ABCHAL NAGAR, more correctly spelt Abichalnagar (abichal, lit. firmly fixed, unshakably rooted), i. e. City Everlasting, is the name Sikh tradition has given Nāndeḍ, a district town in Mahārāshṭra. The place is sacred to Gurū Gobind Siṅgh, who passed away here on 7 October 1708. The shrine honouring his memory is treated as a Takht, seat constituting decisive religious authority for the Sikhs, and is named Takht Sachkhaṇḍ Srī Hazūr Sāhib, Achalnagar.

        The name was probably suggested by a Scriptural line abichal nagaru gobind gurū kā nāmu japat sukhu pāiā rām (rooted steadfast stands the City of the Master-Lord where solace is attained by repeating the Name (GG, 783), usually interpreted as referring to the City of Amritsar founded by Gurū Rām Dās, Nānak IV.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  1. Tārā Singh Srī Gur Tīrath Saṅgrahi. Amritsar, n. d.
  2. Ṭhākar Siṅgh, Giānī, Srī Gurduāre Darshan. Amritsar, 1923.
  3. Randhir, G. S. , Sikh Shrines in India, Delhi, 1990.

Major Gurmukh Siṅgh (Retd.)