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| Perspectives On The Sikh Tradition, Justice Gurdev Singh ************************************* Gurudwara Panja Sahib It is not within the scope of this volume to examine Dr. McLeod's conclusion on scrutiny of various incidents of Guru Nanak's life narrated in the "Janamsakhis" to which he has devoted 147 pages of his first book 'Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion' and later the entire volume of 300 pages, 'Early Sikh Tradition'. The present writer will, however like to place before the reader what he has personally observed at the popular and highly venerated Sikh shrine of Panja Sahib at Hasan Abdal, now in Pakistan about 30 miles from Rawalpindi. In this volume Dr. Noel Q. King on examining McLeod's rejection as "aetiological legend" the Sakhi about Panja Sahib and the Sikh tradition associated with it concludes: "Dr. McLeod who is so outstanding for his exhaustive field work does not seem to have tried to collect oral evidence from many living Sikhs who have visited Panja Sahib and indeed possess detailed photographs. In addition, Pakistan welcomes New Zealander and though Sikh shrines are carefully sealed off to prevent fanatics damaging them, scholars with persistence and adroit use of resources can get access to most things. It has to be admitted that critical scholarship has here performed less than its best with regard to one of the sacred things for which Sikhs are willing to lay down their lives." These comments have been occassioned by the fact that McLeod had made much of the varying remarks of some foreign travellers who described the Panja (palm impression) found in this shrine differently as "palm-mark etched upon the rock". Dr. King rightly points out that Dr. McLeod, who is anxious to ascertain facts, could have easily gone to the spot and seen for himself what it looked like. Being a New Zealander, who has spent many years in Punjab, he had easy access, especially when engaged in research. The present writer was born in Rawalpindi and educated there. After doing law he practised there at the Bar till he shifted to the Lahore High Court towards the end of the year 1942. Every year he used to visit Panja Sahib several times particularly on the annual Baisakhi festival which is even now being celebrated there by Sikhs from all over the world. He distinctly remembers that at the edge of the pool, there had always been a clear impression of open palm of a hand recessed into the rock, or hand shaped depression. Visitors to the shrine could not resist the limpid cool water and while taking a dip or bathing would throw water over the palm-impression and collecting it in the palm of their hands, as it dipped, sip it. The existing Gurudwara building was erected in the year 1932 after demolishing the old one that had been built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The palm-impression found there before and after re-construction is the same. There is, however, an important difference in topography. Prior to 1934 the portion of the rock above the palm-impression looked to be a part of the rock that lead to the foot of the hill associated with the memory of Wali Qandhari and it fostered the belief in the Sikh traditional account. While constructing the new Gurudwara building, the ground above the panja was levelled to extend the compound and build langar, store houses and accomodation for visitors and others. This was later regretted as it interfered with natural surroundings that had historical value. Such thoughtless acts of demolition are even now going on, despite the fact that SGPC, a statutory body, is charged with the duty of looking after and maintaining the historic Sikh shrines. One such recent instance is that of Qilla Anandgarh in Anandpur Sahib, the fort from where Guru Gobind Singh fought many battles. Till a few years ago the walls of the fort, its parapets, the "baoli", hidepouts with buildings above it were intact. Now, except for the main enterance to the fort, which is also likely to be demolished soon, every building or feature of the fort has been obliterated and its back portion has been levelled to link it with the adjoining hillock on which Gurudwara Keshgarh stands. Our children and scholars are thus being deprived of the occular evidence that lends credence to the various incidents recorded in the Sikh history. The Panja or the palm-impression can be called a miracle but the fact that it is there cannot be denied. Besides the photographs taken by various people after the partition of the country, the present writer has in his possession a photograph taken prior to the reconstruction of the Gurudwara in 1932. It is interesting to note that dealing with Panja Sahib in his 'Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion', McLeod, while rejecting the Janamsakhi account, could not but concede: "There is of course, a hand-shaped depression in a rock at Hasan Abdal and the Gurudwara that has been built at the site is regarded as one of the most important of all Sikh temples." It has a foot-note which tells us: "The present hand-mark is unmistakably recessed into the rock, not projecting in relief.....It has been worn smooth by touch of innumerable hands." Dealing with it later in his 'Early Sikh Tradition', while sticking to his rejection of the Sikh tradition, he refers to the description of the palm-marks given by G.B. Scott in 1930 and says: "It was evidently during the course of 1940 that the original representation in relief was eventually replaced by a crude intaglio cut into the rock. The edges which were at first sharp have now been worn smooth.' This conjectural conclusion is sought to be supported by the following foot-note: "This information was supplied to the writer by three informants who visited the shrine at Panja Sahib. According to the first informant the carving in relief was still there in 1940. The second, who visited the site in the same year stated that the hand-mark had been incised but the edges were sharp. The third, whose visit took place in 1964, reported that the edges were smooth." For proper appreciation of the matter it is necessary to remember that the Gurudwara building at Panja Sahib was reconstructed in 1932 and was completed within two years. As the present writer has stated he had been visiting this shrine every year till 1942, both before and after its reconstruction. The palm-impression on every occassion looked the same. Millions of people, including a large number of Hindus and other non-Sikhs, had gone there and not a single out of them ever complained or even voiced a suspicion that the original palm-impression had been replaced in 1940. Even the local population, which was predominantly Muslim, made no such allegation despite the Muslim League agitation against the Sikhs leading to the communal holocaust of 1947. One thing is, however, clear. There is no allegation even uptil this day that the Panja was replaced during the reconstruction of the Gurudwara in the year 1932. McLeod says it was much later in 1940. It is pertinent to ask why such a substitution became necessary; and could it be made without protest from the devotees who had been regularly visiting the shrine, and that too in the year 1940? The Gurudwara Management could never have even thought of such a replacement as the Panja is the most sacred relic for the preservation of which no Sikh would have hesitated to lay down his life. Again, if the edges of palm-impression were not worn smooth during hundreds of years, when millions and millions must have visited the shrine, how could they wear off after 1940, especially in view of the fact that the shrine was closed for quite a number of years on the partition of the country in 1947. Even when it was reopened to the devotees for a few years before 1964, only once in a year, on the Baisakhi festival could a few hundred congregate there for a couple of days. It is unfortunate that a scholar like McLeod should have sought support from such flimsy props to reject the Sakhi. ******************************************************************************** |
 | History - " Gurudwara Pan... (Preet Mohan S Ahluwalia - 15.Dec.98) |
