Pakistan has so many historic places among them there are many mosques, mandirs, churches and gurdwars that still exists in a very good condition and people still visit there to perform their religious rituals. There are number of gurwaras located in the different cities of Pakistan, some of them like Gurdwara Janam Asthan and Gurdwara Punja Sahib are considered the most holy places by the Sikhs from all over the world, and on the special events, they visit these places. Gurdwara Janam Asthan is located in a city near Lahore named Nankana Sahib and is the birthplace of the first Sikh guru and founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak.
The other one Gurdwara Punja Sahib is located Hasan Abdal that is 48 kilometers from Rawalpindi, Pakistan and is considered one of the most holy places for Sikhs because of the presence of a rock that has the impression of Guru Nanak’s hand. Gurdwara on this site was established in the year 1830 and from all over the world, Sikhs visit this place twice a year.
It is believed by the Sikhs that in the summer season in 1521 ACE Guru Nanak Div along with his companion Bhai Mardana ji reached to Hasan Abdal. As it was summer season so they sit under the shady and cool tree and started to recite Kirtan and by hearing that their devotees gathered around. All this annoyed a local saint who was mediating on a top of the hill and was disturbed.
After some time, Guru Nanak felt thirst and sent the Bhai Mardana to that local saint to have some water but he refused to provide water and behaved rudely and ironically to him. In spite of this behavior, Bhai Mrdana politely demanded for the water several times but he refused. Bhai Mardana returned to Guru Nanak and by teeling story said that I will not go back to that egoistic and I will prefer to die. After listening, Guru replied “Oh Bhai Mardana! Repeat the name of God, and drink the water to your heart’s content”.
A big rock was lying nearby and Guru Nanak put that aside and a fountain of fresh water began to flow and the fountain at the side of that local saint dried up and by watching all this that saint threw a rock from the top of the hill towards them. Guru Nanak stopped that rock with his hand by leaving the hand impression on that rock. By witnessing this that local saint became the devotee of Guru Nanak.
Gurdwara at this site was built and named was by Hari Singh Nawala who was general of Sikh’s kingdom. During British Raj, management of the Gurdwara went into Hindu hands. A Sikh Kartar Singh Virk, led a Sikh volunteer group in 1920 and took the control of Gurwara Punja Sahib.
