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Gurdwara Sri Jand Sahib Lahli Kalan

Location - Lehli Kalan, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India


Associated with - Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji


Sikh Artifacts - unknown


Sarovar - None


Sarai - unknown


In 1651, Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji stopped at the site of Gurdwara Sri Jand Sahib Lahli Kalan. Guru Har Rai was travelling with 2200 horsemen on Diwali towards Amritsar and stayed here for 3 days.

Dara Shikoh (1615–1659) was the eldest son of the mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Dara Shikoh was poisoned on the orders of his brother Aurangzeb.

Aurangzeb was very cunning, clever and ambitious, and was fixated on succeeding to the throne. Aurangzeb administered tiger's whiskers in a dish to his eldest brother who became dangerously ill as a result.

Astrologers were sent for, pirs, pandits and fakirs were called, all known charms, spells and incantations were tried but to no avail.

Wise men were assembled together and they came to the decision that until the tiger's whiskers could be removed, there was no hope of a recovery.

The scholars 'thought' that if two ounces of chebulic myrobalan (scientific name: Terminalia chebula; known in Ayurvedic medicine as Aralu or Arura, credited with having laxative and stomachic properties) and cloves weighing one masha were administered, his health 'could' be restored.

Chebula is known as Haritaki in Sanskrit, and Hindi. Its English name is Chebulic Myrobalan, the Gujarathi name is Harade, the Tamil name is Kadukkai, other Hindi names are Harad or Harade, the Kannada name is Alale, the Arabian name is Haleelaz, the Telugu name is Karakkaya, the Farsi name is Haleel, the Tibetan name is A-ru-ra, the Gujarat name is Himmej, the Chinese name is 诃子 or he zi, and the Assamese name is Xilikha.

Dara Shikoh searched everywhere for the ingredients but they could not be found. It was only until his Prime Minister, who had heard of Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji's fame, was informed that the ingredients could be made available from Guru Sahib's storehouse, that hope was restored. At the time, Guru Har Rai had one of the best dispenseries for medical herbs throughout India. Although Dara Shikoh was hostile to Guru Ji there was no doubt that Guru Har Rai would help.

Dara Shikoh humbled himself before the King of Kings Satguru Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji and sent a letter. Guru Sahib was pleased that Dara Shikoh had such confidence in him as to write such a friendly letter, and consented to give the required medicines. 'Behold,' said Guru Ji, 'with one hand, man breaks flowers and with one hand offers them, but the flowers perfume both hands alike. The axe cuts the sandal tree, yet the sandal perfumes the axe. The Guru ought, therefore, to return good for evil.'

Dara Shikoh travelled here (to Lehli Kalan and the site of Gurdwara Sri Jand Sahib Lahli Kalan) to meet Guru Har Rai and receive the medicine. Guru Har Rai provided a 5 Tola (in weight) of harad (or chebulic myrobalan) and a laung (clove) of 3 masha. A Tola is an indian weight unit (1 Tola = 11.66 Grams) and a Masha (1/8th of a Tola) another old indian unit of weight.

The ingredients were weighed and it was explained that these medicines would cause the most difficult of substances taken to be digested. To these ingredients, Guru Ji added a pearl which was to be ground and used as a subsidiary remedy. Dara Shikoh felt better and the medicine effected a speedy and complete cure. On recovering Dara Shikoh gifted Guru Har Rai with a Silver Kaathi (horse saddle), a Dushala (a woolen horse blanket) and a horse as well as other expensive gifts. Dara Shikoh was naturally very pleased and forgot his enemity with Guru Sahib, and vowed that he would never again cause Guru Har Rai annoyance.

From here, Guru Har Rai and Dara Shikoh went onwards to Kiratpur Sahib and stopped there.

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