Takhat Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib is
the principal shrine at about half a Kilometer from
the left bank of the river Godavari, Nanded, Maharashtra.
It marks the site where the Guru had his camp in
1708 A.D. after the departure of the emperor Bahadur
Shah. The tenth Guru held his court and congregation
here. It is the site of his own tent where he was
convalescing after he was attacked by assassins.
It is the place from where the tenth Guru rose to
heaven along with his horse Dilbag.
In 1708 being prescient of the
end of his earthly role, the Guru had despatched
Banda Singh with five of his Sikhs to Punjab and
Mata Sahib Devan under a separate escort to Delhi
before the stabbing incident. He told the rest of
his retinue to retire to their homes if they so
wished, but he bade one Bhai Santokh Singh to stay
on here and keep Guru ka langar going. many others
also chose to remain. Together they built a room
over the platform where the used to sit while holding
his court and installed Guru Granth Sahib on it.
They called it Takhat Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh,
while conferring Guruship on the holy Book, had
himself named Nanded as Abchalnagar (means steadfast
city) after the first word of a hymn read at random
on the occasion. Sachkhand (means region of Truth)
had been used by Guru Nanak Dev to mean the abode
of God.
The present building of the Takhat Sahib was got
constructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh with money,
artisans and labour sent from Punjab during early
1830s. The complex of the Takhat Sahib is spread
over several hectares. Besides the Takhat Sahib
proper it also includes two other shrines, Bunga
Mai Bhago ji comprising a large room where Guru
Granth Sahib is seated and some historical weapons
like steel quoits, a broad sword, a steel bow and
an arrow, a gilded dagger-sized sword, a few swords
and a mace are at display, and Angitha Bhai Daya
Singh and Dharam Singh. These two survivors of the
battle of Chamkaur, who were among the Panj Piare.
