Gurdwara Sri Thara Sahib Amritsar

Location - Golden Temple Road, Amritsar City, Punjab 143006, India

Associated with - Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji

Sikh Artifacts - None

Sarovar - Yes

Sarai - Yes

Gurdwara Thara Sahib Amritsar is situated a 20 meters north of Sri Akal Takht Sahib in the Sri Harmandir Sahib complex.

This is where Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji rested when he arrived from Baba Bakala to pay his respects to the Darbar Sahib soon after he was announced as the next Guru.

The custodians of Sri Harmandir Sahib closed the doors to Guru Tegh Bahadur to safeguard their vested interests.

Visit to Sri Harmandir Sahib

Soon after the public announcement by Baba Makhan Shah, Guru Tegh Bahadur with a party of Sikhs travelled to Amritsar to pay obeisance at the Sri Harmandir Sahib.

However on his arrival at this sacred Gurdwara, Guru Tegh Bahadur was rebuffed by the Sodhi family Sardars who then had control of the Gurdwara and he was not allowed to enter the main section of the complex but went as far as the current Thara Sahib.

The party found that the doors of this premier Sikh Gurdwara were suddenly shut and they were refused admittance. The reason for this action was that the greedy "masands" (caretakers) of Amritsar had acknowledged Guru Arjan Sahib Ji's elder brother Prithi Chand to be their Guru. It was under the instructions of Harji, the impostor (Mina) Guru of that time, that the doors of Sri Harmandir Sahib were closed to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.

Guru Tegh Bahadur waited nearby for a little while. This place is now known as 'Gurdwara Thara Sahib' - the Pillar of Patience. But when the doors were not opened, Guru Ji went away and stayed in a nearby village of Vallah in the humble dwelling of a peasant couple. Later, the women of Amritsar came out and repented for the shameful behaviour of the masands of Amritsar. Highly pleased at the sincere devotion and courage of the women of Amritsar, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji said, "Ever blessed by God be the women of Amritsar."