In a divergent discourse in his book, "The Evolution of the Sikh Community" Dr. Hew McLeod infers that the erection of the Baoli at Goindwal Sahib has been indeference to the thought and the teachings of Guru Nanak. Although in a few rejoinders* most of the absurdities raised by him have been appropriately delved, this aspect has not been elaborated.

Being close to the modern age, the Sikh-history is very precise and unambiguous (unless some self-motivated individuals or organisations dump in the vagueness and uncertainties). It does not take a highly qualified scholar or an eminent historian to enunciate the truth. The facts are easily verifiable by an ordinary lay reader.

It is well known fact that Guru Amar Das extensively travelled to the places of the pilgrimage, both before and after the attainment of the Gurudom. He saw people taking arduous journeys of hundreds of miles - some never reached their destinations and some never returned home to see their loved ones. There is no dearth of stories of innocent people being exploited and plundered by the so-called priests at such `tirath asthans'. The pilgrims were harassed and expropriated by the officials of Mughal Sarkar's Tax (Jaziya) Collectors. On top of all that Guru Amar Das observed thousands dying of cholera and other diseases by having dip in (& drinking) the polluted and contaminated water.

Guru Amar Das wanted people to be emancipated of such miseries. His ever innovative mind thought of providing people with places for the attainment of peace of mind and solitude, and such places he wanted easily approachable with clean environments. The erection of the Baoli at Goindwal Sahib was just the beginning; the number of baolis, sarowars, wells, etc. existing these days is the testimony to the fact. Any such `water-place' is not there for the worship of itself as such but as a mean to worship the God, Almighty. Why such a `water-place' is needed? One cannot be more explicit and precise than Shri Guru Arjan Dev,

"After taking bath, remember thou thy lord; thus thy soul and body shall be disease-free. (KAR ISHNAN SIMIR PRABH APNA MAN TAN BHEYE AROGA" Sorath M. 5 Guru Granth Sahib, p612)

Guru Granth Sahib is the most factual contemporary historical reference. Among all the Shabds by Guru Amar Das there is not a single one that refers the Sikhs to the Baoli at Goindwal Sahib for their emancipation and salvation. On the other hand, in conformity with the teachings of Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das enunciates:-

"By no means this dirt of ego is washed off, even though one may have ablution at hundreds of places of pilgrimage" Sri Rag M.3, p39.

"By daily bathing in holy water egotism goes not" Gauri M.3, p230.

"In thy own home is everything, O man, and there is nothing abroad" Asa M.3, Ashtpadi, p425.

"Divine knowledge is neither gained at Banaras, nor is divine knowledge lost at Banaras" Gujri M.3 Panchpade, p491.

"God is the true place if pilgrimage, where man bathes in the lake of truth and the Guru-beloved, He himself makes realize this. The sixtyeight places pilgrimage, the Lord has shown to be in the Guru's Word, bathing wherein, the filth of sin is washed off" Suhi M.3, p753.

"He, whose within is soiled and unclean,

He is cleansed not even if he visits all the pilgrimage-place and roams the whole world" Basant M.#, p1169.

The Bani in the Granth Sahib was written by the Gurus, compiled by the Gurus, recited millions of times by themselves and anything that does not confirm to the Bani itself is not true.

At the end I would like to quote from Dr.S. S. Kohli's essays "Constant Unity if Sikh Thought."

"We do not know how McLeod has concluded that the `tirath' of Guru Amar Das was Baoli Sahib and not the Name of the Lord?.... Thus for Guru Amar Das also, like Guru Nanak Dev, the real Tiratha is the Word of Guru or the Name of the Lord. How can a foreign missionary, who boasts of using the most scientific methodology for his conclusions, know the real spirit of Sikhism without delving deep into the compositions of the Gurus?'

*I.P.S. Babra, Sikh Review, Calcutta Feb. 1991

*Sikh News & Views Nov. 1991

*Advanced Studies in Sikhism