Places in Amritsar where Shri Babaji Maharaj had resided.

Above is an old photo from around 1920 which shown the Amritsar Bazar area near the Golden Temple. from the times of Babaji Maharaj. Shri Babaji Maharaj and Shri Nathji used to stay and frequent the Amritsar Bazaar area in the walled city.  Bellow are the names and photos of four areas in  Amritsar were Babaji Maharaj used to stay – 

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He first stayed with Lala Gokul Chand Kapoor, a Cloth Merchant, in the bazaar. The Bazaar is located in the walled city close to the golden temple. A satellite photo and an actual photograph of the Bazar is given.

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Later he stayed at a house at Ramtalaayi. Ram Talayi is a Temple complex which includes a temple of Lord Ram and a holy pond. There residential area around the temple complex is also called Ramtaayi. Photos of the Temple complex and the Holy pond are given along with the satellite photo were we can see the pond.

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Then Babiji Maharaj shifted to Namak Mandi. This place has changes, from how it looked from the days of Babji Maharaj. It is no longer a trading market for Salt as it used to be. I have given the photograph of Namak Mandi Chock and also a satellite photo of the area.

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Later Babji Maharaj. went on to live with Lala Kaahan Chand Saheb Maheshwari who lived near the Jaure Peepal area. Lala Kaahan Chand was in great worldly difficulties at the time, and it was only the sustaining spiritual power of Shri Babaji Bhagwan that kept him at peace while these difficulties lasted, and then took him out of this difficult phase of life with ease. The flame of faith was kindled in the heart of Kaahan Chand. While the troubles had lasted, it was as if he had been walking in the hot sun, but Shri Babaji Bhagwan had placed a protecting umbrella over his head. Jaure Peepal area is named after an old Peepal tree which still stands today. Very few old timers of Amritsar only knew of this place. It is located near the famous Hindu Sabha College. The Hindu Sabha College, Amritsar was founded in 1924 and this old building is still preserved in its original condition. The Jaure Peepal is located in the maze of small lanes in this old part of the city near the college. My relative Dr. Sandeep Sharma did the research on the place and provided the photo of that exact Peepal tree, near the house of Lala Kaahan Chand. The photograph of the College and the satellite photo of the area is also given were we can also see the Golden temple.

Photograph of Nabha Estate in Shimla

This is the Photograph of Nabha Estate in Shimla were HH Babaji Maharaj stayed as a guest at the house of his friend Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha. In 1887, the Maharaja purchased this five-and-a-half acre estate. He was constantly at head logs with Municipal Committee of Shimla over his supposedly unplanned development of the estate. To know more about the Nabha Estate and it's present status pls see this informative link “http://news.ukpha.org/2008/11/a-bit-of-nabha-in-shimla/”

Shimla

Shri Babaji Maharaj took job in Simla at the Army Recruitment Department of the British. He stayed here for many years. Shri Nathji had been to Shimla on several occasions. He also attended the wedding of the daughter of the sister of Maha Matashwari ji at Shimla.

 Shimla, is the capital city of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, located in northern India . In 1864, Shimla was declared as the summer capital of British India. After independence, city became the capital of Punjab and was later named the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla came into existence from 1st Sept,1972 on the reorganisation of the districts of the state. After the reorganisation, the erstwhile Mahasu district and its major portion was merged with Shimla. Its name has been derived from the goddess Shyamala Devi, an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Kali..

As a large and growing city, Shimla is home to many well-recognized colleges and research institutions in India. City has a large number of temples and palaces. Shimla is also well noted for its buildings styled in Tudorbethan and neo-Gothic architecture dating from the colonial era.

The Jakhoo Temple, dedicated to Lord Hanuman is located at the highest point in Shimla  at a height of 8000 ft. The Mall is the main shopping street of Shimla. It also has many restaurants, clubs, banks, bars, Post Offices and tourist offices. The Gaiety Theater is also situated there

Christ Church (Photo on the left) situated on the ridge, is the second oldest church in Northern India. It has a very majestic appearance and inside there are stained glass windows which represent faith, hope, charity, fortitude, patience and humility.

The most notable colonial building of Shimla is the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. This institute is housed at the former Viceregal Lodge, built in 1884-88. (Photo on the right)

Batala

The city of Batala is the home town of Durga Devi, the mother of Shri Nathji. Babaji Maharaj who also inherited a large property from his inlaws famil,y was a very rich landlord of this city. This ancient city of Batala is a municipal council in Gurdaspur district in the state of Punjab, India. It is located about 30 kms from Gurdaspur, and 38 kms from Amritsar. The city was founded in 1465 CE by Raja Ram Deo, a Bhati Rajput, during the reign of Bahlul Lodi on a piece of land given by Tatar Khan who was the Governor of Lahore. Later, during the Mughal rule, Akbar gave it in jagir to his foster brother, Shamsher Khan. The city grew and developed under him. The whole city was lying within a fort. It had 12 gates as entrance and exit. These gates are still known by their old names e.g. Sheran wala Gate, Khajuri Gate, Bhandari Gate, Ohri Gate, Thathiari Gate, Hathi gate, Phari gate, etc

