Historic Temples And Darbars Of Chak In Shikarpur

Chak is a small town in Lakhi Ghulam Shah taluka in the Shikarpur district, which is noted for some of its Hindu temples. It is located about 24 km east of Lakhi Ghulam Shah town. Some of the prominent temples and darbars in Chak town include Mata ji Marhi, Shri Paramhans Advait Mat, Amrapur Asthan Prem Prakash, Bhagat Kanwar Ram, Ganga Ram, Shivalo and Ashram, Guru Nanak Darbar and others.

Guru Nanak Darbar, now called Gurdwara, is one of the prominent worship places of Nanakpanthis of Chak town. It was also called Pevand Tikano, as Pevand Mal who used to sell Kulfis, stayed in the darbar, hence it was also known as Pevand Jo Tikano. It was probably first managed by Bava (ascetic) Gobind Ram. He also used to stay in Guru Nanak Darbar. He was known for his piety. According to Azad Bukhari, a teacher, and writer of Chak town, it was rebuilt in 2001. Dr. Santosh Kumar gave donations in memory of her wife Dasi Bai. Lekhmichand also played an important role in its construction. There are two canopies in the hall of the darbar. On a raised platform (Singhasan) is placed the Guru Granth Sahib and on another are placed images of Jhulelal and Mata Mol Wari (Pooj Shri Mata Sahib Tilli Bai).

Another prominent temple in Chak belongs to Prem Prakash Panth, a Hindu spiritual and religious organisation that was founded by Swami Teoonram Ji Maharaj. Swami Teoonram Ji Maharaj was born in Khandu village in 1887. He spent his time travelling and preaching. He finally settled near Tando Adam where he conducted spiritual discussions, and that place was marked with a fence that later came to be called Amrapur Asthan. He formed Prem Prakash Mandal to continue his teachings and discourses which attracted many people who enrolled themselves as his disciples. It is believed that he also visited Chak town, where Amrapur Asthan Prem Prakash Mandal was formed during his lifetime.

Prem Prakash Mandal is managed by the Budhani family of Chak. The first caretaker of Prem Prakash Mandal of Chak was Manik Mal Budhani. Later it was managed by Maharaj Sukhdev. There was also located a Budda ashram (old age home) inside the Mandal, where old members of the Hindu community used to live. There are five spiritual Masters or Satgurus (true teachers) of Prem Prakash Panth. The first Satguru and founder were Swami Teoonram Ji Maharaj. After the death of Satguru Swami Teoonram Ji Maharaj in 1942, Satguru Swami Sarvanand Ji Maharaj (b. 1897, d. 1977) became his second successor. The third Master of Prem Prakash Panth was Satguru Swami Shanti Prakash Ji Maharaj who was born in Chak town in 1907. According to Azad Bukhari (2014), the author of Chak Ja Chandan Har, Satguru Swami Shanti Parkash Ji Maharaj caught chicken pox at the age of 12. He lost his eyesight due to chicken pox. He also composed poetry in Sindhi and Hindi. He died in 1992 and was succeeded by Satguru Swami Haridasram Ji Maharaj (b. 1930 d. 2000). Satguru Swami Bhagat Prakash Ji Maharaj is the fifth successor of Satguru Swami Teoonram Ji Maharaj, who lives in India.

There is a large hall in the Prem Prakash Mandal in Chak where one finds a raised platform and two flanking canopies. On the platform are placed the pictures of Radha and Krishna and four Satgurus of Prem Prakash Panth. The murti (image) of Satguru Swami Teoonram Ji Maharaj is also placed on a platform. In two flanking canopies are placed the Guru Granth Sahib. One can also observe pictures of Stagurus of Prem Prakash Panth, Durga, and Sai Baba of Shirdi (d.1918) on a wall of the main hall of the temple.

The Mata Ji Marhi is another temple in Chak that is taken care of by the Balmiki community of the town. It was first managed by Arjan Sonaro. This temple is now managed by Nand Lal Balmiki. It is a small temple that has now been renovated and an image of Durga has been placed therein.

Apart from Mata ji Marhi, there is another temple which is called Shri Paramhans Advait Mat Mandir which is named after Shri Paramhans Swami Advait Anand Ji Maharaj, also known as Shri Paramhans Dayal Ji Maharaj who was born in 1846 A.D at Chhapra town in Saran district in Bihar Province to Pathak Brahmin family. He preached Surat Shabd yog and Guru Bhakti. He died in Teri in Kohat in KPK where his Samadhi is located.

