Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai Ji: Amritsar Beyond the Golden Temple!

What is the one place that comes to your mind when you think of Amritsar? Well, hands down, it is Golden Temple! But do you know Amritsar is much more than just the beauty of the Golden Temple? It is the embodiement of tranquility and devotion that captures the devotees here to the Gurudwara Shri Atal Ji Sahib. 

Located at the back of Gurudwara Shri Harimandir Sahib, it is a dedication to Baba Atal Rai. This Gurdwara, which can be spotted from afar, is a nine-storied memorial that was built between 1778 and 1784. Gurdwara Baba Atal Sahib has a tradition where people from the Sikh community distribute cakes of bread to all visitors. Being one of the places that houses a profound story of greatness, this is what the Gurdwara is all about.

'Baba' Since Childhood

According to reports and folklore, Baba Atal Rai was very intelligent and also religious. This was the major reason people gave him the title of 'Baba' during his early years. The folklore says that he would play with his teammates and tell them wise things, which is why all his playmates would obey and love him.

Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji's father was another person who was very fond of him. Reportedly, he would take him in his lap and say: "God has given you much power. Don’t make a show of it. If you have to use it, use it with caution and wisdom. Don’t waste it away on little things." There is another folklore attached to the story of Baba, where, with his mere touch, he caused one of his closest friends to rise from sleep. His friend had already been considered dead after being bitten by a snake!

However, reportedly, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji did not like his son's act and said that Baba had worked against the "will of God". This led Baba Atal Rai Ji to leave home. He later went to bathe in the sacred Sarovar and also took four rounds of Harimandir Sahib before heading to the nearby Kaulsar Sarovar. It is said that he lay down there and departed peacefully on 23rd July 1628. Upon learning of his son's passing under such strange circumstances, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji advised the Sikhs and his family members not to mourn.

Baba Atal’s body was cremated here, at the same spot where the Gurdwara stands today. Popular for its Langar, the devotees, pilgrims, and visitors come here, along with those in need, who come for the food. But apart from this, the Gurdwara is an architectural marvel with its unique double octagonal shape and a double staircase. The place has four doors on the ground floor, along with the main entrance that faces east.

The Gurdwara boasts an octagonal elevation, where one finds the Guru Granth Sahib, gloriously enshrined in a brass canopy. The building has doors crafted in silver and brass, elegantly embossed with designs. While the walls of the first floor are embellished with murals, many of them have also been obliterated beyond recognition. Currently, there are 42 panels of the original paintings on display, and many of the paintings depict the life of Guru Nanak, illustrating various stages of the Battle of Muktsar.

The building also houses paintings that depict members of the entire lineage of Baba Buddha Ji, along with Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das, the two sons of Guru Nanak. The 'deorhi' or first entrance to the shrine also features some damaged murals that profoundly illustrate the lives of Baba Atal and Guru Nanak.

So, next time you are in Amritsar, visit this peaceful Gurdwara, after the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh, for some quiet moments amidst the beauty of great architecture.