76 ABSTRACTS OF SIKH STUDIES: APRIL-JUNE 2022/ 554 NS

THE FORGOTTEN GURDWARA GURU NANAK AT

KATAS RAJ, PAKISTAN

Inderjeet Singh*

BACKGROUND
Iqbal Qaiser (1998) in his famous book, Historical Sikh Shrines in
Pakistan refers to Gurdwara Pehli Patshahi at the ancient Hindu
pilgrimage site of Katas Raj at Chakwal district in West Punjab. The
place was abandoned after the partition of Punjab in 1947 hence half
a century later, the author was unable to apprise on the exact location
of this Gurdwara. To make the matter bit complicated, no reference
was mentioned, and it was not straightforward to find out from the
bibliography, given at the end of the book, which manuscript or book
would have these details?1
In 2006 Pakistan undertook the restoration project for the Katas
Raj complex at $30 million. The sacred pond was cleaned, enlarged,
and fenced. The Hindu temples, Buddhist Stupa and Haveli of Sardar
Hari Singh Nalwa, the celebrated general and governor of Hazara of
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, all within the complex were restored, and
landscaping was completed. Information boards were installed across
the complex. However, they failed to mention the Gurdwara Sahib. 2
Further in 2017, ETPB (Evacuee Trust Property Board), the
government department which looks after Hindu and Sikh places of
worship installed shikhar kalash (peak urn) on the conical domes of
Hindu temples.3 There is a provision for Hindu pilgrims from India
for an annual visit to Katas Raj. Sometimes this yatra becomes an
unfortunate victim and gets cancelled due to the peculiar relationship
between India and Pakistan.
* The writer is the author of the book, Afghan Hindus & Sikhs – History of a
Thousand Years. Email: <inderjeet08@hotmail.com>
 THE FORGOTTEN GURDWARA GURU NANAK AT KATAS RAJ, PAKISTAN 77

GURU NANAK’S VISIT

Giani Gian Singh (1880) in Twarikh Guru Khalsa writes that
Guru Nanak came to Katas Raj in 1519 (Samvat 1579) and reached
on Vaisakhi, the first day of Vaisakh month. Jogis, mystics, and
ascetics used to come to the Vaisakhi fair and take a dip in the holy
pond. The author adds that Katas Raj and Pushkar are two eyes of
earth, and their ponds have holy water (Jal di Thahh nahin)
On Guru Ji’s arrival, they gathered around him for dialogue.
Guru Ji gave the sermon on the futility of renunciation of household
life, worship of one Almighty, and spoke against ritualism. He recited
the following Shabad in Raag Maru
ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਲਹਰਿ ਘਿੁ ਤਰਿ ਰਿਗੂਚੈ ਅਿਿਾ ਕੇ ਘਿ ਹੇਿ॥ੈ
ਰਗਿਹ ਧਿਮੁ ਗਿਾਏ ਸਰਤਗੁ ਿੁ ਨ ਭੇਟੈ ਦੁਿਮਰਤ ਘੂ ਮਨ ਘੇਿੈ ॥
Abandoning his home in some excitement,
An apostate is ruined by spying others homes.
He loses the, status of the family man, meets not with the True Guru
And is involved in the whirl-pool of evil understanding
– Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1012
SUJAN RAI’S ACCOUNT
Sujan Rai Bhandari (1695) in Khulasatut Tawarikh alludes to a
lake, an ancient place of worship in the territory of Makhialah (old
name for Salt range). Hindus on holy days such as Vaisakhi (entrance
of the Sun into the sign of Aries) congregate to have a bath in this
lake. The devotees believe that the Earth has two eyes, the right eye is
the lake of Pushkar (in Rajasthan), and the left is this lake. Sujan Rai
writes that this lake is at Kota Chhina. The translator, the great
historian Sir Jadunath Sarkar was unable to locate it. Nonetheless, his
description and the area match perfectly with Katas Raj.4 Mirza
Safdar Baig, a local historian from Jhelum, West Punjab helped to
confirm the location.
MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH’S VISITS
Umdatut Tawarikh by Sohan Lal Suri, is a contemporary chronicle,
in Persian, primarily of the reigns of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his
successors. The Maharaja visited Katas Raj several times during his reign
on his way from Rohtas (famous for its fort) to Pind Dadan
78 ABSTRACTS OF SIKH STUDIES: APRIL-JUNE 2022/ 554 NS

