Praying at the holy sanctum, a devotee can feel Guru Gobind Singh’s divine presence
Sarabjeet Singh Kanwal
My recent journey to Takht Sri Patna Sahib was very special. It felt like going to meet someone who listens, responds, and embraces.
Guru Nanak had once stayed at the haveli of Salis Rai Johri. The same haveli, two centuries later, had welcomed Guru Tegh Bahadur and Mata Gujri, and also witnessed the birth of Gobind Rai. Today, it is revered as Takht Sri Patna Sahib, one of the five Takhts of Sikhism.
Sitting quietly in the sanctum, eyes closed, time seemed to have dissolved. It didn’t feel like centuries had passed. It felt as if Guru Gobind Singh was right there, as a little child, innocent, pure, playful, and luminous. In the stillness, as I prayed, my heart yearned for His divine glimpse.
When I beheld the stones of his gulel and the tiny shoes that once graced his tiny feet, my heart overflowed with emotion. Hearing the sound of gurbani, my soul and being bowed in complete surrender. Even the jal from Mata Gujriji’s well felt like bliss.
At Raja Fateh Chand Maini’s palace-turned-gurdwara, the fragrance of black chanas mixed with karah parshad carried the sweetness of Rani Vishambhara Devi’s devotion to Bala Pritam Gobind Rai. Steeped in centuries of tradition, the parshad felt like a story being passed on.
The gentle footsteps of Bala Pritam seemed to echo through the corridors. The wind seemed to whisper stories about the saint-soldier who would sacrifice his entire family to uplift the downtrodden, and awaken a slumbering nation to an immortal strength and sovereignty.
Standing later at Kangan Ghat, looking at the flowing Ganga, I reflected on the Guru’s simple act of throwing away his gold kangan into the river — a gentle yet deep teaching for detachment from worldly glitter.
Even today, the river seems to sing his hymns. The silvery current does not merely hum the melody; it embodies it, embracing all equally, untouched by caste or division.
As I left, I carried a quiet assurance that whenever I remember Him, the merciful being is always listening with compassion, protecting like a father, and guiding with eternal light. Some journeys end at the doorstep; this one began within heart.
Sarabjeet Singh Kanwal, Chandigarh
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