Lahore [Pakistan], July 13 : The once majestic Gurdwara Patshahi Rori Sahib Jahman, located just a few kilometres from Wagah border, is in a sorry state of deterioration. This neglected jewel in Lahore, known for its great cultural significance in the Sikh religion, today stands as a painful symbol of abandoned legacy, reported Khalsa Vox.
The Gurdwara Patshahi Rori Sahib Jahman is no ordinary monument. It is steeped in centuries-old spiritual importance and honours the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru.
The Guru visited this place not once, but three times throughout his lifetime, choosing it as a refuge for his prayers while sat on stone pebbles - a recollection that inspired the Gurdwara's name, 'Rori Sahib'.
As mentioned in Gurbani, a notable feature of this monument was a big pond that once enveloped structure, offering a sense of tranquillity to the place. Today, however, this tranquil body of water has almost completely disappeared, replaced by tied livestock and encroachers making dung cakes.
The hallowed sanctuary has been overtaken by the tedium of daily existence, a painful reminder of its plight, as per Khalsa Vox.
Khalsa Vox is an online digest that brings to you the latest in Punjab politics, history, culture, heritage and more.
This decline did not occur suddenly. In fact, the history of the Gurdwara is one of constant neglect and rejection. The recent devastation caused by severe rainfall is a vivid illustration of this carelessness. The incident caused substantial damage to Jahman's Gurudwara Rohri Sahib Pehli Patshahi, a place loved not just by Sikhs but also by Hindus.
This monument, located near Burki under District Lahore, withstood the deluge, but its fragile structure, further weakened by neglect, sustained considerable damage.
The Gurdwara, with its sacred pond and 100 bighas of land, is unfortunately a shadow of its former glory.
Encroachers have turned their attention to the area that properly belongs to Gurdwara. This slow invasion, along with a lack of maintenance, has resulted in the site becoming a skeleton of its past, as per Khalsa Vox.
The Sikh community of India's demands for the repair of this ancient landmark have fallen on deaf ears. Pakistani authorities have disregarded several pleas made through various avenues throughout the years since separation.
The collapsing Gurdwara Patshahi Rori Sahib Jahman bears witness to this ongoing neglect. It's not only about a physical structure crumbling; it's about erasing a significant component of cultural and spiritual history.
The current state of this monument serves as a sharp reminder of the urgent need for stronger cultural diplomacy, conservation programmes, and the necessity of preserving our common past.
The Gurdwara, once a thriving centre of spiritual consolation and historical significance, is now a wreck. The protection and repair of such monuments is a communal obligation we owe to our shared past, our shared cultural heritage.
It is our moral obligation to save and preserve these emblems of our common human heritage for future generations. Ignoring such calls for repair and preservation is a cultural tragedy that must be avoided, Khalsa Vox reported.
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