Khan. His first trip was in 1805 when he went to take a dip at Katas
Raj. In 1810, Maharaja had planned to go to Katas Raj on the first
day of the month of Magh but the administration of the state took
precedence.5
The next sojourn was on 21st November 1813 and the Sarkar
(Ranjit Singh, as referred by Sohan Lal) distributed cash and in kind
to the deserving and the poor. He again visited it in 1823.6In 1825the
Maharaja reached Katas Raj on Diwali day. Sohan Lal writes that the
Sarkar was pleased to see the illumination and took the bath in the
sacred pool on the next day. The Maharaja then went to Choha
Saidan Shah, a Sufi shrine on his way to Pind Didan Khan.7
On 22nd November 1832, the Punjab ruler went to Katas Raj for
the last time and the next day Captain C.M. Wade, the British
diplomat based in Ludhiana reached there and sought an interview
with him. Following this meeting, the Maharaja went to Choha Fakir
Saidan Shah and offered Rs. 100 at the place. Then through the
mountains, Maharaja entered the fort of Dilaur and inspected it.8
OTHER CONTEMPORARY SOURCES OF MAHARAJA’S TIME
Ganesh Das Wadhera (1850) in Charbagh e Punjab also mentions
Katas Raj as a pilgrimage place situated towards Makhyalain the area
of Khaun. The pool of water, from ancient times, has been a sacred
place for the people of the country.9
Captain James Abbott, Boundary Commissioner, provides an
eyewitness account of the Vaisakhi Fair at Katas Raj in 1848. He
describes families enjoying without inhibition, women wearing
expensive clothing, and fair which was attended by 20,000 people
passed off peacefully. He describes it as follows,
“For the first time in my life I saw whole families together, father,
mother, husband, wife, and children, all enjoying themselves together
without constraint. The women unveiled and dressed in their gayest
attire, crimson, blue, yellow, and white with head ornaments of the
purest gold, occasionally with pearls and rubies. These ornaments
are often elegant and always becoming to the native face. Few of them
could have been worth less than £30 and many must have been worth
£100. In no instance did I see a woman or a child on foot, while
 THE FORGOTTEN GURDWARA GURU NANAK AT KATAS RAJ, PAKISTAN 79
the male was unmounted; and I observed husbands attending upon their
wives and mothers, by a most pleasing reversal of Indian etiquette.
Every roof was covered with extempore tents and awnings. Every tree
was crowded with gay figures reposing under its shade, and strings of
men, women and children were passing along the narrow lanes and
alleys, while the water itself was crowded with swimmers and dippers.
The faqirs approached them as they bathed and presented their dishes
for alms, and no man resisted the appeal. But I observed one who could
not otherwise get rid of an importunate beggar, toss the water of the
pool into his face. About 20,000 people were present in the fair which
passed off peacefully without any untoward incident.”10
DHANNA SINGH’S VISIT
Danna Singh (1893-1935) from Patiala travelled throughout
British India visiting Gurdwaras from 11th March 1930 to 26th June
1934 on his bicycle with his camera and recorded his visits in a diary.
His eight diaries were edited by S. Chetan Singh, former Director of
Punjabi Vibhag, Patiala, and were published in 2016.
The indefatigable pilgrim visited Katas Raj on 20th
November 1933 and mentions the shrine (Baradari) of Guru
Nanak which is next to the sacred pond (Amrit Kund) which
still exists. Dhanna Singh notes in his diary that the shrine was
previous under the possession of Suthra Shahi (a syncretic sect
akin to Udasi) who left it due to lack of income generated from
the shrine. Now the Dharamsaal (in November 1933) is under
the control of Lal Singh, Dalip Singh, and Surat Singh who are
the descendants of Bhai Mati Das (of Karyala village, district
Chakwal) who were martyred along with Guru Tegh Bahadar in
Delhi in 1675. Guru Granth Sahib was installed by them, though
it seemed that regular Prakash was not performed.11
Islamabad based historian Shahid Shabbir who is an expert in Sikh
heritage in Pakistan informed that he has been visiting Katas Raj every
year since 2014 and in the premises of Sri Rama Chandra Mandir, there
is a stone platform or flag post (with base only) which seems very similar
to the one used for Nishan Sahib or the Sikh flag. There is no pole or
Sikh flag now, but it seems once the base (which is still present) was
used for a pole to hoist a flag, most probably a Nishan
80 ABSTRACTS OF SIKH STUDIES: APRIL-JUNE 2022/ 554 NS

