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NEELAY GHODE WALA

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru of Sikhism and founder of Khalsa, was famous for his blue coloured horse. In fact Guru Sahib is sometimes known as "Neelay ghoray whalla" or "one with the blue horse".Just as his grandfather Guru Hargobind Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh instructed his Sikhs to make offerings of arms and horses in readiness for the turbulent times ahead. In anticipation of this Gobind Singh ji Maharaj learnt the art of horsemanship from an early age under the guidance of his maternal uncle, Bhai Kirpal Chand.

As Guru Sahib grew older, he became an accomplished horseman and would spend time travelling the country-side on horseback blessing his people who would inevitably gather wherever he went. Even today the lineage of the stallions continues at Hazoor Saheb, Nanded.


The horses are kept in stables and are bred from the original stallion belonging to Guru Sahib. No one is allowed to ride the horses as a mark of respect and they are brought out on the festival of Holla Mahalla or gurupurabs when they are beautifully decorated with tassels and riding gear. On occasions, especially on the festival of Holla Mahalla it has been said that the horse will get extremely sweaty and agitated, as if it is being ridden.

Two stories are very relevant related to this Neela Ghoda:-

Gurudwara at Bhatta Sahib, Punjab:
Here the Gurdwara commemorates the incident when Guru Gobind Singh Ji arrived at this place from a long journey on their way back to Anandpur Sahib. They say a man working at a kiln (putthi) baking bricks. Upon enquiring from the local artisan if there was a place to rest, the local gestured at his furnace and said mockingly “If you call yourself Guru why don’t you rest here in the furnace?” Guru Ji ushered Neela forward who trampled on the mud surrounding the kiln and put one of his hooves on the side of the kiln. Whereas a brick kiln would normally take a week or so to cool down the furnace became instantly cool. Guru Ji demounted Neela and rested for the night in the furnace. The gurdwara that now stands there has been built around the now solidified mud which still has the impressions of Neela’s hooves.

Kotla Nihang Khan:-

Kotla Nihang Khan, about two and a half kilometres south of Ropar, owes its prominence to Gurdwara Bhatta Sahib.

The village is named after its once local chief, Nihang Khan, a god fearing Afghan contemporary of Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Gobind Singh first visited Kotla Nihang Khan while on his way back from Paonta to Anandpur. The site of the present Gurdwara Bhattha Sahib used to be a Bhatha (a brick kiln) which was used to slake lime for mortar and whitewashing of walls. The kiln which was in use at the time belonged to the local chief. It is said that the kiln was still smouldering hot when the Guru arrived here on November 1688 and, inadvertantly or otherwise, rode right onto the kiln's covering.


There is a fascinating story about this incident, as soon as the hooves of the Guru's horse touched the kiln, it cooled. Seeing this, Nihang Khan fell at the Guru's feet and became forever his devoted follower. He escorted him to his haveli and put him up for the night with due reverence and attention.

So this was one of the legendary tales of the Neelay Ghode Wala, or Guru Gobind Singh ji Maharaj, the tenth guru of Sikhs and the founder of Khalsa, to remind his disciples of the courage and valour they possessed.


#neelaghoda #gurugobindsingh #khalsa #sikhism #panjpiyare #gurujayanti #folktales #folklores #mysticstories #unsungstories #mythology #religion #theunheardsecrets

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