Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib
Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib | |
---|---|
Religion | |
Affiliation | Ramraiya unorthodox sect of Sikhism |
Location | |
Location | Jhanda Mohalla, Dehradun, India |
Geographic coordinates | 30°19′05″N 78°01′54″E / 30.3181°N 78.0318°E |
Architecture | |
Style | Sikh architecture with influences and motifs from Islamic architecture |
Completed | 1699: Central complex completed 1703–06: Completion of building work |
Website | |
http://www.sgrrdarbar.org/ |
Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib is a
The building is historically and architecturally significant, as it derives many of its architectural motifs, like minarets, domes and gardens, from
History
The temple site was founded by Baba Ram Rai in the mid-17th century after he was banished by the orthodox Sikh sect for mistranslating a word in the
Architecture
Unusually for a
Wall paintings
The buildings in the complex were once lavishly decorated with Mughal-style wall paintings, which were specimens of rare wall paintings found in Uttarakhand.[8] The paintings have either been lost to successive re-paintings or re-marblings or are in poor shape and in need of preservation.[9] Some paintings date back to the 17th century and are over 300 years old.[8] Between 2004 and 2014, Archaeological Survey of India carried out restoration work on the historic murals.[10]
Jhanda Mela
Jhanda Mela, literally "flag fair", is an annual religious fair that takes place in the temple precincts; it is believed to have been held since 1676.[11] The fair marks the arrival of Baba Ram Rai at the site, and starts five days after the festival of Holi and continues till Rama Navami. The symbolic flag is a hundred-feet tall tree trunk wrapped in layers of clothing. During the fair, devotees, who come from across India and abroad, gather in large numbers and replace the previous year's flag in a religious ceremony.[12]
Mahants and Gurus
The head of Darbar Sahib, called Sajjada Nashin Shri Mahant leads a life of celibacy and dedicates his life to the noble cause of society.[13]
- Shri Mahant Aud Dass (1687-1741)
- Shri Mahant Har Prasad (1741-1766)
- Shri Mahant Har Sevak (1766-1818)
- Shri Mahant Har Swaroop Dass (1818-1842)
- Shri Mahant Preetam Dass (1842-1854)
- Shri Mahant Narayan Dass (1854-1885)
- Shri Mahant Prayag Dass (1885-1896)
- Shri Mahant Lakshman Dass (1896-1945)
- Shri Mahant Indiresh Charan Dass (1945-2000)
- Shri Mahant Devendra Dass (Since 25 June 2000)
Bibliography
- Jain, Madhu; Handa, Omacanda. Art and Architecture of Uttarakhand. Pentagon Press. ISBN 9788182744172.
- Kamboj, B. P. (2003). Early Wall Painting of Garhwal. Indus Publishing. ISBN 9788173871399.
References
- ^ Wright, Colin. "No. 12. Temple of Gaaraa Nanule [sic for Baba Ram Rai], Dhera [Dun]". www.bl.uk.
- ^ a b Jain & Handa, p. 37
- ^ Jain & Handa, p. 35: "At that time Fateh Shah was reigning in Garhwal. The Emperor Aurangzeb directed him to grant some villages to the Baba in the Doon to provide for his sect and the service at the Dehra."
- ^ a b Jain & Handa, p. 34
- ^ Jain & Handa, p. 36
- ^ Jain & Handa, pp. 35–36
- ^ Dehra Town The Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1909, v. 11, p. 221-223
- ^ a b "Come away for a slice of art at Jhanda fair". 7 March 2017.
- ^ Jain & Handa, p. 39
- ^ "Facelift for Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib murals | Dehradun News - Times of India". The Times of India.
- ^ Pioneer, The. "Historical Jhanda Mela in Doon from today". The Pioneer.
- ^ "Pole falls on Jhanda Mela gathering, 8 injured | Dehradun News - Times of India". The Times of India.
- ^ "Mahants & Gurus - Darbar Shri Guru Ram Rai Ji Maharaj - Dehradun". www.sgrrdarbar.org. Retrieved 30 December 2022.