BHAGALPUR (25°14`N. 86°58`E), a district town in Bihar situated on the right bank of the River Ganga, was visited by Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1666. Bari Sangat on Burhanath Ghat, where he stayed, is now represented by a small shrine, constructed in a bylane in 1974. It is called Gurdwara Bari Sangat Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Chauki Sahib. It contains a stone slab (chauki) which, it is believed, was used by the Guru to sit on for his bath.
BUR MAJRA, a small village about 8 km east of Chamkaur Sahib (30°53`N, 76°25`E) in Ropar district of the Punjab, claims a historical shrine, Gurdwara Patshahi 10 located near an old well. It is said that Guru Gobind Singh, while proceeding to Chamkaur on 6 December 1705 after evacuating Anandpur Sahib, halted here awhile. The well which has existed since then provided water for the trav ellers and their horses. The Gurdwara commemorating the visit, comprises a divan hall with the sanctum for the Guru Granth Sahib in the centre. The management is in the hands of the Nihangs.
GOINDVAL (31°22`N, 75"9`E), the first ever place of Sikh pilgrimage so designated by its founder, Guru Amar Das. This in fact was the spot where the ancient eastwest highway crossed the River Beas. With the renovation of the highway by Sher Shall Sur, the Afghan ruler of north India (1540-45), this ferry site became an important transit point. This led one Goinda or Gonda, a Marvaha Khatri trader, to plan establishing an habitation at the western end of the ferry. Thwarted in his endeavour by natural calamities which Goinda attributed to evil spirits, he repaired to Khadur to seek Guru Angad`s blessing.
NIHALA, BHAI, a Sabharval Khatri of Patna, was a devoted Sikh of the time of Guru Hargobind. He was, besides being an eloquent expounder of gurbdnt, a brave soldier. He had fallen fighting in the battle of Amritsar in 1629. The name occurs in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 31 NIHALA, BHAI, one of the writers serving Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708).
