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Gurdwara Sri Moti Bagh Sahib Nanakpura

Location - Nanakpura, Moti Bagh, Ring Road, New Delhi, India


Associated with - Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji


Sikh Artifacts - unknown


Sarovar - None


Sarai - unknown


Gurdwara Sri Moti Bagh Sahib Nanakpura is situated on the Ring Road (Mahatma Gandhi Marg) in Delhi city between Dhaula Kuan and RK Puram (Shanti Path) south of the intersection with National Highway 8.

Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji camped at this site with his army. Earlier it was known as Mochi Bagh and later the name was changed to Moti Bagh.

When Guru Gobind Singh, an accomplished archer, arrived in Delhi, Guru Sahib announced his arrival by firing an arrow towards the Red Fort with a message.

Prince Muazzam (later Bahadur Shah) was sitting on his throne at the Red Fort. Guru Gobind Singh's arrow hit the foot of the throne he was sitting on. Bahadur Shah thought the distance and accuracy of the arrow strike was a miracle.

Suddenly a second arrow arrived hitting the second leg of the throne. It, too, carried a chit, which said, "It is not a miracle but skill of archery!"

The Emperor was said to be so impressed with this that he immediately acknowledged Guru Sahib's supremacy.

History

Gurdwara Sri Moti Bagh Sahib Nanakpura is associated with Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Gobind Singh camped here during his first visit to Delhi. Guru Gobind Singh had come to Delhi in response to the request made by Prince Muazzam who sought his help in the battle of succession for the throne of Delhi.

This happened in 1707, when the struggle for succession started due to the sudden death of Emperor Aurangzeb in the Deccan. Bhai Nand Lal, a great scholar and Persian poet, a Sikh of Guru Gobind Singh, requested the Guru's help in assisting Prince Muazzam, the eldest son of Aurangzeb, in his claim to the mughal throne.

The deohri from where Guru Gobind Singh shot the arrows has been preserved and the Guru Granth Sahib has been installed there as a mark of respect to the superb archery of Guru Gobind Singh. Even now from the top of the deohri (gate) one can see the skyline of Delhi and the Red Fort at a distance of about 6.5 miles.

Sikh Support

Guru Gobind Singh already had a good impression about the prince who had earned the displeasure of his father by refusing to take part in the attack at Anandpur Sahib. The prince had been deputed by the mughal emperor to suppress the activities of the Guru in Punjab.

Prince Muazzam had received alarming reports in Deccan from the Shivalik Hills Chiefs against the Guru. But the prince after making an impartial inquiry into the false reports sent by the hill chiefs had written to the emperor that Guru Gobind Singh was a darvesh (Holy man) and the real trouble makers were the Hill Rajas. The opposition to his father's wishes had cost the prince some time in prison.

Aurandzeb Remained Hostile

Aurangzeb did not believe what his son wrote and had sent four of his best generals to find out the truth. These generals also reported that the Guru had done nothing against anyone and led a saintly life in his city state. In fact they also punished some trouble makers who had been creating problems for the Guru.

However, in 1704, Anandpur Sahib was besieged by the combined troops of the Rajput hill chiefs and the full might of the mughal army when Aurangzeb decided to dislodge the Guru from his stronghold on the persuasion of the hill rulers and the mughal governors. After putting up a tough fight, Guru Gobind Singh chose to leave Anandpur Sahib under a sworn promise of safety from both the hindus (on their cow) and their mughal lords (on the Koran).

Lies And Damn Lies By Hindus And Mughals

Ignoring their promises and 'Holy Oaths' of safe passage, the besiegers attacked Guru Gobind Singh who suffered the loss of his four sons, his mother and a number of his Sikhs but the host of attackers also suffered very heavy losses. However, Guru Gobind SIngh had no ill-will against the eldest son of the mughal emperor and agreed to help him in the battle of succession.

The Sikhs of Delhi have constructed a new Gurdwara building. The old building from where the tenth Guru shot two arrows to Red Fort is still intact.

Every year, on the anniversary of the first installation of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib as Guru is celebrated with great enthusiasm by thousands of hindus and Sikhs at the Moti Bagh Gurdwara. They remember with reverence the Guru Granth Sahib and Guru Gobind Singh, whose last injunction to his Sikhs was that, he who wishes to behold the Guru, let him search the holy Granth.

Guru Gobind Singh's Teachings Summarised

"The same God dwells in the temple and the mosque,
The hindus worship and the muslims pray
Human beings are all one, though of diverse forms,
Gods, demons, yakshas and the minstrels divine,
The muslims and hindus are all one,
Imbibe the influence of environ, they inhabit,
Similar eyes, ears, body they have,
They are made of earth, air and water alike,
Allah and Abekh are the names of same One,
Whom adore the holy Puranas and Quran,
All are of the same form,
And one in their making"

Sikhs have a very powerful message, which is why the old order (hindus and muslims) view them as a threat.

Historic Sikh Gurdwaras In New Delhi (City)


Gurdwara Sri Bala Sahib

Gurdwara Sri Bangla Sahib

Gurdwara Sri Damdama Sahib New Delhi

Gurdwara Sri Guru Nanak Piao Sahib

Gurdwara Sri Majnu Ka Tila Sahib

Gurdwara Sri Mata Sundri Delhi

Gurdwara Sri Moti Bagh Sahib Nanakpura

Gurdwara Sri Rakab Ganj Sahib

Gurdwara Sri Shaheedi Asthan Baba Banda Singh Bahadur

Gurdwara Sri Sis Ganj Sahib Delhi


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