Gurdwara Nanakshashi, situated in Neelkhet Road stands in memory of the Great Guru. Gurdwara Nanakshashi is a Sikh rendezvous in the heart of Dhaka University at Neelkhet Road. In 1469, Guru Nanak Dev ji descended in a world plunged in medieval ignorance, feudal tyranny and oppression and religious and cultrual strife. In early 16th centruy, Guru Nanak visited Dhaka via Mithila, Kant nagar (Dinajp
ur), Kamroop and Sylhet and he left in for the Deccan via Chittagong, Calcutta and Jagannath Puri (Orrissa). Having witnessed the righteousness of the devout people that used to come in large numbers from far-flung areas to visit the ancient Dhakeshwari Temple, Guru Nanak made a visit to this location. Guru Nanak came to Dhaka by boat, which anchored at Shivpur village in the north of Dhaka. Later it took the name of Rayer Bazar, Dhanmandi and turned Dhanmandi Colony after 1961. He succeeded in winning the innocent hearts of the poor working class of people living in the area. The news that Nanak possessed limitless powers of a real spiritual guru, spread speedily among those people and moved them to come up with due respect for him. There were ferry ghats, harbours, some godowns and a small market at Shivpur, but acute scarcity of pure drinking water was dragging people towards the grip of diseases and death. Nanak got a well dug at Zafrabad of the village and consecrated it to the welfare of the local people. Later a king came and had a large tank excavated near the well for tourists to bathe there. Led to the belief that diseased man recovered soon after using the water of the well, people used to flock around it with pots to collect holy water from there. According to Dr. Trilochan Singh, an author, the erstwhile Pakistan Government requisitioned the entire area including the well and the tank kept under Sikh supervision till 1959. The government hacked the area into several small plots and leased them out to people for housing. It is learnt that Guru Nanak's well now lies at House No. 278, Road No. 26, Dhanmandi residential area. The allotee of this plot of land got it for 8,000 taka, constructed a building house there in 1968 and then rented it to the UN employees. After a certain period of time had elapsed, Baba Gurditta instructed Almast, an Udasi, to trace out Guru Nanak's stay in Dhaka. Almast did it and at last located a place under Sujatpur mouza, where Dhaka University now lies and then established a 'Manji' which was later renamed Gurdwara Nanakshashi. Subsequently, the area assumed its importance and became known as Ramna. Gurdwara Nanakshashi was originally built by Bhai Natha and modelled after the design of the Yadgar of Nawab Shaesta Khan's grand daughter Iran Dhukhat alias Paree Bibi, who died a premature death in 1684. The works of the building were completed in 1830 and it commemorates the stay of Guru Nanak who held here religious discourses, preaching of gospel of one God and universal brotherhood in 1504. After a period of neglect, some essential reforms were made in 1971-72 after the liberation of Bangladesh. In 1988-89 the building was renovated and the outside verandah was constructed for its protection and preservation with contributions received from Guru Nanak's followers in Bangladesh and other countries. The work was carried out under the able guidance of Sardar Herbeant Singh IAS (Retd.) head of the International Jute Organisation. He left for New Delhi in 1991. In January 1972, a Sikh delegation headed by General Jagjit Singh Arora called on the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman who later paid a visit to the Gurdwara. Before the Gurdwara was built, Bhai Natha took the initiative for digging a well of which reforms were made by Mahant Prem Dass in 1833. During the Pakistan rule, it was ravaged and filled with earth and squalor. Intruders broke into the temple and looted away its antiquidated furniture, musical instruments, banister, precious stones and other valuable articles. During the Baishakhi and Guru Nanak birth anniversary, Sikh Jathas from India visited Guru Nanakshashi and stayed here. Even the foreign Sikh nationals who come to Dhaka on different occasions are allowed to live here and pay their obeisance.
