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This paper highlights the historical importance of the stepwell in Goindwal. Goindwal has an important place in Sikhism. This city is situated on the medieval route (Delhi to Lahore). Goindwal was founded by Third Guru Amar Das on the Beas river. Guru Amar Das also constructed a stepwell at Goindwal and gave new dimension to Sikhism. This stepwellnot only holds historical importance but also symbolises the Sikh faith. This stepwell has a long stepped corridor which has total 84 steps.In Sikh belief, it is believed that whoever recites the Japjiattentively and reverently with each step will be freed from the cycle of reincreation in the 84 lacs species of life. Over the passage of time Goindwal has emerged as the first great centre of Sikhism.

This paper investigates the following questions: 1. How Goindwal developed as a religious centre of Sikhism. 2. How Sikh Guru Amar Das had given a new dimension to Sikhism through the construction of the stepwell. 3. What is the significance of water structure in the Sikh faith. 4. How a historical monument contains information related to science and technology prevalent in the era. 5. To study how the tradition of the common kitchen (lunger) developed in Sikhism.

Max Arthur Macauliffe, the writer of 'The Sikh Religion', mentioned the development of Sikhism. It is one of the most comprehensive books about the Sikh religion. This book was originally published in 1909 A.D. Macauliffe provides all aspects of the Sikh religion after the deep study of manuscripts of the Sikh sacred writings as well as help from Sikh scholars. Abdul QadirBadayuni court historian and translator of Mughal Emperor Akbar also quoted the visit of Akbar to Goindwal and met Sikh Guru Arjan Dev. A large number of studies have been conducted that covered many aspects of Sikhism. Many historians like Fauja Singh, Surender Singh Kohli, Balwant Singh Gujrati, Muhammad Akbar, and Hari Ram Gupta, etc. mentioned Goindwal as a historical town in their studies. With the passage of time Goindwal emerged as the first great centre of Sikhism.

Goindwal Sahib is a centre of Sikh faith. It is located in Tran Taran district in the Majha region of the Punjab. Goindwal is on the western bank of the river Beas. Goindwal was situated in medieval route, which was known as BadshahiSadak (Mughal road) from Agra to Lahore.[5] It is located at 31.360 Latitude and 75.130 longitude[6] and is situated at an elevation of 226 meters above the sea level.

Goindwalwas associated with Guru Nanak Devji,before it was established as a city. Max Arthur Macauliffe the writer of ‘The Sikh Religion’ mentioned that “The Guru thence proceeded to a village on the site of the present Goindwal, Where he desired to stay, but no one except a poor leper would receive him or allow him to remain there. The laper took him to his hut, and entertained him for the night. The laper thanked God that he had at last seen a human face, for even the lower animals had fled from him.”[7]

Third Sikh Guru, Guru Amar Das (1479-1574)[8] founded the city of Goindwal on the Beas in 1546 A.D. under the direction of Guru AngadDev (Second Guru)[9]. After the appointment of Guru Amar Das as a successor of Guru AngadDev in 1552 A.D., shifted the Sikh headquarter from Khadur Sahib to Goindwal and preached his doctrine of truth and God’s Name. He turned his attention to the secular affairs. Everyone who visited him was fed in his kitchen and what he received daily for the kitchen was used up in the evening, with nothing saved for the next day.[10]

“The inhabitants of Goindwal daily increased and the city extended itself owing to the number of those who sought the Guru’s spiritual advice and instruction. There then arose a difficulty in procuring timber for the construction of houses, and a deputation waited for the Guru to represent the matter. The Guru ordered his nephew Sawan Mal to proceed to Haripur in the Kangra district to cut down pine trees and cedar, and float them in rafts down the river Bias….When the timber reached the Guru, he distributed it amongst the people of all castes, who then constructed comfortable dwellings for themselves. Goindwal subsequently became an imposing city on the margins of the Bias.”[11] When Goindwalrose to importance some Muhammadan dignitaries settled there.[12] During the 16th century Goindwal developed as a religious centre of Sikhism under the Guruship (1552-74) of Guru Amar Das.

In 1569 A.D. Mughal Emperor Akbar visited Goindwal and met Guru Amar Das and had lunch in the Guru’s kitchen while he was going to Lahore. Akbar was highly impressed by the tradition of common kitchen and he granted land in the name of BibiBhani the daughter of Guru Amar Das.[13]. Akbar visited Guru ArjunDev on his return journey from Punjab. “The Emperor partook of the Guru’s hospitality. The Emperor remitted the revenues of the Punjab for that year in compliment to the Guru, who represented that there was a severe famine in the land and the cultivators required his Majesty’s consideration. Badaoni states that on another occasion, namely, the thirteenth month of Azar(Jamadiulsani), Akbar, with a gorgeous military retinue, crossed the Bias and went to Goindwal to visit Guru Arjan, whose teachings and character he appreciated.”[14]

