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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 29

The city, being more than four centuries old, has several natural holy pools (sarovars) developed as the centre of devotion which continue to have an air of significance and reverence among the residents for the medieval period. The name of city is also ‘Amrit-Sar’, which translates into ‘pool of nectar’. The Amrit Sarovar was excavated by Guru Ramdas at the nucleus of the city in the late 16th century. The city was located on a ‘U-shaped’ basin having a slope of 1-ft per mile. And at the time of showers, water from all sides would fill up the depression.

Almost all the natural pools (dhabs), except those having religious importance, were filled till 1914 by the British government following the epidemic. Two talabs, including Lasmansar in Katra Ramgharia and Nirbaansar, were filled later. Initially, rain water was the only source to fill these sarovars until Hansli was constructed to facilitate the supply from the Ravi River.

Sarovars

Amrit Sarover (Amritsar): The holiest of the holy sarovars was excavated by Guru Ramdas ji between 1573 and 1577. Earlier, a large dhab preceded it. A myth is also popular among devotees that the king of Patti married his daughter with a leprosy infected person as she believed that god feeds ordinary and not the king. She started begging along with her husband. When she reached at Sultanwind village, her husband took a dip in the dhab and was healed. Though, historians claimed that the Guru purchased the land and excavated 500-ft of length, 490-ft in width and 17-ft deep sarovar with plans to establish city. The Golden Temple was then constructed on the sarover by Guru Arjan Dev ji, fifth Sikh Guru. During late Mughal period, Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Abdali filled it with sand and banned the entry of Sikhs. The warriors of Misl reclaimed it soon. The Sikhs believe that it gave them power to fight and struggle. Mahraja Ranjit Singh uplifted it with white marble during his regime.

Kaulsar: The sarover is located near the Baba Attal tower inside the Golden temple premises. It was named after Bibi Kaulan, daughter of a Qazi of Lahore. As per the Kesar Singh Chibber, author of prominent book Bansavalinama, the Kaulsar sarover was dug in the memory of her. The excavation works began in 1624 and were completed in 1627 under the supervision of Baba Budha, first head Granthi of the Darbar Sahib.

Santokhsar: It is known as the first sarover dug up by the Sikh Gurus. Situated 700 meters away from the Golden Temple, fourth Sikh Guru Ramdas ji initiated the excavation before the Amrit Sarover. As per the myth, during spading of the land he found a saint named Baba Santokh, who had been mediating beneath for a long time. Waiting for salvation, he breathed his last in the dainty hands of the Guru. The tank was named after the saint. It was the largest sarovar in the city and was completed in 1589. At the time of British rule, the government ordered to fill it following the epidemic. The Sikh saints Baba Sham Singh and Baba Gurmukh Singh called Karsewa and cleaned it within a record time.

Ramsar sarovar: It is the smallest among the five sarovars of the city. It was constructed during 1603. Guru Arjan Dev ji, fifth Sikh Guru, compiled Adi Granth Sahib by the side of this pool. Once, it was lined with bountiful of trees and surroundings were as serene as the calm water.

Bibeksar: Sri Hargobind, sixth Sikh Guru, constructed this sarovar during his stay in the city. He used to train Sikhs in martial arts and weapons around the site.

Durgiana sarovar: The Durgiana sarovar was constructed at the Raghunath Temple on pattern of the Golden Temple in 1930. It houses a temple in the center of it. Several Hindu festivals are celebrated with fervour at the temple.

Ram Talai: Ram Talai, a small pool near an old temple, is situated on the GT road. It has been mentioned in the Anand Gabha’s book ‘Amritsar: A study in Urban History’ that the talab of Kalyan Singh is also known as distillery dhab as it was close to the distillery during the British period. The distillery was later shifted to Khasa on Amritsar-Lahore road in 1940. There were several small temples around the talab.

Hansli: The supply of river water is being provided to all the sarovars since 1886 through it. A special Hansli (underground water channel) was constructed from Upper Bari Doab Canal and linked with the sarovars for year-round supply of water. It has an input point near Taran Wala Pul on UBDC. A water purifier system has also been put in place here.