The Gurdwara Nanak Piao is situated in Shakti Nagar towards North of Delhi which lies on Rana Pratap Road also known to all as the Grand Trunk Road and is easily accessible by local transport. This Gurudwara is dedicated to Guru Nanak Dev who was the founder of Sikhism and hence was the first Guru of the Sikh Community and hence is of ancient, historic and religious importance to all the Sikh Communities and devotees of this Guru.
Gurdwara Nanak Piao was constructed at the very place within a garden exactly where Guru Nanak Dev had stayed during his visit to Delhi way back in 1505 during the rule of Sultan Sikandar Lodi. It was here that Guru Nanak was visited by numerous devotees who gifted precious items and food to the Guru and Bhai Mardana, the very first follower and a trusted companion of the Guru who travelled along with him across India and Asia preaching the word of goodness and kindness and in turn, Guru Nanak Dev would offer these gifts along with food and water to the poor and the downtrodden lot of people who needed the wealth and eatables more than anyone and due to this reason, the Gurudwara was named as ‘Nanak Piao’ which means ‘offering of liquid to drinks’ as the Guru would also offer water from a small well that was situated at this garden to all the thirsty who visited his abode.
A legendary tale states that Guru Nanak Dev had revived a dead elephant during his stay in Delhi. On hearing this, Emperor Sikandar Lodi invited the Guru to revive his Royal Elephant who had just died but the Guru refused. This greatly angered the Sultan as this was a definite insult to the King’s orders and he imprisoned the Guru. During the time in prison, Guru Nanak used to treat all the prisoners with care, love and compassion and became a spiritual and moral influence to all the suffering prisoners through his teachings. They requested the Emperor to release him and also informed him that the Guru was not an Idol Worshipper but a Saint who was immensely respected by everyone including Hindus and Muslims for his divine teachings but unfortunately, the Sultan did not deter from his decision.
Another incident that forced Sultan Sikandar Lodi to change his mind was during the day of 3rd July in 1505. It was on this very day that a massive earthquake hit Delhi wherein the Mountains shook and the ground overturned and hence destroyed most of the edifices and Palaces constructed by the King. Many thought that this was the end of the world and for Christians, ‘The Day of Judgement’ wherein the dead would resurrect and be lifted to the Kingdom of God while the Sufi Saints believed that this was the result of the curse of this Sikh Fakir named Guru Nanak Dev who was then imprisoned by the Sultan and hence, the numerous Sufi Saints of the Chisti Order appealed to the Sultan to release the Guru and through their strong influence, the Emperor agreed and Guru Nanak Dev was released from prison.
Today, the garden and the area where the Guru dwelled, preached, fed the hungry and thirsty is seen with a beautiful Gurudwara named after him as the ‘Gurudwara Nanak Piao’ that still preserves the 16th Century AD ‘sacred well’ from where Guru Nanak Dev had fed water to all his thirsty visitors. Through these centuries, this Gurudwara, its garden and surrounding area attained a religious status of ancient origin and became a Sacred Shrine of the first Sikh Guru who preached the importance of brotherhood, peace, non-violence and benevolence and a Holy Pilgrim site of all the Sikh Communities that welcomes everyone irrespective of their caste or religion to visit and receive spiritual enlightenment.
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