BUNGA, 5 km south of Kiratpur Sahib (31 °10`N, 76t)35`E) in Ropar district of the Punjab, claims a historical shrine Gurdwara Bunga Sahib, also called Chubachcha Sahib, dedicated to Guru Har Rai. Guru Har Rai, Nanak VII, complying with his predecessor`s instruction, continued to maintain at Kiratpura body of armed Sikhs, 2,200 strong. Bunga was the place where their horses were kept. At the back of the Gurdwara, there is a row of rooms one of which has within it a square pit symbolizing the original chubachcha or trough where the horse feed was mixed. From this the shrine came to be called Chubachcha Sahib.
BUNGAS The word bunga is derived from the Persian bungah meaning a hospice, or a dwelling place. In the Sikh tradition, the word specifically refers to the dwelling places and mansions which grew up around the Harimandar at Amritsar and at other centres of Sikh pilgrimage. These were primarily the houses built by the conquering sardars and chiefs in Sikh times or by Sikh school men and sectaries. Amritsar housed the largest complex of such buildings.
