There is no mention of Dasmesh Ji ever coming to these mountains from 1666 to 1708 AD. The design of this Gurdwara building was prepared by Basant Singh, who was a senior engineer in the PWD department in undivided Punjab. In those days, when Shimla was the capital of Punjab, Basant Singh lived near us.
If we look at it in historical context, the first five Gurus laid down many principles for Sikhism during their time, which are still recognized and important today. For example, three Gurus were contemporaries of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, but they were considered Gurus only when they received the Guruship; That is, during the period of Guru Nanak Ji from 1469 to 1539, Guru Angad Dev Ji was born in 1504 (age 35 years), Guru Amardas Ji was born in 1479 AD (age 60 years), Guru Ramdas Ji was born in 1534 AD (age 5 years). All these three Gurus were contemporaries of Guru Nanak Dev Ji by 35, 60 and 5 years respectively and were also contemporaries of each other Gurus. Guru Angad Dev Ji’s father was a temple priest and before assuming the Guruship, he was a devotee of Durga. Guru Amardas Ji used to travel to pilgrimages every year before receiving the Guruship, but when the Guruship was handed over to him, what happened in his earlier life was left behind and the work he did after receiving the Guruship was given importance. Nowhere in Sikhism did their goddess worship or pilgrimages have any significance.
This proves two things very well; firstly, that goddess worship or pilgrimages, idol worship, penance etc. have no significance in Sikhism; secondly, what was their religious life like before attaining the Guruship, that too has been left behind. But linking Hemkunt with Guru Gobind Singh Ji and that too by arguing that he had worshipped or performed penance here in his previous birth, puts the Sikh community in a very ridiculous position. By making Hemkunt a pilgrimage for Sikhs, Sikhs have been made like the difficult journey of Amarnath pilgrimage of Hinduism, whereas according to Gurbani, more attention has been given to the deeds of this birth rather than the previous birth.
Earlier, Rawalsar, which is in Himachal Pradesh, was tried to be popular among Sikhs as a pilgrimage site like Hemkunt. That gurdwara was built during those days when the Joginder Nagar hydro-project was being prepared, with the courage of the contractor Dr. Tehal Singh, who was the contractor of this hydro-project. He was also propagated with the theory of the seven horns of Hemkunt at that time.
There is no recognition of such past life pilgrimage sites or places of penance in Sikhism or doctrine. Sikh Rehat Maryada says that these graves etc. should not be worshipped and no Angitha Sahib Gurdwara should be built, but nowadays, the theory of pilgrimage sites is being propagated among Sikhs by building such luxurious gurdwaras by the deredars who have flourished in Sikhism, which will be fatal for the uniqueness of Sikhs.
The Sikh community considers the Gurus as 10 Nanak Jyotans; that is, one Jyot transformed into another, but if Hemkunt’s theory is accepted, then how can Guru Gobind Singh Nanak be the tenth Jyot? Because Hemkunt’s concept is completely against the basic principles of Sikhism. Secondly, when governments or arbitrariness encourages such acts that create distortion in the religion, why does the educated Sikh community not speak out? This means that either they are completely devoid of Sikh principles, or they do not care about this distortion being introduced into the principles.
Finally, I would like to request the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to not allow the propagation of such arbitrariness and to raise their voice against such propagation so that further distortion in the Sikh religion can be prevented. This will be in the interest of Sikhism.
