CHITTAGONG (22° 21`N, 91° 50`E), a major port town of Bangladesh, situated on the right bank of Karnaphuli River, 20 km from its mouth, has a historic Sikh shrine, called Gurdwara Sikh Temple, dedicated to Guru Nanak, who is believed to have stayed here briefly in 1507-08. Local tradition connects this Gurdwara with the story of the conversion by Guru Nanak of Bhai Jhanda Badhi, Raja Sudhar Sen and his nephew, Indra Sen. The story occurs briefly in the B40 Janamsakhi and at some length in the Bala Janam Sakhi. Gurdwara Sikh Temple is situated in the middle of Chowk Bazar. An old well adjoining it is still in use.
ELECTRIFICATION OF THE GOLDEN TEMPLE, Whether or not electricity be inducted into the Golden Temple premises was a raging polemic in the closing years of the nineteenth century. There were views pro and con, and the debate was joined by both sides vehemently and unyieldingly. As was then the style of making controversies, religious and social, no holds were barred and no acrimonious word spared to settle the argument. If tradition and usage were drawn upon by opponents, need to move with the limes was urged by the supporters, pejoratively called bijli bhaktas, devotees of electricity.
GHUMAN, village 10 km west of Sri Hargobindpur (30°41`N, 75°29`E) in Gurdaspur district of the Punjab. Namdev (1270-1350), the muchrevered saint of Maharashtra, some of whose hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib, lived in this village for a considerable time. Most of his years until the age of 55 were spent at Pandharpur, in Sholapur district of Maharashtra. Then he journeyed extensively through north India and returned to Maharashtra after 18 years. During this period, he also visited the Punjab and, according to tradition, made Ghuman his seat of residence.
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