Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib
There can hardly be a more important and more sacred place than where a great philosopher lived and breathed his last after years of service to mankind. This is true of Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib in Nanded, where Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th of the 11 Sikh Gurus, held his last congregation.
Nanded is often mentioned on tourist itineraries as home to many Sufi shrines. Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib is one of these temples that regularly flocks and frequents the faithful to seek blessings. It is the most important Gurdwara of the Sikhs where the ‘Takhat’ is located and where the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji breathed his last on 7 October 1708.
It is said that Guru Gobind Singh came to Nanded with Bahadur Shah towards the end of August 1708 and then after a few days’ rest went to Golconda, while Guru Gobind Singh decided to stay here. According to legend, Guru Gobind Singh wanted Bahadur Shah to do justice to the murders of his sons and many other Sikhs, but finally decided to part ways when Shah showed no inclination to punish the culprits. And Guru Gobind Singh was stabbed by two men in Nanded. He was hired by Wazir Khan, the ‘Fauzdar’ of Sirhind, to assassinate him.
Foretelling that his earthly abode was near, the Guru demanded that the Guru Granth Sahib be installed there and it was named ‘Takht Sahib’. The present building of Takht Sahib was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He decorated the Gurdwara with marble and gold plating during his reign. The complex of Takhat Sahib is spread over several hectares. Apart from Takhat Sahib, it also includes two other temples. Bunga Mai Bhago which is a large room where Guru Granth Sahib is seated and some historical weapons are on display. Another story is that of Angita Bhai Daya Singh and Dharam Singh who survived the battle of Chamkaur in ‘Panj Piare’.
The inner room of the Gurdwara is called Angitha Sahib and is built on the spot where Guru Gobind Singh was cremated in 1708. The site is now one of five Takhat Sahibs of primary importance to Sikhs, the other four being Akal Takht in Amritsar, Takht Keshgarh Sahib in Anandpur, Takhat Patna Sahib in Bihar district and Takhat Damdama Sahib in Bathinda, Punjab.
The two-storied building has artistically decorated interiors in the style of Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar. The walls of Angitha Saheb are covered with golden plates. The ‘Kalash’ is made of copper with the dome polished and gold plated on top. Some sacred relics of Guru Gobind Singh are also preserved here. It includes a golden dagger, a kadelock gun, a quiver with 35 arrows, two bows and arrows, a steel shield decorated with precious stones and five golden swords.
A laser show has been started at Gobind Bagh near the main Gurdwara. In this show, the lives of ten Gurus are briefly but beautifully described. The show is conceived and directed by Jasbir Singh Dham, while music and commentary is by ghazal singer Jagjit Singh. Show timings are daily from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM
