur was lynched. On the neighboring site is another Gurudwara.

How to Reach

The Gurudwara Sahib Shaheed Baba Banda Singh Bahadur can be reached easily. It can be accessed from any part of Delhi by auto rickshaws, taxis, cars and buses. The nearest metro station to the Gurudwara Sahib Shaheed Baba Banda Singh Bahadur is the Qutub Minar Station. The station is about 1 Km from the Gurudwara and visitors can take auto rickshaws to reach the destination.

OUR PLANING

Do you think Delhi is the most developing Capital in the world?