Gurdwara Sri Bir Baba Budha

Location - Chettaha Road, Thatha, Amritsar, Punjab 143301, India

Associated with - Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji, Baba Budha Ji

Sikh Artifacts - unknown

Sarovar - Yes

Sarai - Yes

Baba Budda Ji is recognized as one of the great Sikhs of the Guru period. Baba Budda had the privilege of being blessed by the first six Gurus.

Baba Budha Ji spend much part of his life here. Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji also visited this place.

Also known as Gurdwara Beed Baba Budha, this Gurdwara is situated in the revenue limits of the village of Thatta, 20 km south of Amritsar. The Gurdwara honours and commemorates Baba Budha (1506 - 1631), the venerable Sikh of the time of Guru Nanak who lived long enough to anoint five succeeding Gurus.

History

Baba Budha Ji spent many years looking after the "bir", literally a reserved forest used for cattle grazing, said to have been offered to Guru Arjan by Chaudhari Langah of Patti out of his private lands.

According to Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahi, it was here on 21 Assu 1651 Bikramik (20th September 1594), that Mata Ganga the wife of Guru Arjan, received blessings for an illustrious son (the future Guru Hargobind, Nanak VI) from Baba Budha.

When Mata Ganga, the wife of the fifth Sikh Guru desired the blessings of a son from her husband, Guru Arjan Sahib Ji, he suggested that she pay a visit to Baba Budha Ji to ask for the gift. Mata Ji had delicious food prepared by her attendees and visited Baba Ji at this venue with great pomp. But Baba ji refused to accept the food.

Later Mata Ji herself prepared a simple and basic meal of "missi roti and pyaag" (basic Indian bread and onion) and visited Baba Ji. Baba Budda Ji blessed Mata Ji by telling her that her son would be a great warrior and he will crush the tyrant heads as he simultaneously crushed the onion with a clinched fist. Consequently, Mata Ji and Guru Arjan were blessed with a one son who later became the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind.

Mata Ganga Visits Baba Budha
With the object of giving his Sikhs a lesson in humility Guru Arjan decided on referring Mata Ganga to Baba Budha for his advice and blessings.

Description Of Gurdwara

This Gurdwara is popularly known as simply Bir Sahib, is situated about 2 km northwest of Thatta. The present complex was raised by Baba Kharak Singh, a follower of Bhai Gurmukh Singh Sevavale. The sanctum, where the Guru Granth Sahib is seated on a canopied seat of white marble, is a metre high square platform at the far end of a rectangular hall constructed in 1951.

The 70 metre square Sarovar is to the north of this hall. A spacious divan hall was added in 1975. Guru ka Langar with a large dining hall and a two storeyed residential block for pilgrims are in a separate compound. Besides, there is a Khalsa higher secondary school (established 1963) as well as a Khalsa College (established 1969), both named after Baba Budha.

Baba Budha - One of the first Gursikhs.

The Gurdwara is managed by a local committee under the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Besides the daily prayers and the celebration of important anniversaries on the Sikh calendar, largely attended divans take place on the first of each Bikrami month. The biggest function of the year is a religious fair held on 21st of Assu, corresponding with 6th October.

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