Historic Lahore gurdwara reopens for worship for first time since partition

A historic gurdwara in Lahore reopened for worship on Sunday, restoring religious services for the first time since Partition in 1947.The reopening of Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib on Temple Road ended a 79-year hiatus. Sikh community members and government officials attended a ceremony conducted according to Sikh religious traditions.The shrine is associated with a visit by Guru Hargobind Sahib, the sixth Sikh Guru, who lived from 1595 to 1644. He is revered as a warrior-saint who strengthened the community’s ability to defend itself against religious oppression.RESTORATION COMPLETED, WORSHIP RESUMESPakistan’s Punjab Minorities Minister Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, who also heads the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, said restoration work had been completed and the shrine was open for worship. He said more than 50 gurdwaras across Pakistan were being renovated to preserve Sikh religious heritage and improve facilities for pilgrims.Evacuee Trust Property Board Secretary Nasir Mushtaq said the restoration would provide better worship facilities while preserving Lahore’s religious and historical heritage.A DEVOTEE’S HOME BECAME A GURDWARA According to Sikh historical accounts, Guru Hargobind Sahib accepted an invitation from Lahore’s Sikh congregation, or Sangat, and stayed for three days at the home of his devotee Bhai Jiwan.Bhai Jiwan later converted his house into a gurdwara.The shrine is also associated with Bhai Bidhi Chand, a Sikh preacher and military commander who stayed there during two visits to Lahore to recover horses seized by the Mughal governor. Devotees had brought the horses as offerings to Guru Hargobind Sahib.Sikh accounts describe how Bhai Bidhi Chand recovered the horses in separate missions, disguising himself first as a grass seller and then as an astrologer, before returning them to the Guru.WORSHIP ENDED AFTER PARTITIONThe local Sangat extended the gurdwara’s hall in 1915. In 1921, it took over management following allegations of misconduct against the caretaker, Mahant Hari Singh, and formed a local committee.The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee assumed administrative control in 1927.Regular Sikh worship ended after Partition in 1947. According to Sikh historical accounts, several community members were killed while defending the shrine during the violence.- Ends