Gurdwara Sri Jhulan Mehal Sahib is situated in the village of Thathi Khara, district Tarn Taran, just six kilometers from Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib Tarn Taran. During the excavation of the sacred Sarovar at Tarn Taran Sahib, Guru Arjan Dev Ji would spend his days at Darbar Sahib but retire to Thathi Khara village at night. Here, devotees would gather, and Guru Ji held spiritual discourses, sharing divine wisdom.
One evening, as the congregation sat immersed in Guru Ji’s teachings, Emperor Jahangir’s army passed by with grandly decorated elephants, horses, and soldiers. The sight of the majestic elephants distracted the devotees, and they stood up to admire them. When Guru Ji asked what held their attention, they replied, “True King, look at these magnificent elephants—how gracefully they sway!”
With profound insight, Guru Ji responded, “These elephants may sway, but their movement is fleeting. The teachings of the Guru’s house, the hymns of Kirtan, will sway forever—echoing through these walls, just as the Guru’s words resonate in the air.” As a symbol of this eternal truth, Guru Ji had a raised wall constructed, matching the height of the elephants, so devotees could sit upon it and listen to Kirtan undisturbed. Today, this sacred site is known as Gurdwara Jhulan Mehal Sahib.
A unique feature of this Gurdwara is the presence of a lamp and swings, standing as witnesses to the Guru’s miracles and teachings. True steadfastness, as Guru Ji showed, lies not in worldly spectacles but in the eternal wisdom of the Guru. Even today, a pillar believed to date back to Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s time remains preserved here. Sat Sri Akal.
