Goindwal

Goindwal Sahib
Town
Goindwal Sahib Location in Punjab, India Show map of Punjab Goindwal Sahib Goindwal Sahib (India) Show map of India
Coordinates: 31°22′N 75°9′E / 31.367°N 75.150°E / 31.367; 75.150
Country	India
State	Punjab
District	Tarn Taran
Region	Majha
Population  (2010)
• Total	7,772
Languages
• Official	Punjabi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	143422
STD code	01859

Goindwal (Punjabi: ਗੋਇੰਦਵਾਲ, pronunciation: [ɡoɪnd̪ʋäːl], meaning ‘City of Govind’, an epithet of God),^[1] also known as Goindwal Sahib and alternatively transliterated as Goindval, is located in the Taran Taran district of the Majha region of Punjab, India about 23 km (14 mi) from Tarn Taran Sahib. In the 16th century it became an important center for the Sikh religion during the Guruship of the Guru Amar Das Ji. Goindwal is on the banks of the Beas River and is one of the focal points of small scale industries of Tarn Taran district.

Guru Amar Das (the third Guru or the third Nanak) stayed in Goindwal for 33 years where he established a new centre for preaching Sikhism. A Baoli (stepwell), paved with 84 steps was constructed there. Sikh’s believe that by reciting Japji Sahib, the divine Word revealed to Guru Nanak, at each of the 84 steps after taking a bath in the Baoli provides Moksha, liberation from 84,00,000 cycles of life of this world and unity with God (mukhti). Goindval is where Guru Amar Das Ji met Guru Ram Das Ji, the next Guru. Guru Arjan Dev was also born there on 15 April 1563. It is called axis of Sikhism as it was the first center of Sikhism.

Today the Gurdwara and Goindwal Baoli is visited as a prime pilgrimage destination and the massive langar or the community kitchen provides food to a large number of pilgrim every day.^[2]