Historic Lahore gurdwara reopens for worship 79 years after India-Pakistan partition
The historic gurdwara associated with Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru, has been officially reopened after extensive restoration and reconstruction work.
PTC News Desk: In a significant milestone for Sikh heritage conservation, Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib on Temple Road in Lahore, Pakistan, reopened on Sunday after remaining closed and neglected for nearly 79 years following Partition.
The historic gurdwara associated with Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru, has been officially reopened after extensive restoration and reconstruction work. The inauguration was carried out by Pakistan Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora and Evacuee Trust Property Board Additional Secretary (Shrines) Nasir Mushtaq.
The gurdwara is believed to be located at a site visited by Guru Hargobind (1595–1644), who is remembered in Sikh history as a warrior-saint who strengthened the Sikh community’s ability to stand against religious oppression. The shrine was among several Sikh religious sites left behind in Pakistan after Partition. It was abandoned after the Sikh population migrated from the region.
Arora, who is also president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, said members of the Sikh community offered prayers at the shrine for the first time after the restoration work was completed.
He said the restoration was part of the Punjab government’s efforts to identify and preserve neglected Sikh shrines across Pakistan.
“On the auspicious occasion of Bandi Chhor Divas, dedicating this historic Sikh shrine was our way of spreading a message of love, freedom, brotherhood and religious harmony in Pakistan. It was a proud moment for the global Sikh and Punjabi community that we were able to preserve this sacred heritage,” he said.
“This is a step forward in preserving Sikh heritage under a special programme aimed at promoting religious tourism, as envisioned by Pakistan Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. We have identified 45 to 50 gurdwaras across Pakistan that have direct historical significance to Sikhism. These sites will be preserved as Sikh religious heritage and dedicated to the Sikh community,” he said.
Nasir Mushtaq said the restoration reflected respect for the religious sentiments of the Sikh community. He added that the initiative aimed to protect historical heritage and promote interfaith harmony.
According to historical accounts, Guru Hargobind stayed for three days at the Lahore residence of a devotee named Bhai Jiwan after accepting an invitation from the local Sikh congregation. Bhai Jiwan later converted his house into a gurdwara.
The shrine is also linked to Bhai Bidhi Chand, a well-known Sikh preacher and military commander. He is believed to have stayed there during his visits to Lahore while trying to recover horses seized by the Mughals. The horses had been presented to Guru Hargobind by devotees.
The original structure is believed to date back to the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) took administrative control of the shrine in 1927.
Regular religious services at the gurdwara stopped after Partition in 1947. The shrine remained closed for nearly 80 years before its restoration and reopening to the Sikh community.