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Guru Nanak legacy in Odisha forgotten
The locals of Jajpur district seem to have forgotten Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion, who, during his pilgrimage to Puri, had landed in Jajpur in 1506.
“A well was dug in Jajpur town to provide water to Guru Nanak and his disciples during their visit to the place. A large number of people used the well considering the water to be holy like the water of the river Ganga. But now some influential persons in a clear nexus with officials are trying to damage the 500-year-old well,” said Gurucharana Singh Gill of State Sikh Pratinidhi Board.
The ancient well is now covered with garbage. It is a matter of regret that some persons are trying to erase the memory of Guru Nanak by leveling the well. The altar (gadi) of Guru Nanak near Barahanath temple in Baranath village of Jajpur town, where Nanak sat during his visit to Jajpur, is also neglected.
“Though belated, the altar of Guru Nanak and the 500-year-old well could still be restored to its original design,” said a researcher of Jajpur Eakadashi Padhi.
Legend has it that Nanak during his tour to Puri with his disciples gone through Cuttack, Jajpur and Bhadrak. But, these days, the common people of Jajpur do not know anything about the Guru’s visit and particularly about the historical places connected with him, Padhi lamented.
Sikhs have made some unsuccessful attempts to acquire those places for the purpose of building Gurdwaras, but due to political complications, they have failed. Nearly, 25 years ago, a team of scholars from Guru Nanak Dev University had submitted an interesting report on the different places in Odisha, including Jajpur, associated with the memory of the Guru.
Two years back, a group of Sikh scholars and some local Sikhs urged the district administration to preserve the altar (gadi) of Guru Nanak and to renovate the well. Last year some Sikhs were pained to see that the well and the altar still lay in a shambles.
“About 500 years ago, two great luminaries appeared on the horizon of India, one on the east and the other in the west. They were Chaitanya and Nanak. Nanak was the founder of the Sikh religion. In 1506 Nanak visited Odisha. He lived for 71 years and within his life time, he is believed to have spent 25 years in travelling across India and many foreign countries. Tradition says that after walking a long distance, he rested on the bank of river Mahanadi at ‘Kaliaboda’.
Many people went to Nanak to pay their homage. This is a sacred place of the Sikhs. There is also clear evidence in Bhadrak that Nanak came to Odisha. Nanak stayed in a village in Bhadrak and held mass prayer. The village is called Sangat meaning mass prayer of the Sikhs. There is a recorded plot here called ‘Nanak Diha’ too,” researcher Padhi revealed.
When contacted, district cultural officer Bijaya Mohanty said, “The authority will include the memorials of Guru Nanak in the important historical places of Jajpur, which will be developed shortly.”
The locals of Jajpur district seem to have forgotten Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion, who, during his pilgrimage to Puri, had landed in Jajpur in 1506.
“A well was dug in Jajpur town to provide water to Guru Nanak and his disciples during their visit to the place. A large number of people used the well considering the water to be holy like the water of the river Ganga. But now some influential persons in a clear nexus with officials are trying to damage the 500-year-old well,” said Gurucharana Singh Gill of State Sikh Pratinidhi Board.
The ancient well is now covered with garbage. It is a matter of regret that some persons are trying to erase the memory of Guru Nanak by leveling the well. The altar (gadi) of Guru Nanak near Barahanath temple in Baranath village of Jajpur town, where Nanak sat during his visit to Jajpur, is also neglected.
“Though belated, the altar of Guru Nanak and the 500-year-old well could still be restored to its original design,” said a researcher of Jajpur Eakadashi Padhi.
Legend has it that Nanak during his tour to Puri with his disciples gone through Cuttack, Jajpur and Bhadrak. But, these days, the common people of Jajpur do not know anything about the Guru’s visit and particularly about the historical places connected with him, Padhi lamented.
Sikhs have made some unsuccessful attempts to acquire those places for the purpose of building Gurdwaras, but due to political complications, they have failed. Nearly, 25 years ago, a team of scholars from Guru Nanak Dev University had submitted an interesting report on the different places in Odisha, including Jajpur, associated with the memory of the Guru.
Two years back, a group of Sikh scholars and some local Sikhs urged the district administration to preserve the altar (gadi) of Guru Nanak and to renovate the well. Last year some Sikhs were pained to see that the well and the altar still lay in a shambles.
“About 500 years ago, two great luminaries appeared on the horizon of India, one on the east and the other in the west. They were Chaitanya and Nanak. Nanak was the founder of the Sikh religion. In 1506 Nanak visited Odisha. He lived for 71 years and within his life time, he is believed to have spent 25 years in travelling across India and many foreign countries. Tradition says that after walking a long distance, he rested on the bank of river Mahanadi at ‘Kaliaboda’.
Many people went to Nanak to pay their homage. This is a sacred place of the Sikhs. There is also clear evidence in Bhadrak that Nanak came to Odisha. Nanak stayed in a village in Bhadrak and held mass prayer. The village is called Sangat meaning mass prayer of the Sikhs. There is a recorded plot here called ‘Nanak Diha’ too,” researcher Padhi revealed.
When contacted, district cultural officer Bijaya Mohanty said, “The authority will include the memorials of Guru Nanak in the important historical places of Jajpur, which will be developed shortly.”
