Within the walled city of Lahore (Pakistan) exists a lathe market near Masti Gate, wherein once existed a gurdwara to mark the site where Bhai Mani Singh was martyred in 1737 AD by the Mughal administration by severing every joint from his body.

After the partition of 1947, the gurdwara remained locked for years and was eventually occupied by an Afghan family who converted it into a workshop. In the workshop, the screeching sounds of lathe machines dismembering iron rods were a vivid reminder of the supreme sacrifice of Bhai Mani Singh, who stayed affirm for the freedom of mankind to be allowed to practice their individual beliefs.

Deeply saddened at the state of this historical site, I was reminded of Kabir’s profound words,

Sooraa So Pehichaaneeaai Jo Larai Deen Ke Hait
Purajaa Purajaa Kat Marai Kabahoo Na Chhaaddai Khet

He alone is a spiritual hero, who fights in defense of underprivileged
He may be cut apart, piece by piece, but he never leaves the field

Infused with such profound philosophy, the history of Sikhs is filled with such valour. However, a visit to this site left me wondering, why our ancestors fled the fields in the partition of 1947! Could they not have co-existed, which would not have resulted in the present state of our heritage? I understand the turn of events had left no choice for members of all communities to abandon their ancestral habitats, but seven decades after the fateful events, it is still a question worthy of reflection.

Photographed in Oct 2014, during the research for the book “LOST HERITAGE The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan”