Historical gurdwara on Lahore's Temple Road reopens first time since Partition

LAHORE: After being closed for 79 years following the Partition, the historical Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib, located on Temple Road in Mozang, has been reopened on Sunday. The restoration of the sacred site was completed with the joint efforts of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), and the Punjab government.

The reopening ceremony was attended by Sikh community members, Punjab Minorities Minister and PSGPC president Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, Evacuee Trust Property Board Secretary Nasir Mushtaq, Deputy Secretary Shrines Usman Khan, Deputy Secretary General Saadat Shehbaz, and other officials.

Guru Hargobind Sahib, the sixth Guru of Sikhism from 1595 to 1644, is renowned as a warrior-saint who strengthened the Sikh community against religious oppression. According to Sikh history, Guru Hargobind Sahib visited Lahore and stayed at Bhai Jiwan's residence in Mozang after being invited by the local Sikh congregation. In gratitude for hosting the Guru, Bhai Jiwan transformed his home into a gurdwara.

The shrine has a historical connection with Bhai Bidhi Chand, who made two notable trips to Lahore in 1598 to retrieve two horses, named Dilbagh and Gulbagh, seized by the Mughal governor of Lahore. Bhai Bidhi Chand resided at the gurdwara during these visits to recover the horses. In 1915, the local Sikh congregation extended the gurdwara’s hall.

The Gurdwara's construction began in 1926 under the leadership of Sardar Mehar Singh, while the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) took administrative control in 1927. The Partition of 1947 halted regular Sikh worship at the shrine.

Speaking at the reopening event, Punjab Minorities Minister and PSGPC president Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora highlighted that the restoration of the historic shrine was now complete and open for Sikh worship. He further mentioned that over fifty gurdwaras in Pakistan were being renovated as part of efforts to preserve Sikh religious heritage and facilitate pilgrims.

Nasir Mushtaq, ETPB Secretary, emphasized that the restoration and reopening of Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi aimed to provide better facilities to the Sikh community for worship while preserving Lahore’s historical and religious heritage for future generations. Mushtaq also commended Giani Balwant Singh and PSGPC Committee member Professor Dr Mampal Singh for their valuable contributions to the gurdwara's restoration. The Shrines Department pledged to continue its efforts in restoring historical gurdwaras and temples.