An ode to Baba Bulleh Shah, historic gurdwara in Pakistan falls to nature’s vagaries, govt’s apathy

Noshaba Shehzad, a Lahore-based researcher working on Punjab heritage in Pakistan, said that she was heartbroken to see the collapsed portion of the gurdwara when she visited the site Sunday. “Locals said that the gurdwara portion collapsed due to heavy and continuous downpour ongoing for many days. No one knows the exact date when it happened but they said it collapsed probably a few days back,” said Shehzad while speaking to The Indian Express.

A collapsed portion of Gurdwara Sahib Daftu in Kasur of Pakistan (Pic credits: Noshaba Shehzad)

The gurdwara at Daftu stood as an ode to Baba Bulleh Shah, the great Sufi poet and revolutionary, revered by Punjabis on both sides of the border.

An excerpt from the book “Sikh Heritage Beyond the Borders”, authored by US-based Dalvir Singh Pannu, describing the historical significance of Gurdwara Sahib Daftu, reads: “A famous story connected with this site dates back to the 18th century and involves Baba Bulleh Shah — the mystic Sufi poet of Kasur. Once, while being chased by a large crowd of Muslims, whom he had somehow offended at his village in Pandoke, Bulleh Shah took refuge at Daftuh gurdwara. The unruly mob pursuing him demanded that gurdwara management turn him over so they could deal with him. But his Sikh protectors said that Bulleh Shah was always protected in the house of God, after which the mob dispersed”.

Describing the structure’s grandeur that once shone in all its glory but slowly turned into ruins due to utter neglect, Pannu wrote: “The gurdwara complex is separated from the street by a brick wall and can be accessed through an embellished gateway. The multilevel Gurdwara building has three archways along the sides, as well as several arched windows, some of which have been partially filled in with latticework, wooden doors or bricks. The roof has a low balustrade, and a small, domed structure is positioned at its centre. A Ganesh Chakar inlay of black color is set in the red brick on the back wall of the gurdwara. Today the building stands forlornly in a decrepit condition.”

Gurdwara Sahib Daftu before the collapse (Pic credit: Dalvir Pannu)

The front of the shrine also has Mool Mantar (Ik Onkar) inscribed on it along with the name of the gurdwara.

Shehzad said: “It is saddening for us to see the Sikh history and heritage falling brick by brick in our country. However, since there are thousands of such Sikh historic structures, it wasn’t possible for the government alone to maintain and preserve all of them. Due to the lack of Sikh sangat who could take care of them regularly, weak and old structures are now succumbing to nature’s fury. It is the collective responsibility of the Pakistan government and Sikh community to take care of them.”

Gurdwara Sahib Daftu before the collapse (Pic credit: Dalvir Pannu)

Bulleh Shah’s poetry and verses have continued to live in the hearts of Punjabis on both sides of the border and his idea of God surpassed and rejected the boundaries of religion. He wrote: “Chal bulleya chal othe chaliye, jitthey saare anne, naa koi saadi zaat pachane, na koi saanu manney.. Mandir dha de masjid dha de, dha de jo kuj dhehnda, par kise da dil na dhavi, rab dilan vich rehnda” (Let’s go to a place where all are blind and no one recognizes our caste. Demolish temple, demolish mosque, and demolish all that you can. But never break someone’s heart, that’s where God lives).

Earlier, on July 10, the heritage researchers in Pakistan had highlighted the plight of Gurdwara Rori Sahib in Jahman of Lahore, which too had collapsed due to unrelenting rains.