Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib
Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib is a Sikh place of worship in Dehradun, India, dedicated to Baba Ram Rai, eldest son of Guru Har Rai, the seventh of the ten Sikh Gurus. Baba Ram Rai settled here with his followers in the mid-17th century, after he was banished by the Sikh orthodoxy for mistranslating scripture in front of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, so as to not cause offence. It is believed the city, Dehradun, gets its name from the religious camp established by him: a "dera", or camp, in the "doon" valley.
| Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib | |
|---|---|
An 1858 photograph of Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib taken by Robert Christopher Tytler and Harriet Tyler | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Ramraiya unorthodox sect of Sikhism |
| Location | |
| Location | Jhanda Mohalla, Dehradun, India |
Shown within Uttarakhand Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib (India) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 30.3181°N 78.0318°E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Sikh architecture with influences and motifs from Islamic architecture |
| Completed | 1699: Central complex completed 1703–06: Completion of building work |
| Website | |
| http://www.sgrrdarbar.org/ | |
The building is historically and architecturally significant, as it derives many of its architectural motifs, like minarets, domes and gardens, from Islamic architecture. While Sikh architecture, in general, drew inspiration from Mughal styles, the Darbar Sahib was unique in that it relied more heavily on elements that give it the appearance of a mosque than a conventional gurudwara. This was unusual in the 17th-18th centuries, as at the time Sikhs were generally in conflict with the Muslim rulers of India. The Islamic influence was the result of a cordial relationship between Baba Ram Rai and the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who provided lands and funds for the site.