Beefurb at 03:38, 15 March 2026

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{{Short description|Historical jungle in Punjab, India}}
{{Not to be confused with|text=[[Machhiwara]], the present-day city with the same name}}
{{lead too short|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox forest
|image=
|image_caption=
|location=[[Ludhiana district]], [[Punjab, India]]
|map=
|map_image=Detail of the region of Machhiwara from a map of the country between Delhi and Ludhiana, surveyed by F. S. White, 1808 (detail).jpg
|map_caption=Detail of the region of Machhiwara from a map of the country between [[Delhi]] and [[Ludhiana]], surveyed by [[F. S. White]], 1808
|name=Machhiwara}}
'''Machhiwara''', also spelled '''Macchivara''', was a historical jungle located in the [[Punjab, India|Punjab region]] near the bank of the [[Sutlej]] river near the present-day [[Ludhiana district]] in [[Punjab, India]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Gurmukh |title=The Sikh Encyclopedia |publisher=Punjabi University |year=2011 |editor-last=Singh |editor-first=Harbans |edition=3rd |volume=3 (M–R) |location=Patiala |pages=5–6}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Jaggi |first=Rattan Singh |date=10 March 2015 |title=ਮਾਛੀਵਾੜਾ |trans-title=Machhiwara |url=https://punjabipedia.org/topic.aspx?txt=%E0%A8%AE%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%9B%E0%A9%80%E0%A8%B5%E0%A8%BE%E0%A9%9C%E0%A8%BE |access-date=30 July 2024 |website=Punjabipedia – Punjabi University, Patiala (originally published in the 'Sikh Panth Encyclopedia' by Gur Ratan Publishers) |language=pa}}</ref> The Machhiwara jungle should not be confused with the [[Lakhi Jungle (jungle)|Lakhi Jungle]] that existed near [[Bathinda]].

== Etymology ==
The name 'Machhiwara' is derived from ''machi'', which is the Punjabi word for fish and came as a result of the fishermen who resided in the area.<ref name=":6" />

== History ==

[[File:Humayun in einer Schlacht gegen die Afghanen.png|thumb|Illustration for the 1st Akbar-nama in the Cleveland Museum of Art, No. 1971.77. The [[Battle of Machhiwara]] in May 1555 is described on the reverse.]]The jungle formed in a region near the bank of the Sutlej river.<ref name=":6" /> The jungle was filled with thorny vegetation and existed during the time period of Guru Gobind Singh.<ref name=":1" /> The jungle was located near a village, also called [[Machhiwara]] (now a town).<ref name=":1" /> In the aftermath of the [[Battle of Chamkaur]], the tenth [[Sikh gurus|Sikh guru]], [[Guru Gobind Singh]], became separated from the rest of his entourage and became lost in the Machhiwara jungle after leaving from [[Chamkaur Sahib|Chamkaur]] in December 1705.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Patwant |title=The Sikhs |publisher=Crown Publishing Group |year=2007 |isbn=9780307429339 |quote=But this tragic phase was still to reach its nadir. With the break of dawn, after having left Chamkaur in the dead of night, the Guru found himself separated from his companions and alone in the heart of the Machhiwara forest. He was without food, shelter, or his trusted mount, his mind filled with thoughts of Mughal betrayal and the loss of his men and sons; only his iron will sustain him in that bleak hour. As luck would have it his three companions, following the route they had agreed upon, were eventually reunited with him. The four, with the help of loyal Sikhs and at least three friendly Muslims, made their way through the enemy patrols who were searching for them. They finally reached the village of Jatpura where the Guru was warmly received by the Muslim chief of the area, Rai Kalha.}}</ref><ref name="syanp220">{{Cite book |last=Hardip Singh Syan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9RzzxcEL4C0C |title=Sikh Militancy in the Seventeenth Century: Religious Violence in Mughal and Early Modern India |publisher=I.B. Tauris |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-78076-250-0 |pages=220–222}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> The guru was without food, shelter, or a mount during his trek through the jungle.<ref name=":2" /> He eventually reunited with three of his companions, Man Singh, [[Dharam Singh (Sikhism)|Dharam Singh]], and [[Daya Singh]], in the garden of the village sharing the name of the jungle.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> The guru had chosen the garden outside the village as his resting place when he was come upon by his companions.<ref name=":1" /> Gurdwara Charan Kaval Sahib now marks the location of this village garden.<ref name=":1" /> A man named Gulaba Chand was the local [[masand]] of the Machhiwara area during the time of Guru Gobind Singh.<ref name=":122">{{Cite book |last=Gandhi |first=Surjit Singh |title=History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E. |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist. |year=2007 |isbn=9788126908585 |volume=2 |pages=833–834}}</ref><ref name=":6" /> Guru Gobind Singh stayed with Gulaba, who had a house in the Machhiwara village, where he stayed in a room on the first floor.<ref name=":1" /> Gurdwara Chubara Sahib now marks the location where Gulaba's house once was.<ref name=":1" /> Two [[Rohilla|Rohilla Pathan]] brothers who worked as horse dealers, named Ghani Khan and Nabi Khan, helped transport the guru whilst he was disguised as a Muslim holy man.<ref name=":1" /> The guru stayed at the family house of the [[Pashtuns|Pathan]] brothers after staying in Gulaba's house.<ref name=":1" /> The familial house of the Pathan brothers is now marked by Gurdwara Uchch Da Pir.<ref name=":1" /> The group secretly disguised the guru as a Sufi [[Pir (Sufism)|Pir]] of [[Uch]], carrying him in a palanquin, with the event known as ''Uch Da Peer''.<ref name=":1" /> With the assistance of three Muslims, the group was able to evade Mughal patrols in the area.<ref name=":2" /> Eventually, the group made its way out of the area and reached Jatpura, where Rai Kalha, a local Muslim chieftain, received the Sikh guru.<ref name=":2" />[[File:Detail of the region of Machhiwara from a map of the countries to the west of Delhi as far as Kabul and Multan, including the Punjab, surveyed by Mirza Mogul Beg between 1786–96 for F. Wilford, compiled in 1804 (F07-11) (detail).jpg|thumb|Detail of the region of Machhiwara from a map of the countries to the west of Delhi as far as Kabul and Multan, including the Punjab, surveyed by Mirza Mogul Beg between 1786 and 1796 for F. Wilford, compiled in 1804.]]