Batala is an important place for Sikh devotees. Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh religion was married here to Sulakhni, the daughter of Mul Chand Chauna in 1485. Many temples and Gurdwaras related to the Guru's marriage attract devotees from near and far. Every year celebrations are conducted on the anniversary of Guru Nanak's marriage. Also it is an important place for Hindus as the most powerful god of Hindu culture Lord Shiva came here at Mandir Achleshwar Dham with 33 crore Devi and Devtas to make happy his son Kartike who was sad due to his loss of race from his brother and lord shiva's son ganesh. He was upset when Lord Ganesha circled his parents, Shiva and Paravati claiming to be the whole world, thus becoming victorious, while Lord Kartike actually went around the world. This temple also has a beautiful lake adjacent o it. (Photo of the temple and the lake is given)

Batala was once called as Iron bird of Asia as it produced highest amount of C.I.Casting, Agricultural and mechanical machinery. Batala is still one of the leading cities in northern India in maufacturing of C.I Casting and agricultural and mechanical machinery. It's an agricultural marketplace and industrial centre. Cotton ginning, weaving, sugar refining, rice milling, and manufacturing are some of other business taking place here.

 Among the historical places is thr The Jal Mahal and the palace of Maharaja Sher Singh were built by the Maharaja (CE 1780-1839). Also the tomb called Hazira.

 These are  under control of ASI. The palace of Maharaja Sher Singh reminds one of the love of rich architectural structures by Sikh rulers. This beautiful building with mud plastering was known to be part of Anarkali which was initially built along with Baradari as an imitation of Shalimar Garden of Lahore. The remnants of wall paintings and carvings can seen.

 Adjoining them is the beautiful Church of Batala Christian College.

The Kangra Devi

Shri Babaji Maharaj was born in Kangra. Before he was born, all the children that had been born to his parents had died one after another. Immediately after his birth, his parents had taken him to Kangra Devi Temple, and had placed the child before the idol of the Devi, offering the babe to the Devi, and had, thereafter, given him the name of Devi Das.

The Kangra Devi temple, also called the Brajeshwari Devi temple, located in the old Kangra Township, is said to have been built over the charred breasts of Sati. Thus it is one of the Shakti Peeths. This shrine, once renown for its great wealth, has been plundered relentlessly over the ages. The first of the plunderers was Mahmud of Ghazni, who looted it in 1009. A mosque was built on the ruins and a garrison was left behind. 35 years later, the local king regained its possession. The shrine was repaired and a replica of the idol was enshrined. 

The temple was filled with gold, silver and diamonds only to be ransacked again in 1360 by Firoz Tughlaq. Later Emperor Akbar visited the shrine with his Dewan, Todar Mal and restored it to its former grandeur. The temple was razed to the ground by an earthquake in 1905, but a new one came up the very same year and it’s construction compleated in 1920.

The Devi is worshipped in the form of Pindi. A legend avers that the body of demon king Jalandhara is buried at this place. According to another legend, the Goddess Vajreshwari received injuries while killing the demon Mahishasur which were cured by applying butter. The tradition is still celebrated on Makar Sakranti every year.

Vali Ram’s son Nandram

HH Babaji Maharaj has told the interesting story of Vali Ram who left the minister ship of Aurangzeb and later become a well – known sufi poet. Vali Ram’s son Nandram also become a spiritual poet and later joined the services of Guru Gobind Singh. One of his poems in Gurmukhi is titled Nand Pachisi describing Kaliyuga, the contemporary Age of Darkness, which was written in 1687. Bhagwan Bhola Nath Ji manifested as Yuga Avtar to end this age of Kaliyuga.

Duke of Windsor

Shri Nathji was always deeply moved by stories of Love. He used to narrate how Shri Babaji Maharaj was very pleased with the Duke of Windsor in England who gave up his throne for the love of a woman. Shri Babaji Maharaj always gave the highest possible status to women.

King Edward VIII (23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972) of England left his crown because he wanted to marry the women he loved and give her full status of a wife. King Edward VIII fell in love with Wallis Simpson (19 June 1896 – 24 April 1986) Edward became king when his father died in early 1936. Only months into his reign, he caused a constitutional crisis by proposing marriage to the American socialite Wallis Simpson, who had divorced her first husband, an American Naval Officer. In 1934, during her second marriage to Ernest Simpson, she allegedly became the mistress of Edward, Prince of Wales. Two years later, after Edward's accession as King, Wallis divorced her second husband and Edward proposed to her. The King's desire to marry a woman with two living ex-husbands threatened to cause great alarm in Britain and ultimately led to the King's abdication in December 1936 to marry "the woman I love". After the abdication, the former king was created Duke of Windsor by his brother Albert, who becomes king.  Edward married Wallis six months later, after which she was formally known as the Duchess of Windsor.

The Prime ministers of Britain and it’s colonial territories arguing that the people would never accept a divorced woman with two living ex-husbands as queen.  She was perceived by many in the British Empire as a woman of "limitless ambition", who was pursuing the King because of his wealth and position. Additionally, such a marriage would have conflicted with Edward's status as head of the Church of England, which opposed the remarriage of divorced people if their former spouses were still alive. Edward knew that the government led by British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin would resign if the marriage went ahead, which could have dragged the king into a general election and would ruin his status as a politically neutral constitutional monarch. Choosing not to end his relationship with Simpson, Edward abdicated. He was succeeded by his younger brother Albert. He said that he doesn’t wish to be a King who doesn’t has the power even to choose his own wife. Edward is perhaps the only example of a Monarch who left his thrown in order to marry a women of his love.

We can see the Beautiful movie – The King’s Speech which portrays how adamant King  Edward was to marry the women of his love.