Guru Amar Das had given a new dimension to the Sikh organization by constructing a stepwell (baoli) at Goindwal. As a result of this, Goindwal emerged as the first great centre of Sikhism.[15] Regarding the construction of stepwell by Guru Amar Das a story is mentioned by Macauliffe in his book, “One morning, before dawn, while theAsakiWar was being chanted, the Guru fell into a trance. He saw Guru Nanak appear in his thoughts and ordered him to create a pilgrimage site where god alone could be worshipped, and thus to a blessing upon the world. It was the object of the Gurus to preserve their Sikhs from contamination at Hardwar, Banaras, and other places of Hindu pilgrimage, Guru Amar Das resolved to obey the order he felt he had received in such a solemn manner. He purchased some land, and on the day of the full moon in the month of Kartik he laid the foundation of the Bawali, or well with descending steps with all the appropriate religious ceremonies, which is now asite of revered pilgrimage to Hindus as well as Sikhs in the city of Goindwal. His Sikhs all joined in the work. Some dug up the earth, some put it into baskets, some removed it, some made offering of corn for the support of the workman, some drew water for them, and some cooked their meals. There was great activity throughout the city during the construction of the Bawali.”[16] “The Bawali when finished yielded sweet drinking water, and the Sikhs greatly rejoiced at the completion of their labours.”[17]

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Guru erected this Baoli (stepwell) during his Guruship in between 1552-74 A.D. At present the whole structure is restored with white marble and is in use as a Sikh shrine and famous as ‘Baoli Sahib’.18 The gateway to the baoli is a single square compartment surmounted with bulbous dome,19 and the entrance is made of cusped arch. Bulbous dome and cusp arches do not match with the time period of Baoli construction (1552-74 A.D.). Because both style (Bulbous dome and cusp arches) of architecture developed in the reign of Shah Jahan (1627-58 A.D.)20. Most probably the structure of gateway was a later addition in original construction. At present the gateway’s dome covered by gold and a modern finial. A long stepped corridor leading down to the surface of the water.21 Corridor has total 84 steps22 and is covered by 14 arched ceiling.23Macauliffe mentioned that “A Sikh carpenter, devoutly made woodwork for seven steps of the Bawali and clamped it with iron.”Currently there is no evidence of woodwork and all the steps are covered with white marble. Just before the well there is a square chamber supported by arches on each sidewhich provides the dome with cylindrical base for springing.24 The final part of the Baoli is a well.25At present its inner portion is decorated with white marble and covered with a low dome,26which are later addition. However, it is the stepwell of the sixteenth century Punjab, that is still in use today as a centre of Sikh faith. This water structure also contains information related to science and technology prevalent in the era.

