Gurdwara Bangla Sahib

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Gurdwara Bangla Sahib (Template:Audio-nohelp) is one of the most prominent Sikh gurdwaras, or Sikh house of worship, in Delhi, India, and known for its association with the eighth Sikh Guru, Guru Har Krishan, as well as the holy pond inside its complex, known as the "Sarovar." Originally a bungalow of Raja Jai Singh I of Amber, it was rebuilt as a small shrine by Sikh General Sardar Baghel Singh in 1783. In the same year, there was reconstruction of nine Sikh shrines in Delhi.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

It is situated near Connaught Place, New Delhi on Baba Kharak Singh Marg and it is instantly recognisable by its golden dome and tall flagpole.

History

Gurdwara Bangla Sahib was originally a bungalow belonging to Raja Jai Singh, an Hindu Rajput ruler in the seventeenth century.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref> Guru Har Krishan stayed at the bungalow after being invited to Delhi by Jai Singh.<ref name=":1" /> Guru Har Krishan had been summoned to Delhi by Aurangzeb as his legitimacy as the Sikh guru was challenged by Ram Rai, however Raja Jai Singh and Raja Ram Singh decided to assist the Sikh guru during his visit, with Jai Singh offering the guru his bungalow as a residence until the succession dispute was solved.<ref name=":1" /> While in Delhi, Guru Har Krishan provided charity to the local people of the city who were sick, with him instructing Diwan Dargah Mal to spend all the daily offerings on the downtrodden.<ref name=":1" /> However, Guru Har Krishan died in Delhi on 6 October 1661.<ref name=":1" /> Raja Jai Singh would construct a small tank over its well, whose waters are taken home by modern Sikhs as amrit for its supposed healing properties.<ref name=":1" />

Since Guru Har Kishan stayed at Raja Jai Singh's bungalow (pronounced bangla in the local vernacular), it has now been converted to a gurdwara called the Bangla Sahib to memorialise Guru Har Krishan's stay there.<ref name="bang12">Guru Harkrishan ji an apostle of humility, Daily Excelsior, 1/8/2021.</ref><ref name=":1" /> The eighth Sikh Guru, Har Krishan resided here during his stay in Delhi in 1664. He died on 30 March 1664.<ref name="bang1">Guru Harkrishan ji an apostle of humility, Daily Excelsior, 1 August 2021.</ref> The gurdwara and its Sarovar are now a place of great reverence for Sikhs, and a place for special congregation on birth anniversary of Guru Har Krishan. The sarovar measures 225 by 235 feet with an 18 foot wide parkarma and a 12 foot wide veranda along its three sides.<ref name=":1" />

In 1984, during the anti-Sikh riots, some 150 Sikhs took sanctuary inside the gurdwara. A Hindu mob carrying cans of gasoline, attempted to storm into the temple, but were driven back.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managemen Committee operates a hospital in the sublevels of the structure.<ref name=":1" /> In March 2021, the gurdwara inaugurated the cheapest diagnostic centre with the aim to provide healthcare for the poor. The patients can get an MRI scan at Template:INR.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Also connected to the site is a Khalsa Girls School and an art-gallery and museum named after Baghel Singh.<ref name=":1" />