When the ship was saved, Makhan Singh went to Baba Bakala

 When the ship was saved, Makhan Singh went to Baba Bakala  

Gurdwara Baba Bakala

Situated about 48 kilometers from Amritsar, a mile and half off the Grand Trunk Road at Rayya, is Gurdwara Baba Bakala, associated with Guru Tegh Bahadur. The eighth Guru, before his death, indicated to his followers that the ninth Guru would manifest himself at Baba Bakala. It so happened that about 22 persons claimed them to be the Guru and sat there on the gaddi. A merchant, by the name of Makhan Shah, invoked the help of the Guru when ship was about to be wrecked and made an offering of 500 mohars. When the ship was saved, Makhan Singh went to Baba Bakala. He was able to identify the real Guru, who showed his injured shoulder which he had put to the ship to push it out of danger.

Pool of salvation

 Baba Jaimal Singh, about 5o km west, is Gurdwara Tarn Taran, 22 from Amritsar. The Gurdwara is located by the side of a sarovar (water tank), the large of its kind in any Sikh shrine. The decorations are less expensive than those at the golden temple, Amritsar. Nevertheless, the overall effect is beautiful. The temple was built by Guru Arjun, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, in AD 1950.

A largely attended mela takes place here every month, the biggest one being on the new moon of April.