The sikh heritage of pakistan

Another breathtakingly beautiful structure is the Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Abbottabad, which has on its premises a large rock bearing the mark of a palm believed to have been left by Guru Nanak. Every April, the Baisakhi Fair attracts a large number of Sikhs, from home and abroad. Gurdwara Darbar Sahib is of great significance for it was here that Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life. It houses the mazaar of the Guru and his Samadhi. One carries a part of his sheet and the other the ashes of the other half of the sheet that the Guru used in his life time. His body, like Bhagat Kabeer’s, is believed to have disappeared when the Muslims and the Hindus were locked in a fierce argument about the last rites of the Guru’s mortal remains. The book also features havelis built by the Sikhs, and the most attractive is undoubtedly the Haveli Naunihal Singh in Lahore. Also appearing in the book is a collection of sculptures and some exquisite paintings by eminent European artists. These, as also the weaponry dating back to the Sikh period, are on display at the Lahore Fort Museum. While looking at the specimens of Sikh architecture, one cannot help but conclude that these were inspired by late Mughal architecture. The decorative ceilings, the frescoes, the filigrees and the arches were all borrowed from the Mughals. The Sikh Heritage of Pakistan also carries Allama Iqbal’s poetic tribute to Guru Nanak. One wonders why the poem is not included in the curriculum of schools and colleges.