Patiala — rooted in faith and nostalgia

Patiala occupies a special place in my heart not because it is my birthplace, but also where my soul first learned the meaning of devotion. Blessed in the 17th century by the ninth Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur, the city has a holiness that seeps into your heart.

As a child I was fascinated by the grand nagar kirtans — streets overflowing with devotees, children in traditional Sikh attire, their little faces glowing with excitement; the majestic sight of Nihangs on horseback and the air humming with shabads by kirtani jathas. An airplane would shower flower petals on the sangat, while the graceful Gatka warriors displayed their traditional martial skills on the ground.

And above all, I remember Patiala’s crown jewel, Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib, where Guru Teg Bahadur once stayed, and where my childhood found its happiest evenings. I remember walking barefoot into its courtyard, feeling the cool marble under my feet, the gentle hum of Gurbani mingling with the cool evening breeze. On Basant Panchami, the gurdwara became a sea of yellow robes, as sangat from faraway towns gathered to celebrate.

I also remember a centuries-old grand banyan tree inside the complex, its vast branches sheltering hundreds of birds. Their evening chirpings would fill the air like nature’s own aarti. Sadly, the tree was cut down in 1999, but the memories of those golden evenings remain rooted in my heart. This was also the place where everyone you knew would gather — relatives, friends, neighbours, classmates — all drawn together by faith.

Today, my job keeps me in Chandigarh, a city of gardens and orderliness, but my heart still longs for Patiala. Chandigarh may have its beauty, yet on quiet evenings I yearn for the peace of Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib and remember my father holding my hand and leading me to the gurdwara gates. These moments carry a sense of belonging that I’ve never found anywhere else. Because in those moments, I was where my heart belonged. In those moments, I was with my beloved Guru.

Sarabjeet Singh Kanwal, Chandigarh