Gurdwara Nanak Mata Sahib
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Gurdwara Sri Nanak Mata Sahib is a village situated between Khatema and Sitarganj on the Khatema-Panipat Road. It is located 18 kilometres from Khatema and 12 kilometres from Sitarganj in the district of Udham Singh Nagar.
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[edit] History
Gurdwara Sri Nanak Mata Sahib is associated with the first Guru, Guru Nanak Devji who went there during his Third Udasi in 1514 A.D. At that time, Gurdwara Sri Nanak Mata Sahib was the abode of the devotees of Guru Gorakhnath and it was called Gorakhmata. The yogis who lived there did not want the local people to become learned enough to challenge their superiority. Therefore, by using their occult powers, they successfully exploited the poor people.
Guru Nanak Devji sat there meditating under a pipal tree. The yogis were surprised to see him there as this place was quite inaccessible, especially during the winters. The weather being cold, Bhai Mardana requested the yogis for some fire but was refused. The yogis, instead, taunted him and told him that he should go and ask his Guru who was with him.
At this, Guru Nanak Devji looked at a pile of firewood nearby and it was instantly lit. The weather suddenly became bad and it began to rain. As a result, the fires lit by the yogis were extinguished but the one lit by Guru ji was not affected at all. The yogis realized their mistake and fell at the feet of the Guru. The next morning, they all gathered together and came to Guru ji for a religious discussion. They again used their occult powers and tried to lift the pipal tree under which Guru ji was sitting out of the ground. When the tree had risen by a few feet, Guru ji simply placed his hand on it and it stopped rising. The same tree can be seen in the Gurdwara compound. Guru ji taught the yogis the path of true meditation and salvation. This place then came to be known as Nanak Mata and became a major centre of the Udasi sect.
About a century later, Baba Almast came to Gurdwara Sri Nanak Mata Sahib and found that the place had again been taken over by Gorakhpanthi yogis. He could not evict them and sent a message for help to the Sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib. Guru ji immediately came and restored the place as a Sikh shrine. Thereafter, Baba Almast established a very big religious centre here. The main gurpurabs celebrated here are the birthdays of Guru Nanak Dev ji and Guru Hargobind ji. The festival of Diwali is also celebrated with great fervour.
[edit] Accommodations
A 100 room sarai, Guru Hargobind Niwas, has been constructed within the gurdwara premises. Of these, 50 rooms have attached bathrooms. Additionally, a government-run rest house, the Kumaon Vikas Nigam Rest House, is also located nearby.
[edit] Educational Institutions
A number of educational institutions are run here, including the Guru Nanak Balika Degree College, which is affiliated with Kumaon University, and the Guru Nanak Balika Degree Inter College and the Guru Nanak Inter College, both affiliated with the Uttar Pradesh Education Board. Guru Nanak Primary School is run for boys and girls up to the fifth class. These colleges have about 500 students and hostel accommodations are also provided. Guru Nanak Academy, affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education, is also run. It has 800 students and also provides hostel accommodations.
[edit] Karsewa
Before 1937, this gurdwara was maintained by mahants. A small gurdwara was constructed by the local people. The land for the gurdwara was donated by Nawab Mehndi Ali Khan. Karsewa began in 1975. The gurdwara building is magnificent and has marble all over. There are vast open spaces all around and it is all available for future expansion. The complex consists of the main hall, the langar hall, the parikrama, the sarai, offices, etc. A second gurdwara, Gurdwara Patshahi Sixth, is also present here. The pipal tree under which Guru Nanak Dev ji sat can also be seen between the main building and Gurdwara Patshahi Sixth.
