Goindval
| Goindwal Sahib | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
 Goindwal Sahib
|
|
| Coordinates: 31°22′N 75°9′E / 31.367°N 75.150°ECoordinates: 31°22′N 75°9′E / 31.367°N 75.150°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Punjab |
| District | Tarn Taran |
| Region | Majha |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 7,772 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Punjabi |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 143422 |
| STD code | 01859 |
Goindwal (Punjabi: ਗੋਇੰਦਵਾਲ), also known as Goindwal Sahib, is located in Taran Taran district in the Majha region of the state of Punjab in India about 23 km from Tarn Taran Sahib. In the 16th century it became an important center for the Sikh religion during the Guruship of the Guru Amar Das. Goindwal is on the banks of the river Beas and is one of the focal points of small scale industries of Tarn Taran district.
Guru Amar Das (the third Guru or the third Nanak) stayed in Goindwal for 33 years where he established a new centre for preaching Sikhism. A Baoli (stepwell), paved with 84 steps was constructed there. Some devout believe that by reciting Japji Sahib, the divine Word revealed to Guru Nanak Dev at each of the 84 steps after taking a bath in the Baoli provides Moksha, liberation from 84,00,000 cycles of life of this world and unity with God (mukhti). Goindval is where Guru Amar Das met Guru Ram Das, the next Guru. Guru Arjan Dev was also born there on 15 April 1563. It is called axis of Sikhism as it was the first center of Sikhism.
Today the Gurdwara and Goindwal Baoli is visited as a prime tourist destination and the massive langar or the community kitchen provides food to a large number of visitors every day.
The location of the town was an ancient eastwest highway that crossed the river Beas connecting Delhi and Lahore and the head of the most important ferries on the river Beas. With the renovation of the highway by Sher Shall Sur, the Afghan ruler of north India (1540–45), this ferry site became an important transit point.
This led one Goinda or Gonda, a Marvaha Khatri trader, to plan establishing an habitation at the western end of the ferry. Thwarted in his endeavour by natural calamities which Goinda attributed to evil spirits which nobody settled there, Goinda went to Khadur to seek Guru Angad's blessing and asked if anyone of the two Guru's sons of the Guru starts living there, the superstition of the people regarding the evil spirits will vanish and the village will be inhabited.
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Wikipedia