KOTKAPURA (30°35′N, 74°49′E), town in Faridkot district of Punjab, was founded by Chaudhari Kapura (d. 1708), a Brar chief in the country south of the River Sutlej and an ancestor of the Faridkot family.
When, after evacuating Anandpur, Guru Gobind Singh arrived here in December 1705 pursued by the faujdar of Sirhind, Kapura met him with presents and provided him with a guide to lead him to the pool of Khidrana, now Muktsar, across a waterless waste.
Chaudhari Kapura, who subsequently had himself initiated into the Khalsa fold receiving the name of Kapur Singh, was assassinated in 1708 by Isa Khan, a Marijii Rajput chief of Kol Isa Khan in Firozpur district.
His grandson, Jodh Singh, built a fort near Kotkapura in 1766, but fell the following year in a battle with Raja Amar Singh of Patiala. Kotkapura eventually came under the control of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and was restored to the Faridkot family only in 1847.
Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi Dasvin
Located in the middle of the town, this shrine marks the site where Guru Gobind Singh camped on reaching here in 1705.
• The present building’s cornerstone was laid by Raja Harindar Singh of Faridkot on 30 January 1937.
• It comprises an octagonal sanctum in the centre of a high-ceilinged, marble-floored hall.
• The hall has an octagonal interior but looks square-shaped from the outside, with its corners slightly cut to give four additional sides.
• A large semi-globular dome covers the sanctum, and a verandah encircles the hall.
• The sarovar at the back is also octagonal in shape.
• The Gurdwara is managed by the Nihangs of the Buddha Dal.
References
1. Gian Singh, Giani, Twarikh Gurdwarian. Amritsar, n.d.
2. Tara Singh, Sri Guru Tirath Sangrahi. Kankhal, 1975
M.G.S.
The Story of Kotkapura
Kotkapura, a historic town in Faridkot district, traces its origins to Chaudhari Kapura, a Brar chief south of the Sutlej and ancestor of the Faridkot ruling family. In December 1705, after evacuating Anandpur, Guru Gobind Singh Ji arrived here while being pursued by the faujdar of Sirhind.
Kapura received the Guru with gifts and arranged a guide to lead him across the barren, waterless tract to the pool of Khidrana—today known as Muktsar, the site of one of Sikh history’s most celebrated battles. Later, Kapura himself entered the Khalsa fold, receiving the name Kapur Singh. His life, however, ended tragically in 1708 when he was assassinated by Isa Khan, a Marijii Rajput chief of Kol Isa Khan in Firozpur district.
Kapura’s grandson, Jodh Singh, built a fort near Kotkapura in 1766, but fell in battle the following year against Raja Amar Singh of Patiala. The town eventually came under the control of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, before being restored to the Faridkot family in 1847.
Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi Dasvin
At the heart of Kotkapura stands Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi Dasvin, marking the very site where Guru Gobind Singh Ji camped in 1705.
- The present building was begun on 30 January 1937, when Raja Harindar Singh of Faridkot laid its cornerstone.
- Its design is striking:
- An octagonal sanctum sits at the center of a high-ceilinged, marble-floored hall.
- From outside, the hall appears square, but its corners are cut to create eight sides.
- A large semi-globular dome crowns the sanctum, while a verandah encircles the hall.
- Behind the shrine lies an octagonal sarovar, adding symmetry and sanctity.
- The Gurdwara is managed by the Nihangs of the Buddha Dal, preserving its martial and spiritual heritage.
Significance
Kotkapura embodies the intertwining of Sikh resilience and regional history:
- It was a resting place of Guru Gobind Singh Ji during one of the most critical journeys of his life.
- It reflects the loyalty and sacrifice of Chaudhari Kapura, whose lineage shaped Faridkot’s destiny.
- Its Gurdwara stands as a living monument, reminding generations of the Guru’s presence and the town’s role in Sikh tradition.
