18. At Jagannath Puri

Puri is another sacred place of the Hindus. From Kamarup Guru Tegh Bahadur ji travelled south via Bengal to Jagannath Puri. which now lies in the Indian state of Orissa. Puri being the centre of Hinduism, it was natural for the Brahmins to question the faith of Guru Tegh Bahadur. They asked the same question, which the yogis had asked Guru Nanak when he visited Rhishi- kesh. They wished to know how a householder burdened with a load of worldly responsibilities could be a holy man. Guru ji cleared this misconception of the Brahmans and said, "God dwells in heart. Therefore. anyone who goes to find God in jungles is forgetting Him, for He has been with Him all the time. Moreover, from a worldly point of view such a man is weak, since he is escaping the hardships of this World." Guru Tegh Bahadur ji visited the shrine of Guru Nanak at Puri, where He had come to show the people that the "Arti" of the Almighty was being sung and performed by the whole Universe. According to Dr. Trilochan Singh. Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was planning to re-visit all the places connected with the name of Guru Nanak in the Southern parts of India and Ceylon. But He had to cut short His visit, for the time had come for Him to return to the Punjab and perform a "supremely heroic act" at Delhi.