Gurdwara Baba Budha Sahib Ji

Baba Budha ji holds a distinct place in Sikhism and is known as one of the great Sikhs of the early period. He was born on 6th October, 1506 to father Sugha ji and mother Gauran ji in the village of Kathu Nangal, District Amritsar and was named as Bura. It is believed that as a small boy when he was grazing cattle outside the village, he met Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib. According to Bhai Mani Singh ji (Sikhan di Bhagat Mala), Bura went upto Guru Sahib and offered him a bowl of milk respectfully and prayed to him as, “O sustainer of the poor! I am fortunate to have had a sight of you today. Absolve me now from the circuit of birth and death.”

Guru Nanak Dev Sahib said, “You are only a child yet but you talk so wisely.” Bura replied, “Some soldiers set up a camp by our village and moved down all our crops – ripe as well as unripe. Then it occurred to me that, when no one could check these indiscriminating soldiers, who would restrain death from laying his hand upon us, young or old." At hearing this, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib pronounced the words: "You are not a child; you possess the wisdom of an old man." Since then, Bura is known as Bhai Budha ji because “Budha” in Punjabi means an old man (wise man), and later when he reached old age, he was called as Baba Budha ji.

Baba Budha ji was a dedicated follower of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib and joined him at Kartarpur where Guru Sahib had settled down. With his selfless service, Baba Budha ji earned such an importance in Sikhism that Guru Sahib asked Baba ji to perform the tilak ceremony on the forehead of Bhai Lehna ji and confer him as Sri Guru Angad Dev Sahib. Baba Budha ji lived upto a very old age and had the honor of conferring the tilak ceremony to the third, fourth, fifth and sixth Guru Sahibs and he always served them all with devotion.

Baba Budha ji was involved in the digging and excavation of Baoli at Gurdwara Sri Goindwal Sahib and the sarovar at Sri Harmandir Sahib. The tree under which he used to sit and supervise excavation of the sarovar at Sri Harmandir Sahib still stands there in the parkarma (compound) and is known as Ber Baba Budha Sahib ji.

On 16th August, 1604, when Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Sikh Holy Scripture) was installed in Sri Harmandir Sahib, Sri Guru Arjan Dev Sahib appointed Baba ji as the first Granthi. Later Baba Budha ji was also involved in the contruction work of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and performed the installation ceremony on 24th June, 1606 where Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib placed two swords, one on each side, as a symbol of Miri and Piri (Sovereignty and Spiritual) respectively.

Sri Guru Arjan Dev Sahib’s first wife Mata Ram Devi died without giving birth to any child. Later Guru Sahib married Mata Ganga ji and requested her to visit Baba Budha ji and seek his blessings. Upon her visit, Baba ji broke an onion with his hand and blessed her that she will give birth to a son who will break the heads of enemies like an onion and will wipe out the tyrants. His blessings came to be true as later Mata Ganga ji gave birth to Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib who became a nightmare for the enemies.

Baba Budha ji passed away in meditation on 16th November, 1631 at village Ramdas, Amritsar where his last rites were performed by Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib. Today, two memorials stand at Ramdas in the remembrance of Baba ji, one Gurdwara Tap Asthan which was the residence of the family and second Gurdwara Samadhan where he was cremated. There’s another Gurdwara in his name located 20km south of Amritsar in the village of Thatta on Chabaal-Amritsar road. This is the place where Baba ji spent much part of his life and blessed Sri Guru Arjan Dev Sahib and Mata Ganga ji with their son Sri Grur Hargobind Sahib. This shrine is known as Gurdwara Bir Baba Budha Sahib ji, popularly as Bir Sahib.

Baba Kharak Singh ji supervised the construction of the present building where a rectangular hall and a diwan hall was later added. At the end of this rectangular hall, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is placed on a covered seat which is one meter high square platform made of white marble. The Gurdwara also has a square shape sarovar which is 70 metres and a separate compound used as a langar hall (free kitchen) along with a double storied residential building for the pilgrims adjoining the Gurdwara complex. Even today, the Gurdwara is famous for the blessings of Baba Budha ji and many married couple visit and bring home made chapattis (flat bread) and onions as offerings to seek Baba ji’s blessings for a son.