Guru Nanak and the hand print
09 March 2013
The guru held out his hand and without even touching it, stopped the boulder in mid-flight. Then, with his hand still clear of it, he slowly guided the rock down beside his gushing spring. Miraculously, even though his hand had never come in contact with the rock, there imprinted on it was an impression of Guru Nanak’s hand. When Sikhism was established, the rock of the hand print became the centre of a shrine sacred to the hirsute followers of Guru Nanak and the legend lives on to this day.
Three years later an English merchant, William Finch, also passed through noticing the pond and the fish. He too mentions neither the fable of the duel between the two saints nor a rock with a hand print. Two centuries later, when the Panja Sahib shine was already famous, Delmerick, deputy commissioner of Rawalpindi, recorded in the Rawalpindi District Gazetteer 1893 that elderly Sikh residents of Hasan Abdal reported knowing that it was a Muslim stone-mason called Kamma who carved out his hand on the rock by the spring. Subsequently, so he was told, a fakir named Naju invented the fable during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Labels: Book of Days 2009, Punjab, Sikhs, Tales Less Told
posted by Salman Rashid @ 09:50,
20 Comments:
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At 9 March 2013 at 10:00,
said...
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OMG! How things change? How tales are made up?
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At 12 May 2013 at 00:25,
said...
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its a realty not a tale
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At 11 January 2014 at 16:02,
Gurdip Singh said...
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Check with the writing of Mool Singh Cheema, who was an engineer and was the man who was instrumental in laying the Railway to Punja Sahib and he has a different story. For this he was declared non Sikh from Sri Akal Takhat. You can dig into the resources. I had read about this in a Punjabi monthly "Jeewan Preeti" published from Chandigarh. (1974-75)
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At 11 January 2014 at 21:46,
Unknown said...
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Not only this fairy tale, not only in this religion, but this is precisely how the trade of superstitions is established all around the world, in whole of the human history. However the scenario of such fables linked to the same Nanak, whose greatness solely dependent on his being a rabble against the superstitions, is particularly disturbing. The Sikhs, traveling to places like so called Panja Sahib or Hemkund on pilgrimage, just make a fool of themselves and give the rational mind an opportunity to laugh at themselves. Nanak however may be a revolutionary in his ideas against the superstitions, but the Sikhs are just as blind as their fellow believers - Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists or
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At 12 January 2014 at 20:06,
said...
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There is no logic in the story connecting Guru Nanak with the spring and the stone at Hassan Abdal.. ! The stone is jutting out of a bank of the spring and could not have rolled down from the place from where it is alleged to have rolled down by the saint sitting at the so-called hill top ... ! The writer of this blog may like to visit the place once again to see for himself the topography of the stone's route ... ! The fact is that there is no straight slope between the two points and the route is full of ups and downs and so much so that thhere cannot be an eye contact between the two points at all ...! Yes, I dare say, the story is concocted for the people with blind faith ... !
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At 12 January 2014 at 21:01,
said...
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Jehangir was a muslim zealot who had the 5th Guru tortured to death and was heavily anti-Sikh. The last thing you'll find him doing is writing about Sikh holy places. If you read Tuzk e Jehangiri, you'll find precious little else about Sikhs and the many temples and other important places in Punjab or elsewhere either. That doesnt mean they existed.
The whole tilt of this story is all wrong and nothing unexpected really from a Pakistani muslim. -
At 15 January 2014 at 16:22,
Salman Rashid said...
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Kanwal Dhaliwal, I have written this story not to belittle anyone's belief. This is what history tells us. Thank you for appreciating.
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At 6 November 2014 at 17:54,
said...
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Sire we must visit this place together to check out Jani Zirakpuria's claim
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At 6 November 2014 at 18:09,
Salman Rashid said...
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Rehan, I wouldn't waste any time on it.
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At 18 January 2016 at 06:57,
said...
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Miracles are the creation of the clever people, for whom religion is a source of making money, by befooling innocent people. Religions can't flourish without miracles. Gullible people come to follow religion only on account of miracles. Gurus can't become gods without miracles.
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At 18 January 2016 at 15:58,
said...
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Sikh religion is same as hindu religion. Lots of fake stories and myths.
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At 21 January 2016 at 12:10,
Salman Rashid said...
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Anonymous, all religions are based on fake stories. Sikhism and Hinduism cannot be singled out.
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At 24 April 2016 at 16:36,
fertileeast said...
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This comment has been removed by the author.
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At 12 November 2016 at 11:12,
said...
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It was the High caste Chandu Shah that caused the shahedee of Guru Arjan Sahib ji.
Chandu Shah was also the initiator in causing the jail of Guru Hargovind Sahib ji.
After the meeting between Janhaghir and
Guru Hargovind Ji, Chandu was released to the Sikhs who put him to his death. -
At 12 November 2016 at 11:16,
said...
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It was the High caste Chandu Shah that caused the shahedee of Guru Arjan Sahib ji.
Chandu Shah was also the initiator in causing the jail of Guru Hargovind Sahib ji.
After the meeting between Janhaghir and
Guru Hargovind Ji, Chandu was released to the Sikhs who put him to his death. -
At 31 January 2017 at 11:49,
Unknown said...
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ur debunk story will not stand ground because you do not possess adequate reasoning..there is a similar incident with guru nanak in Leh laddakh where a boulder was thrown at him and melted into wax and has the imprint of his entire body is that fake too??
Did William Finch also crossed leh at that time and noticed nothing? u make ur self look like fools check out the link and clear your mind of any doubts..http://www.thedivineindia.com/gurdwara-pathar-sahib/5801 -
At 25 February 2017 at 01:16,
said...
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the stories are not at all fake,if you get a chance do visit Nanak jhira at Maharashtra it has a similar true story.I am sure you will realise that you are wrong.
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At 19 April 2018 at 01:30,
Unknown said...
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Just like Islam and flying donkeys
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At 19 April 2018 at 11:55,
Salman Rashid said...
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Dear Unknown, religious myths are just the same: devoid of sense and logic.
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At 24 December 2023 at 07:18,
said...
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To you your God,to me my God.We should respect everyone's belief.Only God really knows and witness the miracles of Jesus,Mohamad,Buddha or Guru Nanak etc.Respect all humans and living beings 🙏💙
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