MANZOOR A. NAIK
Guru Nanak was born in A.D 1469 at a small village named Talwandi Rai Bhoe, a place situated thirty five miles to the south-west of Lahore. The same place is now called Nankana Sahib.
It is said that as the years passed Nanak displayed his total interest in the Lord renouncing worldly attachments. Later, on a day in his life Nanak took a dip in a stream, Lord emmissaries took him away and ushered him in His benign presence. There Nanak had an interview with the Almighty who asked him to preach the glory of His name.
Guru Nanak thus atttained enlightenment, and set out on long tours to spread the message of the Lord among the people who had forgotten his name.
Guru Nanak entered Jammu and Kashmir State from Kashgar and Yarkand( China ) through Karakoram Pass and reached Leh, as per Dr. Kohli (Travels Of
Guru Nanak page-128 ) however, Dr. Fauja Singh and Dr. Kirpal Singh mention Guru Nanak reaching Leh through Chushul after visit of Mansarovar (Atlas Travels of Guru Nanak page-30). The second route seems more plausible. There is a tree near Leh under which Guru Nanak sat and delivered sermons. The tree is treated sacred by the local people.
From Leh Guru Ji visited number of places in Ladakh. There is a rock on the roadside measuring 8 feet high and 8 feet in diameter at a distance of 24 km, to the west of Leh on the Leh-Kargil Road in the village Basgo.
Guru Nanak also visited Karu. There are two small huntments near Karu, where people only worship Guru Nanak and no other God.
It clearly shows the impact of Guru’s visit to the place. Guru Nanak also visited Hemus Gompa, 40 km south of Leh where he held discussions with Lamas. Many people in Hemus believe that foundation stone of the Hemus Gompha was laid by Guru Nanak himself.
From Leh, passing through Karu and Hemus, Guru Nanak moved towards Skardu. The Guru passed through Nimu and Khaltse and reached Skardu and then Kargil. There is a historical Gurudwara in memory of Guru’s visit, very close to a temple. From Kargil, Guru Nanak proceeded towards the famous Zojilla Pass which is about 80 km to the south. He stayed at Drasnagar near Zojilla. There from Guru proceeded to the famous Hindu religious centre Amarnath, the place of Lord Shiva.
Guru Nanak had discussions with Pandits at Amarnath and explained to them the process of formation of the Ice Lingam. He then reached Srinagar.
Braham Das was then the most eminent of the Kashmiri Pandits. On hearing the news of the Guru’s arrival, he went to pay him a formal visit. To him Guru Nanak said, “There is one road, one door; the Guru is the ladder to reach one’s home. Beautiful is God; Nanak, all happiness is in His name.
God Himself created and recognised his Creation. He seperated the earth from the sky and spread a canopy over it. He fixed the heavens without pillars by the utterance of the word.
Having created the sun and the moon, He infused His light into them. He made a wonderful play of the day and night…..”
Brahan Das then recognising the Guru’s piety and genius fell at His feet, and asked Him what existed before creation?
The Guru in reply uttered the following hymn known as Solaha ( a hymn containing sixteen stanzas ) in Rag Maru; “In the beginning there was indescribable darkness; then was not earth or heaven, naught but God’s unequalled order. Then was not day or night, or moon or sun; God was meditating on the void….
Neither creation nor destruction, nor coming nor going, then were not continents, or hells, or seven seas, or rivers, or flowing streams; nor was there paradise, or a tortoise, or neither regions;……
No incarnations or spells, no hypocrisy, nor did anyone play on the flute. No one saw caste or birth with his eyes. There was no Mulla or Qazi; No Shaikh, no disciple, no Haji; No subject or king; nor was pride in the world, nor did anyone give himself a great name.
No friend, no helper, no seed, no blood. God Himself was the merchant, Himself the dealer-such was the will of true one. When He pleased He created the world; without support He sustained the sky….”
Upon this Brahm Das again fell at the Guru’s feet, cast away the idol from his neck, and became a worshipper of God, and performed service for the Guru.
The Guru also met Shaivites at the temple of Shankaracharya.
After visiting a number of places in Ladakh, Kashmir and Amarnath Shrine, Guru Nanak entered Kishtwar and visited places like Pangi, Mani Mahesh, Badarwah (where a place Sidh Di Bageechi is synonimous with his visit).
Guru Nanak also visited Vaishno Devi (Garb Yoni) and Jammu. While on his visit to Vaishno Devi, he had religious discussions with the Pandits and understanding the religious ceremonies they were conducting, he communicated to them the message about the ‘True Name.’ the following hymn was recited by Guru Nanak at the Vaishno Devi Cave:-“0 mortal, abandon falsehood and your worthless ways. Death viciously kills the false beings. The faithless cynic is ruined through falsehood and his egoistical mind. On the path of duality, he rots away and decomposes. Abandon slander and envy of others. Reading and studying, they burn, and do not find tranquility. Joining the Sat Sangat, the true congregation, praise the Naam, the name of the Lord. The Lord, the Supreme Soul, shall be your helper and companion. Abandon sexual desire, anger and wickedness.”
From Viashno Devi, Guru ji travelled to another place known by the name of Mehndi Pagamber. The people of this place used to apply henna (Mehndi) to their hair and they also believed in a ritual where hair of a horse was used to be considered sacred which helped the people in despair. Guru Nanak Dev ji put these people on right track.
Guru Nanak also visited the Cave named Jamvant Di Gufa now called Peer Kho in Jammu.The Pandits at this place used to tell the people that Jamvant is in deep sleep in the Gufa and the sound which they hear is him snoring. People used to blindly believe this. Guru Nanak had religious discussions with the people here and told them that the sound which they hear was actually of water which was flowing inside and put them on the right track.
Guru Nanak’s visit to a number of places in Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu left a great impact on the social and religious life of the people. His visit in the state of Jammu and Kashmir laid down the foundation of Sikhism here as Guru Nanak helped the people in the eradication of blind faiths and superstitions. Whosoever came in the contact of Guru Nanak became exponent of Gurbani and performed Service (Seva) to the Guru and spread message of the supreme Lord among other people. After Guru Nanak, Guru Hargobind and Guru Har Rai (the Sixth and Seventh Guru of Sikhs) visited Jammu and Kashmir and played a pivotal role in strengthening the basic foundation laid down by Guru Nanak.
(The author is research scholar History Department University of Jammu)