Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib

Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib is one of the oldest and historical gurudwaras of Delhi. This gurudwara is situated in Chandni Chowk area of Delhi and is one of the most famous gurudwaras there. It has a medieval type of construction and took more than 4000 workers to build it. As with other gurudwaras, here also one has to cover his head before entering the premises. This is because of the beleif that God's blessings are showered only when the head is covered. There are two entrances to the gurudwara. The main structure of the gurudwara is a huge open hall. The hall is very spacious and has a bronze canopy in the middle under which the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib is kept. This gurudwara is dedicated to Guru Tegh Bahadur and his disciples who were all beheaded in Chandni Chowk under the orders of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb as they had refused to convert to Islam. Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib was built to immortalize the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Baba Baghel Singh, a devotee of Guru Tegh Bahdur discovered the site where Guruji was beheaded.

History
Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib was constructed in the year 1675 AD. This gurudwara is associated with the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, who was beheaded by the Mughals under the orders of the Emperor Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb had unleashed a reign of terror and ordered that all Hindus should be forcefully converted to Islam. On the request of the pandits, Guru Sahib took up their cause and told them to tell the emperor that if he could convince the guru to embrace Islam, they would all do so. The Guruji was beheaded by an executioner called Jalal-ud-din Jallad, who belonged to the town of Samana in Haryana. The spot of the execution was under a banyan tree. It is said that when Guruji died, no one had the courage to pick up his body. Suddenly it rained and his disciples took his body and head and fled. The head was taken to Chakk Nanaki in Anandpur Sahib, while the body was taken to the place where the Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib now stands. The trunk of the banyan tree, near which the Guruji was martyred, and the well where he took bath while in imprisonment, is all considered sacred by the Sikhs.

Major Attraction
There is a museum built right opposite to this gurudwara. The entire history of its establishment is described visually using models. There is also a very good collection of writings on Sikh history. The museum is built to commemorate the memory of Guru Tegh Bahadur's three faithful disciples Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dyal Das who were also executed in the same place. Mati Das was sawn across from the head as per the orders of the Emperor. Dyal Das was bundled and thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil when he abused the emperor for his brutality against others. Sati Das also condemned the brutalities and he was chopped to pieces.

The best time to visit this gurudwara is during the birth anniversary of all the 10 Gurus and, especially, that of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. This is the time when one can witness the celebrations at their peak. Music and songs are considered to be one of the special ways in Sikhism to derive happiness and blessings from god. Baisakhi and Diwali are also good times to experience the spirit of this place.

How To Reach

By Air:
The Delhi airport is one of the major airports in India. There are direct flights from different cities to Delhi. You can land at the airport and take rickshaws or taxis to Chandni Chowk.

By Train:
There are plenty of trains available from any part of the country to directly reach Delhi railway station. After reaching the station you can take the underground metro from the main station to Chandni Chowk.

By Road:
There are various private and public buses which ply from Delhi to Chandni Chowk. One has to reach Delhi main bus stand first to take buses to Chandni Chowk. Driving is also advisable as the road to the gurudwara is well maintained.

The sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur and his disciples is an extremely important event in the history of Sikhs and it has made a major impact on the future of Sikhism. Guru Tegh Bahadur had sacrificed his life for the protection of the rights of people to freely practice his or her religion without hindrance. This ancient city is soaked with the sanctity of the ten religious teachers (Gurus) who have sacrificed their lives for the community. It is said that the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, visited this gurudwara in the year 1702.