Goindwal (Punjabi: ਗੋਇੰਦਵਾਲ), also known as Goindwal Sahib, is located on the banks of the river Beas in the
Taran Taran district in the Majha region of Punjab state in India. It became an important center for the Sikh religion in the 16th century during the time of the
Guru Amar Das Ji.
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| Goindwal Sahib (Courtsey Dalip Singh sdalip@gmail.com) |
Most of the Gurus established their center of excellence of Sikhism.
Guru Nanak initiated this tradition by establishing Kartarpur Sahib, followed by
Guru Angad who settled in Khadoor Sahib. Goindwal Sahib is linked to
Guru Amardas who lived here for 33 years and established a center of Sikhism.
The Location
The location of the town was an ancient highway that crossed the river
Beas connecting
Delhi to
Lahore. River ferries were used to transport goods for trade as well as travelers across the river Beas. After the renovation of the highway by Sher Shah Suri, the Afghan ruler of north India (1545), this ferry site became an important transit point.
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| Beas River in Gurdaspur, Punjab |
Superstitions of the Locals
The origin of
Goindwal has an interesting story as it not only reflects the trade route through the region but also highlights how Sikh Gurus overcame ancient superstitious believes of the locals. What is Superstition? It is a term signifying the deprecated belief in supernatural causation. Superstitions have no place in Sikh spiritualism.
“
Let understanding be the anvil, and spiritual wisdom the tools.” Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Goinda or
Govinda, a Marwaha Khatri wanted to establish a center of trade transit at an abandoned site at the western end of the ferry.
Govinda Marwaha laid the foundation of village which then was named
Goindwal after his name. He was thwarted in his endeavor by belief of locals that evil spirits inhabit that site and on one wanted to settled there. They feared that the evil spirits will turn them into animals if they visit the site.
Govinda Marwaha went to Khadur Sahib to seek
Guru Angad Dev Ji's blessing and asked if anyone of the two Guru's sons of the Guru starts living there, the superstition of the people regarding the evil spirits will vanish and the village will be inhabited. The Guru asked his devoted disciple, (Guru) Amar Das, to help Goinda.
Guru Amar Das Ji knew that tract very well as he had been carrying river water from this place to Khadur Sahib daily.
Establishing of Goindwal Sahib
To overcome the superstitious beliefs of the locals,
Guru Amardas ji moved to the village of
Goindwal and established a center for the Sikhs. He commenced the digging of a Baoli, i.e. a deep well with 84 steps descending down to water level. The 84 steps of the Baoli represented the 840,000 cycles of birth and death as believed in the Indian spiritual tradition. These steps were built to remind people that Gurbani teaches how to achieve Moksha (Salvation) and overcome the fear of death and 85 Million reincarnations.
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| 84 Steps of Baoli Sahib |
End of Superstition
This was an interesting solution to address the superstitions of the local villagers and help them overcome their fears. They saw the Sikh devotees coming to Goindwal everyday from all over India and visiting the haunted site where the Guru was settled. The devotees would walk down the 84 steps of the Baoli reciting Japji Sahib.
This delivered the results the Guru had expected. The local villagers witnessed that Sikh devotees visited the haunted site and came out unscathed. The sight of devotees reciting Jupji Sahib attracted them to follow. Superstition is like a disease for the mind. It brings confusion and fear and takes you away from reality. The wisdom of the Guru had broken their superstitious beliefs, cleared the ignorance, and replaced fear with devotion in their mind.
Sikh Gurus condemned superstitious beliefs which had plagued the Indian society for ages.Guru Nanak says "
The mind is diseased with doubt, superstition, and duality."( SGGS - 16).
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| Sikh Devotees |
The Architecture
Stepwells are wells in which the water is reached by descending a set of steps to the water level. They are most common in western India and known as
Baoli or Baori. The Baolis not only provide storage of water for the locals, they also provided cool, quiet retreats during the hot summers for the traders.
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| Baoli Sahib and Goindwal Sahib Gurdwara |
The main gurdwara of
Goindwal Sahib standing next to the
Baoli Sahib building with gold dome against the checkerboard pattern of the courtyard. The Gurdwara is an example of typical Sikh architecture with a large dome tipped with a gold pinnacle - four cupolas echoing the main dome in shape and the ubiquitous facade of turrets, elliptical cornices and projected windows.
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| Murals of Baoli Sahib |
The entrance of
Baoli Sahib is decorated with murals describing events of the Sikh history. The Baoli, the step well spans about 25 feet or 8 meters. The well has a few resting places between the 84 steps providing the Sikhs a place to get together and have spiritual discussion.
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| Devotees reciting Jupji Sahib on steps of Baoli Sahib |
References
https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/beliefs-and-superstitions
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goindval
https://www.learnreligions.com/goindwal-baoli-the-well-of-goindwal-2993190
https://miripiriacademy.org/blog/84-steps-to-liberation/#!
nice
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