Gurdwara Bair Sahib, Sialkot

History

When Guru Nanak Dev Ji reached Sialkot via Jammu he found the whole city in the grip of terror. Guru Dev Ji inquired and learnt that someone had failed to keep his promise made to a great saint called Hazrat Hamza Ghaus. He had flown into a rage and made a vow to meditate for 40 days and at the completion of his meditation the whole city would be doomed. Hearing this Sat Gur sat down under a Bair tree close to the place where Hazrat Hamza was meditating and sang his verse in a loud tone. It disturbed the meditation of Hamza Ji, who came to Guru Nanak and angrily asked who he was and why he wanted to save those liars. Guru Ji replied "Hamza, you are not supposed to punish a whole city for the misconduct of a single person." Hamza Ji was not satisfied. Guru Ji then explained to him that there were many souls. in the city who understood the purpose of life. Guru Ji gave two paisas to Bhai Mardana to buy "falsehood" and "truth" from the market. Some people ridiculed Mardana Ji but there was a Karar (a Hindu sect) named Maula who took two paisas and wrote two chits. On one chit he wrote, "Life is bitter" while on the other chit he wrote, "Death is truth". Bhai Mardana presented both the chits to Sat Gur Nanak Dev Ji. Guru Ji handed over the two pieces of paper to Hamza Ghaus Ji who after reading the same, pardoned the residents of Sialkot. Maula Karar remained with Guru for some time during his travels. According to Guru’s biographies, once Guru Ji went to fetch Maula Karar. He, at the instance of his wife, hid himself inside the dark portion of his house and his wife told Guru Dev Ji that he was not at home. Guru Ji came back and a little later it was learnt that Maula Karar had died of snake bite in the darkness.