How Guru Teg Bahadur Smriti Gurdwaras were constructed in Delhi?
Dr Vivek Arya
The main body of the Sikhs retired from Delhi on 12th March,1784. The Sikhs received a cash present of three lakhs of rupees as karahprasad. Baghel Singh remained behind at the head of his contingent of 4,000 to build gurdwaras. First he [Baghel Singh] built a gurdwara in Teliwara in memory of Mata Sundari and Mata Sahib Devi, wives of Guru Gobind Singh. They had resided there for a time. The second gurdwara was erected in Jaisinghpura where Guru Hari Krishan had stayed in the bungalow of Maharaja Jai Singh of Jaipur. It is now called gurdwara Bangla Sahib. Four tombs were constructed on the bank of the Jamuna where Guru Hari Krishan, Mata Sundari, Mata Sahib Devi and Ajit Singh, the adopted son of Mata Sundari, had been cremated, and a gurdwara was erected there.
Two places were connected with Guru Tegh Bahadur. One was at the Kotwali where the Guru was beheaded, and the other was at Rikabganj where his headless body was cremated by Lakhi anjara. At both these places mosques had been erected by the Muslims. Baghel Singh first turned his attention to Rikabganj. The gurdwara could be built after demolishing the mosque. This created great excitement and sensation in the Muslim population. In a huge body they waited upon the Emperor. They represented that under no circumstances would they allow demolition of the mosques. Let the whole city be reduced to ashes, but the mosques would survive. The Emperor replied that they should have informed him of their views before he gave his approval in writing. He promised to discuss the matter with the Sikh chief.
An imperial official visited Baghel Singh, who said that Muslims had demolished gurdwara built on October 1, 1778, with Emperor's consent. Baghel Singh agreed to meet all the leaders of opposition. A body of about one hundred prominent persons including leading mullas and maulvis called on him. Baghel Singh closely studied their views, tried to pacify them and said he would discuss the affair with his Sikhs. He asked them to meet him again after a week. He made a note of the jagirs held by these leaders and the estates dedicated to the mosques. The Sikh sardars of Karnal and Ambala districts were instructed to march immediately and lay waste the jagirs which were mostly situated in the Ganga Doãb. His own troops were kept in alert to act at a moment's notice. Frightful reports began to pour into Delhi from all sides. The leaders finding their property in a grave danger called on Baghel Singh in twos or threes. Baghel Singh secured written approval from them for the dismantling of the mosque, and forwarded the papers to the Emperor who advised to execute the scheme without any further delay. Two thousand Sikhs delivered the assault on Rikabganj mosque which was completely wiped out in half the day. The foundation of the gurdwara was immediately laid amidst chanting of hymns from the holy Granth and distribution of consecrated food (karahprasad).
Baghel Singh now collected men and material for building the gurdwara of Sisganj. The Muslim population got ready to oppose this move. This time they did not depend upon the Emperor and their leaders. They made preparations to offer resistance. Baghel Singh did not know the exact place where the Guru had been beheaded. An aged Mashkan (Muslim water carrier woman) came to his rescue. She said that as told by her father who had washed the place after the Guru's execution, the Hindu Pir sat on a wooden chauki facing east inside the compound wall of the mosque, and his head had fallen in front of him. The imperial ministers intervened. They assured the audience that no harm would be done to the mosque. Duly a portion of the wall was pulled down and in the compound the gurdwara was allowed to be built. The sixth gurdwara was set up at Majnu Kā Tila where Guru Nanak and Mardana and Guru Hargobind had stayed. The seventh gurdwara was raised in Moti Bagh where Guru Gobind Singh had lived. All these gurdwaras were endowed liberally by grants of a number of villages to everyone of them.
[Reproduced from History of the Sikhs by Hari Ram Gupta, Vol 3, Page 168-169]
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