41. Gurudwaras in Jammu & Kashmir (Mattan Sahib)

In the year 1516 Guru Nanak started his third udasi i.e missionary tour. This time. he visited Mansarovar, Tibet, China, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir. He visited Srinagar, Anantnag and reached Mattan in the interior of the valley. At Mattan, Guruji had discussion with a great Sanskrit scholar Pandit Brahmdas, who was proud of his knowledge. Guruji on seeing him coming with huge stock of books, recited the following couplet-"One may read thousands of books, with cart load of books to follow, One may study innumerable epics or fill, One's cellars with volumes of study, One may read for generations and generations,And spend every month in the year studying. And one may read ones entire life, Right up to one's last breath, Sayeth Nanak, there is one truth His name only, All else is vanity of the egoistic mind. Pandit Brahm Das was shaken and fell at the feet of the Guru. A gurudwara in memory of Guru Nanak has been built at Mattan. It is situated at a distance of 60 km from Srinagar. Large number of devotees visit this shrine in summer season. It may be recalled that in 1675 A.D. a group of Kashmiri Brahmins of Mattan visited Anandpur Sahib to narrate their tale of woe to Guru Tegh Bahadur. He was deeply moved by their plight. For some time he was completely absorbed in thought and long unbroken silence descended upon the entire audience. The tradition has it that at this critical moment the young Sahibzada Gobind Rai, by chance entered the audience hall from outside. He enquired his father the cause of this strange silence. The ninth Guru informed him about the grave situation that had arisen in the country in the wake of relkgious persecution of Hindus by Mughal rulers and remarked that only the supreme sacrifice of a great man could save the people. Forthwith the young Prince replied that, there could be no greater man than his father himself. This brave remark of Gobind Rai settled the issue finally. Guru Tegh Bahadur left for Delhi and made the supreme sacrifice on November II, 1675 in Chandni Chowk, for the cause of truth, dharma and freedom of faith of the masses. Mattan, also called Martand, is an ancient town four kilometers northeast of Anantnag. Guru Nanak Dev here held a discourse with Pandit Brahm Das and converted him to his own faith. The shrine established here is called Gurdwara Patshahi Pahili. Its building constructed by Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa was replaced by the present one during the 1980s. It comprises a rectangular hall with the sanctum at one end and a verandah in front.