SocialMaharaj Technology, Travel, Food et al
Related Articles
During the last couple of years, I’ve visited a lot of religious sites of great importance. I visited the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Golden Temple, Hazur Sahib Nanded to name a few. Having visited many Gurudwaras and learnt a bit about Sikhism – thanks to my Punjabi friends. during my trip to Bidar I decided to visit Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Sahib. If you Google Things to Do in Bidar, Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Sahib will be the top suggestion. Read on to know everything about Nanak Jhira Sahib.
Importance of Nanak Jhira Sahib – History
Sikhism as a religion is young when compared to the likes of Islam or Hinduism, hence there’s a lot of concrete information we have about it. About 500 years ago during the 1500, Guru Nanak reached Bidar after his tour of Maharashtra. Hearing the news of a guru coming to the city, many people flocked to share their plight with him. Apparently there was acute shortage of drinking water in Bidar and everything the locals tried didn’t yield results. Looking at their plight, Guru Nanak moved a stone and cleared some place with this sandals and a clear stream of water started flowing. That’s how this place soon came to be known as Nanak Jhira.
That stream of water is collected in the Gurudwara in the Amrit Kund. Also, the town is also the home town of Baba Sahib Singh, one of the Panj Pyare who offered to sacrifice their heads and were the first members of the Khalsa. Thus Gurudwara Nanak Jhira is one of the things to do in Bidar.
How to reach Gurudwara Nanak Jhira
The Gurudwara is accessible easily as it is well within the city limits. If you are reaching Bidar by bus and getting down at Central Bus Stand, Nanak Jhira is quite close by. Since I went by scooter from Hyderabad to Bidar, I decided to visit on scooter. If you want to avoid the city traffic, you can take the Bidar Ring Road even before entering Bidar to directly reach the Gurudwara Nanak Jhira. Further, the road gets narrower as you reach the Gurudwara. I was confused at first where to park the scooter, however I was told that one can enter the complex which has a separate parking area. Unlike the Golden Temple where vehicles are out of bounds from quite a distance. The Gurudwara complex also has a residential area which they call as Sarai. I visited the reception twice but didn’t find anyone to get more details about it.
Divine Gurudwara Nanak Jhira
The Gurudwara is open 24×7 so you can walk it at any point of time. There is a sarovar right in front of the Gurudwara. Like any other Gurudwara you need to remove your footwear and cover your head before entering the premises. The kirtans are playing and the entire atmosphere is magical. Barring the occasional fighter jets scrambling across the sky, it’s quite a peaceful place. The main shrine is easily accessible as not many people visit compared to the Golden Temple. The interiors are simply breath taking. I walked in to the shrine, decided to sit and spend some time soaking in the magical atmosphere. Photography isn’t allowed inside, but I did see many people using their cameras. I decided not to use it to avoid hurting anyone’s sentiments.
On the way out of the shrine, prasad is provided. Most gurudwaras serve halwa laden with desi ghee. Here too the prasad is same, but you also get chana with it. I don’t like that combination when it’s made at home, however at Nanak Jhira it was something else. Once done with that, there’s a hall on the left where they are singing hymns and kirtan and anyone and go and sit inside.
Langar at Gurudwara Nanak Jhira
The Langar Sahib is a little further away from the Gurudwara. The place isn’t as large as the one at Golden Temple or Hazur Saheb for obvious reasons. On all my previous Langar experience, plates, bowls, spoons, glass are provided by someone. Here, you have pick it up from the cart at take your spot.The hall wasn’t full but there were quite a few people. For the Langar at Gurudwara Nanak Jhira, there was Aloo Gobhi curry, Yellow Dal, Rice, Roti and Kheer. The food was delicious as always, no complaints what so ever. Since I was leaving for Hyderabad after this, I decided to stock my tummy with the simple yet delicious food. Later, when it comes to washing the dishes, one washes their own dishes and places them in the cart from where others can pick up the items and join the Langar.
Magical Experience you must not miss in Bidar
The Gurudwara complex is always bustling with people and with the kirtan going on, you’ll love the atmosphere. You can also get the prasad by paying a price of ₹20. And like Tirupati Balaji, you can take only one portion. Overall, it was a wonderful experience at the Gurudwara Nanak Jhira in Bidar. No doubt this is one of the best attractions in Bidar. Have you been to Bidar already ? Do you plan to visit soon ? Mention your comments below or tweet to me at @Atulmaharaj or DM on Instagarm.
