Guru Ke Mahal, Amritsar| Guru Ke Mahal Photos and Timings

Guru Ke Mahal, Amritsar Overview

Housing the Granth Sahib and their gurus, Guru Ke Mahal was founded by Guru Ram Das in 1573 as a little cottage that went on to shelter the great gurus of the Sikhs. Gurudwara Guru Ke Mahal is a humble hut situated at the main street of Guru Bazaar near the Golden Temple in the holy city of Ramdaspur (now known as Amritsar).

Earlier a residence of Sri Guru Ram Das, the founder of Amritsar city, the structure was modified into a Gurudwara. It is a three-storey tabernacle with a raised platform where the holy book of the Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib is placed.

The structure of the Mahal is divided into three floors. The basement serves as a meditation room where the Gurus used to meditate. The upper floor has space for sitting together and participating in kirtans. The topmost floor has encored the Guru Granth Sahib. It is believed that Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur was born in the Mahal on Baisakhi. Thus Baisakhi marks his birth anniversary as well. Besides the daily rituals, special kirtans and langar called Guru ke Langar are organized on Baisakhi. Hundreds of Sikhs and tourists visit this religious site on Guru Tegh Bahadur Jayanti.

Founded by Sri Guru Ram Das Ji, this humble little hut soon came to be identified as the headquarters of Sikh gurus, though shifted in near time. Enlarged and beautified by the successive gurus, this little cottage truly took the shape of a Mahal.

History

Gurudwara Guru Ke Mahal was built in the year 1573 by Guru Ram Das Ji himself who was the fourth guru in the Sikh order. Its prominence can be evaluated by the very fact that the Guru himself resided here. This is one and the most significant of several reasons why this place holds so much importance. Another reason is Guru Arjan Dev ji, the fifth of the ten gurus, son of Guru Ram Das Ji and the first guru to pen down the official edition of the holy scripture called Adi Granth, later fledged as Guru Granth Sahib, got married as well as ordained as a Guru at this very place. Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru, and grandchild of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, and Baba Atal Rai were born here. Guru Tegh Bahadur’s father, Sri Guru Hargobind Singh also lodged here for a brief span of time. The legend of Gurudwara Guru ke Mahal encompasses the lives and stays of many Sikh gurus and encapsulates in itself the great history of the evolution of Sikhism.