Jor Mela Baba Bakala

 

An Annual Fair (Jor Mela) is held at Baba Bakala every year .  Many people throng this holy place from all over the country. It is a festive time for the Sikhs.

 

After the eighth Sikh Guru (Great Master), Guru Har Krishan left for heavenly abode at Delhi on March 30, 1664; there was utter confusion among Sikhs about the next Guru.

 

Before leaving, Guru Har Krishan gave an indication that the next Guru would be found at Baba Bakala.

 

On that day, the only Baba present at Bakala was Baba Tegh Bahadur (brother of the grandfather of Guru Har Krishan). But, many imposters reached Baba Bakala and tried to grab Guru Gaddi by posing themselves as the real Guru.

 

Credit to discovering the Guru goes to Makhan Shah Lubana, a banjara (nomad) trader from Jhelum district (now in Pakistan). God wanted to show him the way, therefore, his ship was caught in a strong sea storm. His life and goods were in great danger.

 

Since he was a firm believer of Guru Nanak, he knelt and prayed to the Guru for help during that critical time. He vowed that if by the grace of the Guru, he landed safely at the nearest port; he would donate five hundred gold coins to the Guru as charity. He was lucky to reach the nearest port in spite of the deadly storm. He was confident that his life and goods in such a severe storm could only be saved due to the grace of the Guru.

            After his return, the first thing Makhan Shah Lubana did was to fulfill his vow. But, after reaching Baba Bakala, he found several imposters, each posing as Guru. He decided to offer only two gold coins to each one posing to be Guru Harkrishan’s successor. He was confident that the true Guru would demand the exact amount vowed by him. As expected, none of the imposters could recognise him. But, when he offered two gold coins in front of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the great sage blessed him and asked that why he had offered only two gold cons instead of the pledged five hundred. He further said that the Guru did not need any thing but a Sikh was expected to keep his pledge.

 

Thus, the real Guru was discovered. Makhan Shah Lubana climbed to the roof top and Shouted ‘Guru Ladho Re, Guru Ladho Re’ (The Guru is found).

 

Since then Bakala became a place of pilgrimage for Sikhs. A beautiful Gurudwara is located at the spot where Guru Tegh Bahadur used to meditate in an underground cell. This small village was subsequently known as Baba­ Bakala. This place is situated at a distance of about 40 KM from Amritsar.

 

People  gather in thousands at Baba Bakala on every amavas (no moon) night. Each year in the month of March, people also gather at this place to pay homage to their holy Guru Teg Bahadur.