1. R.Nath, “Some Aspects of Mughal Architecture”, New Delhi, 1976, p. 22. Water is mentioned as a father in Japji Sahib. ‘‘पवणगुरु पाणी पितामाता धरतमहत।। दिवसरातहुए दाईदाया खेलैसगलजगत।।’’ 2. SubhashParihar, “Some Aspects of Indo-Islamic Architecture”, New Delhi, 1999, p. 100. 3. K.V. SounderaRajan, “Islam Builds in India”, Delhi, 1983, p. 155. 4. Jahangir, “Tuzuk-I-Jahangiri”, Vol. I, Eng. Tr.By Alexander Rogers and Ed. By Henry Beveridge, Delhi, 1978 (Originally Published in 1909-1914), pp. 7-8 5. The location of the town was an ancient east-west, highway that crossed the river Beas connecting Delhi and Lahore (Surinderjit Singh, “The Masters & The World Divine”, 1999, p. 73) and head of most important ferries on the river Beas. (Trilochan Singh, “Guru TeghBahadur, Prophet and Martyr : A Biography”, 1967, p. 107) With the renovation of the highway by Sher Shah Suri, the Afgan ruler of north India (1540-45), this ferry site became an important transit point. (Jonathan Bloom, “The Grove encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture”, Vol. II, Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 258) Also see, Hari Ram Gupta, “Later Mughal History of the Punjab (1707-1793)”, Lahore, 1944, p. 299 6. See, https://www.latlong.net 7. M.A. Macauliffe, “The Sikh Religion”, Vol.I (in six volumes), Delhi, 1963 (First Reprinted in India), p. 107. Also see, SurinderSinghKohli, “Travels of Guru Nanak”, Chandigarh, 1997 (Third Edition), p.9. 8. The name of Amar Das is connected with the village of Goindwal, close to Khadur Sahib in Tarn Taran, where he lived and died. Here there is a temple usually known by the name of the Baoli Sahib. As there was no space available for a tank, a Baoli or well was built instead, which is connected to the upper ground by a flight of steps, that gave its name to the temple. See, “District and States Gazetters”, Vol. III. p. 14. 9. “One day a man called Gobind came to make a complaint to Guru Angad. Having been involved in a lawsuit with his relations,hevowed that if he were ever victorious, he would found a city in honour of the Guru. Fortune favoured him and he began to found the city on an open plot of land on the bank of the Bias, for which he had obtained a lease from the Emperor. After receiving from an auspicious time for the inception of the work from astrologers, he laid out the boundaries, employed masons, and began to build.However what was done by day was in some mysterious manners undone by night. It was supposed that this was the work of demons, but probably the enmity of Gobind’s relations have not been taken sufficiently into consideration. Gobind prayed to the Guru to have the village completed and called after himself. The Guru then read him a homily on the futility of fame. ‘why trouble about miserable homily on the futility of fame. ‘Why trouble about miserable human affairs? There ought to be naught dearer to man than the true name? Gobind then prayed him to grant his desires, even if he had no ambition to have the city founded in his honour. Upon this, Guru Angad sent his walking stick to Amar Das and commissioned him to remove whatever obstructed the construction of the city. Amar Das prayed to God for his assistance, and every thing succeeded according to the Guru’s wishes. Gobind founded a beautiful city, which Amar Das called Gobindwal in honour of him without further molestation.The city is now known as Goindwal. Gobind did not forget to build a palace in it for his benefactor Amar Das. When every thing was completed, Gobind went again to Khadur to offer his thanks to the Guru for sending with him such a potent envoy as Amar Das, and also to beg the Guru to go and live in the newly founded city. The Guru did not wish to leave his old town and residence, so he ordered Amar Das to go and live in Goindwal by night, and come to him by day…. Amar Das in process of time took with him all his relations from Basarka and permanently settled in Goindwal.” See, M.A. Macauliffe, op.cit., Vol. II, pp. 34-35. 10. Balwant Singh Gujrati, “Introducing the Ten Masters”, Delhi, 1970, p. 21. 11. M.A. Macauliffe, op.cit., Vol. II, pp. 60-61. 12. Ibid, p. 68. 13. “It was now the time for the Emperor Akbar to make his periodical visit to Lahore. Having crossed the Bias, he made a detour to Goindwal, and accompanied by a large escort of Mughal and Pathan soldiers made a state visit to the Guru, of whose sanctity he had heard such favourable accounts, and presented him with costly offerings of every description. The Emperor, out of respect for the Guru walked on the base ground as he approached his residence. He learned, however, that he could not have an interview with the Guru until he had partaken of his food. The Emperor inquired of what the food consisted, and was informed that it was coarse unseasoned rice. He asked for some and partook of it as if it were ambrosia. Having seen the large number of people fed from the Guru’s kitchen he requested him to accept his service and his offerings. He added, ‘I will make thee a grant of whatever land thou desirest, and I am ready to perform any other office that may be pleasing to thee’. The Guru replied, ‘I have obtained land and rent-free tenures from my creator. He who cherisheth all existences giveth also unto me. My Sikhs devoutly give me wherewithal to supply my kitchen. Whatever cometh daily is spent daily, and for the morrow my trust is in God.’ The Emperor pressed on him the acceptance of several villages, but the Guru was firm in his refusal. The Emperor then said, “I see then desirest nothing. From thy treasury and thy kitchen countless beings receive bounties, and I entertain similar hopes. The villages which thou refusest I will grant to thy daughter BibiBhani’. The Emperor upon this signed a grant of the villages in her name. The Guru gave the Emperor a dress of honour, and dismissed him, highly pleased with his pilgrimage.” See, M.A. Macauliffe,op.cit., Vol. II, pp. 97-98. Also see, Fauja Singh (Ed.), “The City of Amritsar:, Patiala, 2000 (Third Edition), p. 14. 14. M.A. Macauliffe, op.cit., Vol. III, p. 84. 15. Fauja Singh (Ed.), op.cit., p. 13. 16. M.A. Macauliffe, op.cit., Vol. II, p. 87. 17. Ibid, p. 96. 18. Exhibit A, Plates 1-3. 19. See, Plate-1. 20. Percy Brown, “Indian Architecture (Islamic Period)”, Bombay, Sixth Reprint 1975 (First Published in 1956), Plates IV & LV 21. See, Plates – 3-4. 22. “The decreed that whoever should attentively and reverently repeat the Japji on every step, should escape from wandering in the wombs of the eighty-four lakhs of living creatures.” See, M.A. Macauliffe, op.cit., Vol. II, pp. 96-97. Also see, Muhamad Akbar, “The Punjab Under the Mughals”, Delhi, 1974, p. 188 23. See, Plates 3-4. 24. See, Plate 5. 25. See, Plate 6. 26. See, Plate 2.