Gurdwara Sri Guru Ka Mehal

Location - Amritsar City, Punjab, India

Associated with - Sri Guru Ram Das Ji, Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji, Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji

Sikh Artifacts - unknown

Sarovar - None

Sarai - unknown

In 1573, Sri Guru Ram Das Ji was built his home at the site of Gurdwara Sri Guru Ka Mehal as a residence for the Guru's family.

This place also served as the residence of Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji and Sri Guru Hargobind Singh Ji. This was where Baba Atal Rai and Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji were born. Later, Guru Arjan and Guru Hargobind converted the location into a place of worship.

This Gurdwara comprises of a large rectangular hall, in which the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is placed. The main festival celebrated in this Gurdwara is the birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.

Baba Budha Ji, the first Head Granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib would walk from Harmandir Sahib carrying the Pothi Sahib to this location every evening and place Pothi Sahib in Guru Arjan Sahib Ji's room after Smapathi in Harmandir Sahib.

Many events from the lives of the Guru's took place at or around Gurdwara Sri Guru Ka Mehal.

Guru Arjan Is Chosen
Guru Arjan Sahib Ji was a born an apostle of peace. Although he ascended the throne of Guru Nanak at the age of 18, he was far more advanced in wisdom than normal for his years not to ention his angelic qualities. The letters he wrote to his father from Lahore stand testimony to that fact.

Bhai Satta And Balwand
Bhai Satta and Bhai Balwand were official Ragis in the Darbar of Guru Arjan. They used to recite Gurbani in the morning and evening. Their sweet kirtan always mesmerized the Sangat. Balwand and Satta continued to please the Guru's visitors with their songs and music; but on seeing his glory increase, their pride and greed increased in the same ratio.

The Way To Attain Peace
Two Sikhs, Bhai Bala and Bhai Krishna were very learned and good interpreters of the Gurus word but they felt troubled because the wealth and prestige they were earning was not providing peace.

Birbal
Birbal, or Raja Birbal, was a hindu brahmin advisor in the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. On religous grounds Birbal was hostile to Guru Arjan and jealous of his daily and increasing popularity. Birbal's energy blazed for a while, but it was only the expiring flicker of the lamp.

Benefit Of Joining The True Sangat
As advised by Bhai Kalyana, the Raja of Mandi went to Amritsar for an audience with Guru Arjan and presented himself at the morning Sangat (congregation).

Chandu Shah's Pride
Chandu Shah, was a wealthy banker and had the ego of a spoiled rich man. He was a proud and arrogant man who was born an upper-caste hindu but converted to Islam in order to gain wealth but he also needed to find a suitable match for the marriage of his daughter.

Prithi Chand, Sulhi Khan And Sulbi Khan
Prithi Chand took a distinctly hostile view of his brother's appointment as Guru. He often travelled to Lahore to meet the mughals and offered them precious gifts and presents in exchange for favours. Prithi succeeded in enlisting Sulhi Khan And Sulbi Khan but those that oppose the Guru have to pay a high price.