Sahib. The ground floor of Sri Rama Chandra Mandir has Hindu
architecture including a number of places for the idols of the deities.
However, on the top floor, the room/hall had 4 doors, one in each
direction like a Gurdwara Sahib. Three doors have recently been
closed. In the region which became Pakistan, where Hindus and
Sikhs were a very small minority, they sometimes share the place of
worship.11It could be an Udasi place of worship. This needs to be
further studied and explored.
CONCLUSION
It is generally believed that Hindu Shahi kings (873-1026) built
the temples at Katas Raj. This is not backed by any contemporary
source as they did not leave any chronicle or historical document.
This is primarily based on the fact that Hindu Shahi were the last
Hindu rulers of this area before Mahmud Ghaznavi annexed Punjab
till the Raavi River in the early years of the 11th century.
The temples somehow survived for almost 800 years, or they
were rebuilt or repaired during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time and most
probably under the supervision of Hari Singh Nalwa, whose Haveli
exists in the complex. The Baradari Gurdwara of Guru Nanak must
have been built during this period.
The ETPB, the department which looks after Hindu and Sikh
places of worship in Pakistan which includes Katas Raj is requested to
put an information board next to Guru Nanak Baradari/Gurdwara. The
writer of this article had emailed ETPB twice last year but did not
receive any acknowledgment. ETPB could verify all the claims made in
this write-up and Sikh Sangat could re-claim the Gurdwara Sahib
which commemorates the visit of their first Guru at Katas Raj.
~~~
REFERENCE
1. Iqbal Qaiser (1998) Historical Sikh Shrines in Pakistan. Lahore: Punjabi
History Board. p174
2. Accessed on 4th March 2022 (https://timesofindia.indiatimes. com/
world/pakistan/pak-spending-30m-on-restoring-temple/articleshow/
1725370.cms)
3. Accessed on 4th March 2022 https://timesofindia. indiatimes.com/city/
amritsar/pakistan-government-begins-installation-of-shikhar-kalash-on-
 THE FORGOTTEN GURDWARA GURU NANAK AT KATAS RAJ, PAKISTAN 81

hindu-temples/articleshow/56357121.cms?from=mdr
4. Jadunath Sarkar (1901) India of Aurangzib. Calcutta: Bose Brothers p101
5. Sohan Lal (2002) Umdat ut Tawarikh Daftar II. Translated by V.S.Suri.
Amritsar: Guru Nanak Dev University p50, 84
6. Op. cit. p149,364
7. Op. cit. p397
8. Sohan Lal (1961) Umdat ut Tawarikh Daftar III. Translated by V.S.Suri.
New Delhi: S. Chand. p154
9. J.S. Grewal & Indu Banga (1975) Early Nineteenth Century Panjab.
Amritsar: Guru Nanak Dev University p47
10. Hari Ram Gupta (1991) History of the Sikhs Vol V The Sikh Lion of Lahore
Maharaja Ranjit Singh 1799-1839. Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal p459
11. Chetan Singh. (Ed) (2016) Gur Tirath Cycle Yatra (in Punjabi). Walsall:
European Punjabi Saath p766
12. Accessed on 6th March 2022 (https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=SlyK_u7uTIU)