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Baba Harbhajan Singh Memorial Temple, Gangtok

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Baba Harbhajan Singh Memorial Temple is located in between the Jelepla Pass and Nathu La Pass and is a popular pilgrim centre visited by hundreds of devotees each day. It is believed that the temple has wish-fulfilling powers and devotees visiting the temple leave a bottle of water at the temple and pick it up during their return journey.

There is very interesting legend behind this temple. Here it goes: This shrine is built in memory of Baba Harbhajan Singh, a sepoy of the 23rd Punjab Regiment, who actually went missing about 35 years ago, while leading a bunch of mules to Deng Dhukla, a remote area in East Sikkim.

Following this, a manhunt was conducted to look for the Baba's body which was found three days later. It is said that they could find him for he himself led them towards the body and also, one of his colleagues began dreaming about Baba and was instructed by the Baba himself to build a temple in his memory.

That is when the temple came into existence. The temple houses a samadhi in his memory and legend has it that he visits the temple and also does his rounds every night. He is believed to be 'on duty' even to this day and guards the lives of soldiers posted along the India-China border.

What's more, every year on September 14, he goes on his annual holiday and visits his native Kapurthala in Punjab. While a jeep with all his personal belongings departs to the nearest railway station, tickets are booked and a berth is reserved for his journey. Two soldiers accompany him on his journey and a small sum of money is also sent to the mother of this 'ghost soldier' every month!

Baba Harbhajan Singh Memorial Temple Photos