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| Dear Chanchal Singh Chawdhary ji Sat Sri Akal There is no question that pilgrimage as a ritual is unequivocally condemned in gurbani. As far as the reference to Sarup Das Bhalla's Mahima Parkash given by Mr Raghbir Singh Tak to the effect that Guru Amar Das ji constructed a baoli as a place of pilgrimage is concerned we must not take it at its face value. Sarup Das Bhalla and his family members were in control of the assets at Goindwal. In view of the rising importance of Chak Guru Ramdas as a Sikh Centre it was imperative for the Bhalla families in Goindwal to give credence to some ritual that could draw sikhs to Goindwal to provide income from offerings. Similar control of Kartarpur in the hands of Udasi followers of Baba Sri Chand was proving an irritant for Guru Angad Dev ji as indeed the control of Amritsar in the hands of Meenas or progeny of Prithi Chand. The ideas of these places as pilgrimage centres was popularised by these dissidents to draw income from the respect the Sikhs showed to anything associated with the lives of Gurus. Otherwise it is intriguing to see that Guru Gobind Singh ji never crossed the river Beas to visit either Goindwal or Amritsar nor asked sikhs to do that. As far as construction of Baoli is concerned it must be realised that the main source of water at Khadoor Sahib in the time of Guru Angad Dev ji's time was the river Beas. Guru Amar Das ji,as is well known used to bring water for bathing Guru Angad Dev ji from river Beas himself. Goindwal Sahib is only a few miles from Khadoor Sahib and must have the same Beas river as source of water. In hydrology terms this northern bank of river Beas is very high compared with the southern one on the Kapurthala side. the water table as a result is very low and the digging of a well could not give access to water for the large gatherings for bathing purposes. The baoli is a more convenient means of giving access to a larger number of persons simultaneously to go down the steps and have a dip in the mornnings. The idea of 84 readings of Japuji is a later invention of the Bhalla descendents of Guru Amar Das ji who wanted attention and income from the Sikh audience. Even today the access to such important documents as the Goi ndwal Pothis, or the Kartarpuri Bir is denied to the Sikhs by these and the Dhirmally dissidents. As far as Ragbir Singh Tak is concerned, at the time he wrote the quoted piece he was not even on the regular faculty of the Guru Nanak Dev University. He was only a hired research scholar. Incidentally he is a Hindu and a follower of Devi, arranges Devi Jagran in the campus on special occasions although he carries Singh in his name he is a clean shaven Hindu person. Therefore, he has expected inclination to prove that Sikh Gurus approved of pilgrimages albeit to Sikh historical places. W H McLeold at that time was a visiting professor from NewZealand to Baring Christian College in Batala and had begun studies in Sikh history. I may not agree with some of his assertions but we must try to answer the questions raised by the objective view of an outsider rather than the subjective half truths of persons posing as Sikhs. Humbly I remain the Charan Dhoor of the Sadh Sangat Serjinder Singh |
