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Sri Hargobindpur, March 23, 2002

History of sorts was created when namaz (muslim prayer) was performed at historical Guru-ki-maseet, (Guru's Mosque) which was got constructed by the Sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind, for the Muslim brethren about 400 years ago.

Guru-ki-maseet

While the controversy of Babri Masjid [in Ayodhya] stands unresolved, a "memorandum of understanding" (MoU) has been signed by the Nihangs — the caretakers of the mosque and the Punjab Waqf Board in the presence of Deputy Commissioner K.A.P. Sinha. Dr Mohammad Rizwanul Haque, Administrator, Punjab Wakf Board, described the MoU as an international event which would pave the way for strengthening communal harmony in the country.

Ms Gurmeet Rai, Director, Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative (CRCI), who was honoured with an international award by UNESCO for the conservation of the historical Krishan Temple at Kishankot village, near here, said though as per the MoU, the Taruna Dal, a sect of Nihangs, had agreed to conserve Guru-ki-maseet as a traditional mosque by allowing to perform namaz, yet the Wakf Board requested the Nihangs to continue as caretakers.

It may be mentioned here that this 17th century mosque on the banks of the Beas was got built by the Sixth Sikh Guru for his Muslim subjects. The legend has it that the Hindu god Vishwakarma came down to the earth in a human form to build this sacred town. For many years, this mosque has been maintained by the Nihangs as it was abandoned at the time of the Partition in 1947. Dr Haque said he remembered that the late Baba Kirtan Singh, the Nihang chief of the Taruna Dal, had signed an MoU at Baba Bakala on February 8 last year. He said it was the desire of babaji that Muslims must perform their namaz at the mosque which was gifted to them. As per the wishes of Baba Kirtan Singh, five saplings were planted in the names of five pirs.

Baba Balbir Singh, who is the caretaker of the mosque, told TNS that the Nihangs had preserved the "amanat" of Muslim brethren after the Partition of the country. He said the holy Guru Granth Sahib which was placed inside the mosque was taken to the newly constructed adjoining building so that the mosque could be preserved in its original form as gifted by Guru Hargobind.

Dr Sukhdev Singh, state convener, INTACH, said the CRCI had started the conservation work with the financial help of Sikh Foundation.

A community meal for children who volunteered to work on the renovation of Guru-ki-maseet

Maulwi Hamid Hussain Qasmi was specially called to perform namaz from Amritsar. Before the namaz, in presence of a large number of Nihangs and officers of the district administration, Mr Akhlaq Ahmed Khan, Chief Executive Officer, Punjab Wakf Board, said the performance of namaz after 55 years would be recorded in the world history as an event when Sikh brethren showed so much magnanimity towards Muslims.

Earlier, awards were presented to the villagers and members of the CRCI at Kishankot village, where an ancient temple, being looked after the Sikhs was preserved with a cost of Rs 14 lakh. This temple was built during the reign of legendry Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Mr Richard A.Engelhardt, Regional Advisor for culture in Asia and the Pacific, while presenting awards, said the small village temple had been highlighted at the international level with this award. Mr Barjinder Kumar Uppal, SSP, Gurdaspur, Ms V. Neerja, SSP, Batala, and Mr V.K. Mishra, Vice-Chairman, INTACH, were present at the ceremony.

Photo Credit:
Guru-ki-maseet - Tribune News Service
Meal at the mosque - CRCI/Gurmeet S. Rai