The 84 Steps of Baoli Sahib

Dadi: "Guddu beta, today I'll tell you about a very special well in Punjab - but not just any well. This one has 84 steps going down, down, down into the earth."

Guddu: "84 steps? That's a lot, Dadi! Why so many?"

Dadi: "Ah, that's what makes this story so wonderful. This is the story of Baoli Sahib at Goindwal, built by Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh Guru. Let me tell you why those 84 steps matter so much."

Guddu: "Tell me, Dadi!"

Dadi: "You see, beta, in the Hindu tradition, people believed that a soul goes through 84 lakh - that's 84 hundred thousand - different births. Sometimes as an insect, sometimes as a fish, sometimes as a bird, animal, or human. Life after life, going through the cycle again and again."

Guddu: "84 lakh births?! That sounds exhausting, Dadi!"

Dadi: "*laughs* Exactly what many people thought! And that's where Guru Amar Das had a beautiful idea. In the year 1559, he decided to build a step well - a baoli - at Goindwal. He made it with exactly 84 steps. Each step represented one lakh life forms."

Guddu: "Oh! So 84 steps for 84 lakh?"

Dadi: "Yes, beta. And here is the beautiful teaching. Guru Amar Das said that if a person climbs down all 84 steps, and at each step recites the Japji Sahib - the sacred prayer given by Guru Nanak - with true faith and a pure heart, they can be freed from all those cycles of rebirth."

Guddu: "Just by praying on the steps?"

Dadi: "Yes, but with full devotion, beta. The devotees first go down all the way and bathe in the holy water. Then they start from the lowest step, recite the entire Japji Sahib, take a dip in the water, go up one step, and recite it again. 84 complete recitations!"

Guddu: "That must take a very long time!"

Dadi: "It does. But the Guru was teaching something important - that we don't need millions of rebirths to reach God. We can reach Him through sincere prayer and devotion in this very life."

Guddu: "Dadi, was it hard to build this well?"

Dadi: "*nods* Very hard, beta. All the Sikhs joined together to dig. The well is about 25 feet wide - imagine a room as big as our whole house! As they dug deeper, they hit huge rocks blocking their path. Guru Amar Das told the workers to keep reciting Japji Sahib while they worked."

Guddu: "Did that help?"

Dadi: "The workers felt stronger and more determined. But then they hit the biggest problem of all - a massive stone blocking the water from entering the well. Without water, what use is a well?"

Guddu: "Oh no! What did they do?"

Dadi: "A young man named Manak Chand volunteered to remove the stone. Everyone warned him it was extremely dangerous. But Manak was full of devotion. He climbed down and pulled out that giant stone..."

Guddu: "*eyes wide* And then?"

Dadi: "Water came rushing in like a river! The force was so strong that it swept young Manak under. His mother and his wife ran to the edge of the well, crying and mourning. Everyone thought he was lost."

Guddu: "*gasps* Did he... did he drown?"

Dadi: "*pauses* Everyone thought so. But Guru Amar Das walked to the edge of the well and called out, "Manak!" And slowly, the body surfaced. The Guru touched him... and Manak opened his eyes! He was alive!"

Guddu: "A miracle!"

Dadi: "Yes, beta. To honor this miracle, Manak's descendants are called "Jiwar" to this day - which means "living son." The family still carries this name in remembrance."

Guddu: "Dadi, can people still visit this well today?"

Dadi: "Absolutely! The Baoli Sahib still stands in Goindwal, Punjab. It has beautiful paintings of Guru Amar Das on the walls, a domed entrance, and two separate staircases - one for men and one for women. Pilgrims come from all over the world to do the 84-step prayer journey."

Guddu: "Even today, after so many years?"

Dadi: "It was the first truly Sikh pilgrimage place, beta. And it still welcomes everyone. There's even a marble platform nearby called Thara Sahib, marking where Guru Amar Das sat and supervised the construction."

Guddu: "What does this story teach us, Dadi?"

Dadi: "Many things, mere bacche. First, that God is not far away - we can reach Him through sincere prayer right here, right now. Second, that working together with faith can overcome any obstacle - even giant rocks! Third, that true devotion sometimes means being willing to sacrifice, like Manak Chand did."

Guddu: "And fourth?"

Dadi: "*smiles* That the divine protects those who serve with pure hearts. Manak's faith didn't go unrewarded."

Guddu: "I want to visit Baoli Sahib someday, Dadi."

Dadi: "We will, beta. And maybe you can try reciting a prayer on each step. Not all 84 at once - but little by little, learning that the journey to God is one step at a time."

Guddu: "One step at a time. I like that, Dadi."