Mian Mir Did Not Lay the Foundations Stone of Sri Darbar Sahib
Background
There is a common misconception that Mian Mir, a Muslim saint laid the foundation stone of Sri Darbar Sahib in Amritsar. Although early Sikh sources are clear that Guru Arjan Dev Ji themselves laid the foundation stone for Sri Harimandar Sahib, this false narrative of Mian Mir laying the stone has gained a lot of traction. Perhaps one reason it has been accepted as historical fact is to show that the Guru had a positive relationship with Muslims and members of other religions.
The story of Mian Mir laying the foundation stone was concocted by a Muslim historian, which will be delved into later in this article. Kavi Santokh Singh wrote in 1843 that Guru Arjan Dev Ji laid the foundation stone with their own hands. Before this, no historian or book had mentioned who laid the foundation stone.
Sikh Sources on the Laying of the Foundation Stone
Kavi Santokh Singh wrote in his Gurpartap Suraj Granth that Guru Arjan Dev Ji laid the foundation stone. This is mentioned on Ras 2, Ansu 53 of the Bhai Vir Singh Edition of the Sri Gurpartap Suraj Granth.
A detailed translation of the entire narrative is presented below:
“Guru Arjun set the construction date as 1 Magh, 1645 Bikermi (1588 AD) and sent out notices to Sikhs to attend…the Sarowar (pool) was emptied prior to the event and a diwan held at the site of the dry bed of the pool…The Guru gave a discourse on the objectives of the Darbar Sahib project…The Karah Parshad was brought in…The Guru instructed Baba Budha Ji to do an ardas who in the name the four Gurus requested Akaal Purakh for permission to lay the foundation of the Darbar Sahib…Then Guru Arjun put down the first brick with his holy hands…The Guru then proceeded to explain the construction plan and layout to the assembled builders and Sikhs…
-Translated by Karminder Singh Dhillon (https://sikhivicharforum.org)
Here are the particular lines from Kavi Santokh Singh about Guru Sahib laying the foundation stone:
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਅਰਜਨ ਕਰ ਪੰਕਜ ਤਬੈ ॥੧੩॥
ਗਹੀ ਈਣਟ ਤਹਿ ਕਰੀ ਟਿਕਾਵਨ।
ਮੰਦਰ ਅਵਿਚਲ ਨੀਵ ਰਖਾਵਨ।
In all other Sikh historical texts such as the Gurbilas Patshahi 6, Gurbilas Patshahi 10, Mehma Parkash (1776), Bansavalinama and the Pracheen Panth Parkash no mention is made of Mian Mir laying the foundation stone.
The Creation of the Myth
The first source to mention that Mian Mir laid the foundation stone of Sri Darbar Sahib was Butay Shah (real name Ghulam Muhaiyuddin) in his book Tavarikh-i-Punjab, which was written in 1848. He writes:
“Shah Mian Mir came to Amritsar at the invitation of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji and with his holy hands, placed four bricks in the four directions and one in the middle.”
Butay Shah was employed by the British to write a history of the Sikhs. This was protested by Rattan Singh Bhangu at that time. Rattan Singh wrote that no Muslim would be able to do justice to the history of Sikhs as their had been conflict between the two. Rattan Singh Bhangu writes in his Prachin Panth Parkash on page 41:
ਯਹਿ ਮੌਲਵੀ ਹੈ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ। ਕਬ ਸਿੰਘਨ ਜਸ ਕਰੈ ਬਖਾਨ।
This Maulvi (Butay Shah) is a Muslim. How can be do justice to the Singhs?
Giani Gian Singh the writer of the Navin Panth Parkash also writes about this incident as well:
ਬੂਟੇ ਸ਼ਾਹ ਮੌਲਵੀ ਤਾਈਂ। ਪੇਸ਼ਕਾਰ ਜੋ ਹੁਤੋ ਤਦਾਈਂ।
ਦਯੋ ਹੁਕਮ ਤੂੰ ਸਿੰਘਨ ਕਥਾ। ਲਿਖ ਕਰ ਦੇਹੁ ਭੀ ਸਭ ਜਥਾ।
Giani Gian Singh is the first Sikh historian to mention that Mian Mir laid the foundation stone of Sri Darbar Sahib. This is interesting because, he does not mention who laid the foundation stone in the first two editions of his Panth Parkah, it is only in the third edition that he mentions Mian Mir laying the foundation stone. Giani Gian Singh did not write where he got this new information from or what compelled him to add this to the third edition. It is possible he was influenced by Butay Shah’s book.
Furthermore, Butay Shah does not mention where he learned about Mian Mir laying the foundation stone. Nor does he reference any historical source. Kavi Santokh Singh had a direct lineage of teachers going back to Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji’s time.
Kavi Santokh Singh had learned under Bhai Sant Singh in Sri Amritsar. Bhai Sant Singh’s father was Bhai Surat Singh who did seva at Harimandar Sahib. Bhai Surat Singh had learned under Bhai Gurbaksh Singh, who had learned directly from Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh.
Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh had been doing seva with the Gurus from the time of the 7th Guru, Sri Guru Har Rai Ji. Bhai Mani Singh’s family had been doing seva since the time of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. So it is very plausible that Bhai Mani Singh had heard from his father and grandfather who had laid the foundation stone of Sri Darbar Sahib and had passed this knowledge down until it reached Kavi Santokh Singh.
Kavi Santokh Singh can trace his knowledge back to the times of the Gurus. What authority or lineage did Butay Shah get his information from? It seems likely that he made this information up just as Rattan Singh Bhangu had predicted he would do.
Another interesting fact to note is that none of Mian Mir’s followers have written that he laid the foundation stone. This is an event that would carry great significance, and the fact that it is not written in any of Mian Mir’s biographies is a testament to the fact that Butay Shah likely fabricated the entire thing. Dara Shikoh, the Mughal prince, compiled a book on the life of Mian Mir titled Sakinat al-aulia, and this book too fails to mention that Mian Mir laid the foundation stone of Sri Darbar Sahib.
Foundations of other Historical Gurdwara Sahibs
When the Gurus built Gurdwara Sahibs, the foundations were always laid by themselves. We can find countless examples of this in Sikh historical sources.
For example, according to the Navin Panth Parkash, when Guru Nanak Dev Ji built Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib he laid the foundation stone himself:
ਤਿਨੋ ਕੀ ਸਾਲਾਹਿ ਔ ਉਛਾਹਿ ਸੈਂ ਨਿਹਾਰ ਧਰਾ…
The Sarovars of Amritsar and Santokhsar were both dug during the time of Sri Guru Ram Das Ji. In fact, he himself dug the first shovel full of dirt, as mentioned by Kavi Santokh Singh in Gurpartap Suraj Granth:
ਸੰਤੋਖਸਰ-ਟਕ ਲਾਯਹੁ ਸਿਰਜਣ ਕੋ ਤਾਲ।
ਚਿਤਵਯੋ ਉਰ ਉਪਕਾਰ ਬਿਸਾਲ।ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ-ਬ੍ਰਿਧ ਬਚ ਤੇ ਲੈ ਖਨਨੀ ਹੱਥ।
ਟਵ ਲਾਇਵ ਚਿਤਵਤ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਥ।
The foundation stone for Sri Tarn Taarn Sahib was laid by Guru Arjan Dev Ji, according to the Navin Panth Parkash:
ਗੁਰ ਨੀਵ ਧਰੀ ਤਰਨ ਤਾਰਨ ਭਾਵਨ।
The foundation stone of Sri Akaal Takhat was placed by Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji according to the Gurbilas Paatshahi 6:
ਪ੍ਰਿਥਮ ਨੀਂਵ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰ ਰਖੀ ਅਬਚਲ ਤਖਤ ਸੁਹਾਇ।
Tavrik Guru Khalsa mentions on page 294 that the four foundation stones for the forts of Anandpur Sahib: Anandgarh, Lohgarh, Fatehgarh and Kesgarh were laid by Guru Gobind Singh Ji themselves.
If the Gurus laid the foundation stones of all major Gurdwara Sahibs and historic Sikh cities themselves, why would Guru Arjan Dev Ji go against this tradition and ask Mian Mir to lay the foundation stone of such a central and important Gurdwara Sahib? If Guru Sahib did not want to lay the foundation stone of Sri Darbar Sahib out of humility, were there not many accomplished Gurmukhs that could have laid the stone? Brahmgiani Gurmukh Baba Buddha Ji or Guru Sahib’s uncle Bhai Sahib Gurdas Ji both could have laid the stone, what was the need to ask Mian Mir? Earlier in Sikh History, Guru Amar Das Ji had already asked Baba Buddha Ji to lay the foundation stone of Sri Bauli Sahib. If Guru Sahib wanted someone else to lay the foundation of Sri Darbar Sahib, Baba Buddha Ji was the perfect candidate.
Piara Singh Padam, a Sikh historian has mentioned that Mian Mir lived to be about 88 years old, at the time of the construction of Sri Darbar Sahib he was barely into his early 30s. He was not as well known as he was in his later years. Why would Guru Sahib ask a relatively unknown personality to the lay the foundation stone of Sri Darbar Sahib?
Conclusion
The fact remains that the story of Mian Mir laying the foundation stone was likely concocted by Butay Shah and having caught fire it spread. The earliest Sikh historical sources do not mention Mian Mir laying the stone. In fact, the Gurpartap Suraj Granth mentions Guru Arjan Dev Ji laying the foundation stone. Mian Mir, although a respected Muslim saint did not lay the foundation stone of Sri Darbar Sahib. To say so is a great disrespect to Gursikhs such as Baba Buddha Ji and Bhai Gurdas Ji. Guru Arjan Dev Ji themselves laid the foundation stone of Sri Darbar Sahib.
References:
Dhillon, Karminder Singh. Who Laid the Foundation Stone of Darbar Sahib?
Kaur, Madanjit. The Golden Temple: Past and Present
Singh, Kirpal Giani: Sri Harmandir Sahib Da Sunhari Itihas