Baba Bakala were the last words of Guru Harbhajan Singh and his last words indicated the next would-be Guru. This was an amazing incident; and the Sikhs remember this with pride and affection.
Description of the Baba Bakala:
After the demise of the Guru Hargobind Singh utter confusion prevailed. This was regarding the selection of the next Guru. But God wanted to show them the way and so, Makhan Shah’s ship was caught in a storm. In this circumstance everyone prayed to God and Makahan Shah also vowed to donate 500 Dinars to the Guru after he was rescued from the danger.
After his return, Makar Singh went to Bakala and offered 200 Dinars to each one opting to be a Guru. As he expected, no one except the son of Guru Hargobind Singh recognized the exact amount and asked why he was giving just 200 Dinars while he had pledged for 500. Instantly everyone understood the true Guru Teg Bahadur who is said to be the 10th or the last Sikh Guru.
Thus Bakala came to be the sacred place for the Sikhs and a place for the holy pilgrimage. Since only a person with an insight may discover the truth, Teg Bahadur became the next Guru. “The greater the difficulty, the more the glory in surmounting it.” It was a difficult task but since Teg Bahadur succeeded he made his power known to all.
Time for the celebration of the Festival:
Each year in the month of March people gather at Bakala to pay homage to the holy Guru Teg Bahadur and offer sacrifices for him. It is a festive time for the Sikhs.
