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Gurudwara Pehli Patshahi at Manak, Distt Lahore |
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This village called Manak is located at a distance of 45 kilometer from Lahore on Raiwind road. You have to get down from the bus at Pajian to reach this’ village. It is about 4 kilometer off the main road. A metalled road leads to the village. When Jagat Guru came to village Pajian from Manga, the villagers initially welcomed him but later made fun of him. Jagat Guru left the village and stayed at this place outside the village. Some follower asked Guru Dev Ji as to why he had moved out of the village. Guru Ji said those were "Paji" (mean) and hence the village cane to be called Pajian and -the mound came to he known as Manak. It subsequently developed into a big village.
The 3-storeyed building of Gurdwara had been built beautifully and it was spacious. The complex incJudpd a Langar Hall, Prakashasthan, inn, foyer, and a diwan hall built like a haradari. There were Samadhs of Udasi Sadhus and a water tank close to the shrine. The tank has now become a stagnant pool. These buildings are in the process of decay and may become a heap of dust. The central building collapsed during the last two years.
82 ghumaon of land has been gifted by villagers to the Gurdwara. The Jats. of this village belong to the same grandfather. Some of them were converted to Islam, others became Sikhs while the rest remained Hindus. Visakhi fair is held and during the fair the villagers are not allowed to cook in their homes. All, irrespective of their religion, take food from Langar. It is managed by Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus alternately for one day. After 1947 a girls school was housed in it but later on the premises was left vacant. When refugees from Mewat arrived they were settled here and they did not bother to maintain it. Floral designs on the walls were erased. It was followed by the caving in of roofs. Now the walls too are falling part.
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Text and photographs:Historical Sikh Shrines in Pakistan : Iqbal Qaiser |