According to Shri Paramhans Advait Mat (1975), a book published by Advait Anand Pur Trust, Shri Paramhans Swami Advait Anand Ji Maharaj was succeeded by Shri Swami Swarup Anand Ji Maharaj (b. 1884 d.1936). Moreover, one knows from Shri Paramhans Advait Mat (a soft copy of the book can be accessed here) that when Shri Swami Swarup Anand Ji Maharaj was the second spiritual Master, his disciple Shri Swami Vairag Anand Ji Maharaj, whom he initiated in 1916 who later succeeded him as Third Master of Advait Mat in 1936, visited their devotees in Sindh.

There were also followers of the Radhasoami faith in Chak. The Radhasoami tradition is traced back to the spiritual Master Swami Shiv Dayal Singh in Agra in 1861

The Second Master Shri Swami Swarup Anand Ji Maharaj on the requests of devotees from Sindh visited them at Lakhi in the Sukkur district, where many of his devotees came to have his Darshan and he allowed them to build Ashram in the town of Lakhi. Swami Vairag Anand Ji Maharaj first visited his devotees of Sindh in 1926 and later in 1934. Third Spiritual Master Shri Swami Vairag Anand Ji Maharaj had a great following in Sindh. Shri Paramhans Advait Mat Mandir of Chak town is located in Mukhi Haveli of Chak town which was built by Mukhi Kirori Mal in the late 1930s. In the main hall of the temple is kept the Singhaasan (throne) on which are placed six pictures of Spiritual Masters of the Shri Paramhans Advait Mat faith in a row. These include Shri Paramhans Swami Advait Anand Ji Maharaj, Shri Swami Swarup Anand Ji Maharaj (b.1884- 1936) Shri Swami Vairag Anand Ji Maharaj, Shri Swami Beant Anand Ji Maharaj, Shri Swami Darshan Pooran Anand Ji Maharaj, and present and sixth Master Sri Swami Vichar Pooran Anand Ji Maharaj.

One can also visit a beautiful small temple of Sant Bhagat Kanwar Ram (1885-1939) in Chak, who was a disciple of Sant Satram Das (b.1866-d.1910). He was a singer and poet who was killed by extremists at Ruk Railway Station. A temple was built in his name at Chak town after his murder in 1939. Today one can see images and pictures of his spiritual mentor Sant Satram Das in the temple. This temple was first managed by Ladak Mal and his family. The temple was rebuilt in 2006. It is now being managed by Bal Chand Esrani, Tara Chand Thawani, and Prakash Lal Devani. There are three canopies in the main hall of the temple where one can see the images of Sant Satram Das and pictures of Bhagat Kanwar Ram and his followers. Guru Granth Sahib is also placed in the two canopies. On the walls of the temple are also to be seen the pictures of Sant Satram Das, Bhagat Kanwar Ram, Khota Ram, and others followers of Sant Satram Das.

Another temple in Chak belonged to Swami Ganga Ram Ashram and Shivalo, which is not functional now. The Shivalo or Shiv temple was managed by Swami Ganga Ram (b.1860-1949), who was known for his piety. Many of his followers migrated from Chak to other towns and cities of Sindh. A small temple of Swami Ganga Ram is built in the house of Karam Chand Rohera which is now managed by his sons. According to Azad Bukhari (2014), the author Chak Ja Chandan Har, Ganga Ram was also a good poet. His bhajans (devotional songs) are still popular. One of his disciples Qavi Tejo Mal Budhani (b.1865 d. 1950) of Chak was also a good poet who composed poetry in the praise of his spiritual mentor Swami Ganga Ram.

There were also followers of the Radhasoami faith in Chak. The Radhasoami tradition is traced back to the spiritual Master Swami Shiv Dayal Singh in Agra in 1861. The Radhasoami Satsang was first managed by Hukoomat Rai along with Seth Parmanand and Tejo Mal. It was later maintained and managed by Hakeem Ram Chand, Partab Rai, and Jivani Nand. Other prominent adherents of Radhasoami of Chak were Kako Jagu Mal, Nand Lal, Sundar Das, Master Pehlaj Rai, Master Partab Rai, and others. There were two prominent Radhasoami Satsangs before the pre-partition of 1947 one at Khahi village and the other at Chak town in the Shikapur district. Radhasoami Satsang hall of Chak was probably built in 1930. Today, Radhasoami Satsang in Chak is managed by the followers who now live in Sukkur city and they occasionally come and perform Satsang.

There are also a few small temples and a gurdwara in Juriyapur Mohallah of Chak where people of the Bagri community worship. Those temples are Sacho Satram Das Dham (SSD) – managed by Manu Ram Bagri, Baba Krishnanand Maharaj temple which is taken care of by Karam Singh Bagri and the Gurdwara Sahib which is managed by Niko Faqir Bagri.