Some writings associated with Guru Gobind Singh are linked to the Machhiwara jungle and village. The ''[[Fatehnama]]'' letter is believed to have been composed within and dispatched from the area.<ref>The Sikh Review, April, 1977, “Fatehnama” Page 26 by Trilochan Singh</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Bhai Vir |title=Sri Kalgidhar Chamatkar Volume 2 |pages=114–117}}</ref> Furthermore, the sixth hymn of [[Shabad Hazare]], ''Mittar Pyare Nu'', is believed to have been composed by the tenth Guru in the Machhiwara area after the deaths of all his sons.<ref name=":12">{{cite book |author=Rinehart |first=Robin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qe6WnpbT2BkC&pg=PA106 |title=Debating the Dasam Granth |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-19-984247-6 |pages=31–32}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Gandhi |first=Surjit Singh |title=History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E. |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist. |year=2007 |isbn=9788126908585 |volume=2 |pages=833–834}}</ref> The Guru composed this work while leaning against a tree in the wilds of Machhiwara after having been wandering for days with only the soft leaves of the ''Akk'' plant ([[Calotropis gigantea]]) as sustenance, sleeping directly on the lumpy forest ground, suffering from foot blisters, wearing torn attire, and sustaining cuts from the thorny vegetation of the jungle.<ref name=":0" /> This composition forms the sixth stanza of the [[Sabad Patshahi 10|Shabad Hazare]] chapter of the [[Dasam Granth]].<ref name=":0" />{{Blockquote|text="Carry to the Beloved the message of His humble servant

Soft beds are to him like a disease, if thou are not with him

Living in the halls and mansions is like living among serpents, if thou art away

Wine cups hurt him like the sword and things of comfort kill,

as does the butcher's knife, if thou art not with him

In the companionship of the friend, turf is superior to soft beds,

accursed are the places if thou art away."|author=Guru Gobind Singh|title=Shabad Hazare, Dasam Granth|source=translation from 'History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E' (2007), pages 833–834, by Surjit Singh Gandhi}}The [[Nihang]]s favour the dark blue colour for their clothing, which they adopted to emulate Guru Gobind Singh's attire when he escaped from Chamkaur through the Machhiwara jungle.<ref>Hardgrave, R. L. (1996). An Early Portrayal of the Sikhs: Two 18th Century Etchings by Baltazard Solvyns. ''International Journal of Punjab Studies'', ''3''(2), 213-27. Accessed via: https://www.laits.utexas.edu/solvyns-project/sikhs.html</ref>

The Machhiwara jungle, alongside the Lakhi jungle, were both used as hide-outs by Sikhs during periods of active oppression and active genocide, such as by the Mughal government.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Jaspal |title=Rejuvenating Punjab: New Economic World Order |date=7 September 2023 |publisher=Virsa Publications |isbn=9788195904952 |pages=159–160}}</ref> Punjab used to have many thick forests that were used as safe-spots for Sikhs.<ref name=":4" />

=== Present ===
[[File:Small tract of remaining jungle of Machhiwara forest, Survey of India geographical block-map for 53 B NW Nabha (1917) (cropped).jpg|thumb|Small tract of remaining jungle of Machhiwara forest, Survey of India geographical block-map for 53 B NW Nabha (1917)]]
The jungle no longer exists for the most part, having been deforested, however surviving remnants can be found in the graveyard located to the north-east direction of the Government Girl School.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Basaati |first=Vikram Singh |title=The Jungles of Machhiwara |url=http://uchdapeer.blogspot.com/p/the-jungles-of-machhiwara.html |access-date=30 July 2024 |website=Uch Da Peer}}</ref>

Some have connected the surviving [[Mattewara]] forest with the historical Machhiwara jungle.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Kaur |first=Gurinder |date=6 July 2022 |title=Mattewara: Why Punjab needs this ancient forest near its largest city and river |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/forests/mattewara-why-punjab-needs-this-ancient-forest-near-its-largest-city-and-river-83573 |access-date=30 July 2024 |website=Down To Earth}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=8 July 2022 |title=AAP leader Balbir Singh to urge Punjab CM not to 'destroy Mattewara forests' |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/english/bharat/aap-leader-balbir-singh-to-urge-punjab-cm-not-to-destroy-mattewara-forests/na20220708150835648648334 |access-date=30 July 2024 |work=ETV Bharat}}</ref>

The Machhiwara jungle that existed during Guru Gobind Singh's time, which was cut down in the subsequent centuries, is planned to be revived by the [[Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee|SGPC]] through the planting of samplings on gurdwara land the organization owns within the locality to revive the lost jungle.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-09-11 |title=SGPC to revive Machhiwara forest |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others-do-not-use/sgpc-to-revive-machhiwara-forest/ |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Battle of Machhiwara]]
* [[Guru Gobind Singh Marg]]
* [[Buddha Nullah]]
* [[EcoSikh]]

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Geography of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Ancient Indian forests]]
[[Category:History of Sikhism]]
[[Category:Ludhiana district]]

Machhiwara forest - Revision history

Beefurb at 03:38, 15 March 2026