Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib

Introduction: Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib is located in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, India. It is one of the ten historical Gurdwaras of Delhi. Its construction was started by a military General, Bhagel Singh Dhaliwal, in 1783. The characteristic golden Gumbad (dome) was placed in 1930. It was built to honour the sacrifice made by the revered ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib (1621-1675).

Geographical Location:  Chandni Chowk Road, Maliwara, Chatta Pratap, Chandni Chowk, Delhi-110006.

Visit time: Open 24 hours

Nearby places (Landmark, sightseeing):  Sri Digambar Jain Temple, Red Fort, Fatehpuri Mosque,  Sunheri Masjid, Sultana Raziya’s tomb, Ghalib ki Haveli, Chandni Chowk Market

Accessibility route: One can take the Delhi Metro and get down at the Chandni Chowk Metro Station. After exiting from Gate No.1, one can either walk or take a rickshaw to reach the Gurdwara. It can also be reached using auto rickshaws and private cabs from any part of the city. 

Historical Significance:

Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib is of great historical and religious significance. Sis means head. Traditionally, it is believed that the Guru ... More

Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib

Introduction: Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib is located in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, India. It is one of the ten historical Gurdwaras of Delhi. Its construction was started by a military General, Bhagel Singh Dhaliwal, in 1783. The characteristic golden Gumbad (dome) was placed in 1930. It was built to honour the sacrifice made by the revered ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib (1621-1675).

Geographical Location:  Chandni Chowk Road, Maliwara, Chatta Pratap, Chandni Chowk, Delhi-110006.

Visit time: Open 24 hours

Nearby places (Landmark, sightseeing):  Sri Digambar Jain Temple, Red Fort, Fatehpuri Mosque,  Sunheri Masjid, Sultana Raziya’s tomb, Ghalib ki Haveli, Chandni Chowk Market

Accessibility route: One can take the Delhi Metro and get down at the Chandni Chowk Metro Station. After exiting from Gate No.1, one can either walk or take a rickshaw to reach the Gurdwara. It can also be reached using auto rickshaws and private cabs from any part of the city. 

Historical Significance:

Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib is of great historical and religious significance. Sis means head. Traditionally, it is believed that the Guru laid down his life to protect all those religions which were sought to be persecuted by the bigoted policies of the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb.

A group of Kashmiri Pandits approached Guru Teg Bahadur Ji with their plight. They were led by a Pandit called Kripa Raam to seek help from Guru Sahib to eliminate the religious persecution of not only the Brahmans but the people following the religion of Hinduism in general.  At that point, Guru Gobind Rai (later Guru Gobind Singh) asked his father (Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji) to offer the supreme sacrifice as Aurangzeb had vowed that he will not proceed with the conversion of Hindus into Muslims if some saint sacrifices himself. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji decided that sacrifice is essential to stop the injustice being done in the country. He advised the Kashmiri Pandits to tell Aurangzeb that they would embrace Islam if Guru Tegh Bahadur agrees to do the same. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji knew that he would sacrifice his life rather than convert.

Orders were sent out for the arrest of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji by Aurangzeb. Before departing from Anandpur, Guru declared his son Guru Har Rai as the next Sikh Guru. Today we know him as Guru Gobind Singh Ji (the last Sikh Guru).

Upon reaching Delhi, Guru Sahib was put in chains and tortured. He was asked to abandon his faith, convert to Islam and perform miracles to prove his divinity. Guru Teg Bahadur Ji refused to do so and his refusal angered Aurangzeb who ordered that Guru Sahib should be beheaded. Guru Teg Bahadur Ji willingly sacrificed himself for the sake of humanity under a banyan tree publicly in Chandni Chowk in November 1675. Guru’s disciple Bhai Mati Das’s body was sawn into two parts, head downwards, Bhai Dayal Das was made to sit in a large iron cauldron of boiling water and Bhai Sati Das attained martyrdom when he was first wrapped in cotton, and then burnt alive.

One of the disciples of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, Bhai Jaita, consecrated Guru Ji’s severed head and carried it to Anandpur Sahib where it was cremated by his son, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The Guru's body was taken by Bhai Lakhi Shah to his house and set to fire along with his house, to conceal the cremation of his Guru's body. This place is marked by Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib which is near Parliament House in Delhi.

The entire Hindu society in northern India was shaken by this supreme sacrifice which was done to protect the faith of the people. Thereafter, Guru Teg Bahadur was given the title of “Hind ki chadar.” The title is, in itself, self-explanatory.