This is a picture of the Sikh Mool Mantar written in Gurmukhi carved on a stone plaque at the Ateshgah (fire temple, this is a Zoroastrian or Parsi temple) near Baku which is Azerbaijan's capital city. Azerbaijan was earlier part of the erstwhile Soviet Union but is now an independent country.

It's said that Guru Nanak Dev Ji had gone to this location during his travels to the Middle East, Iran and Turkey in the year 1512. Geographically Azerbaijan shares a southern border with Iran, and is on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. This area was part of the old silk route and was well frequented by travelers.

I did some readers and found interesting details on the basis of research Arjan Muni mentions of Jawala Temple (Atash Kadeh) under heading Asfaran (45) and states: “Coming out of Nersi city, he (Guru Nanak) entered the Russian territory. This country is between Iran and Turkistan. A fire comes out of a hill, called Maha-Jawala. Gulo-lal parbat is four stoppages from there (Maha-Jwala) where a plant with red leaves remaining all the twelve months, making the mountain beautiful. It is after Urganj.

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Ateshgah

The Ateshgah monument, also called the fire worshippers' temple, traces its origins to Zoroastrianism, which took root in ancient Azerbaijan. "It is Azerbaijan which is the mother of Zoroastrianism. This was the base from where this religion spread overseas," an Azeri diplomat said.

The temple complex has evolved over several centuries. Its outer rectangular parameters house a row of rooms, added in several phases. Between the late 17th and mid-19th century, Indian traders funded the establishment of a guest room, stables and prayer rooms.

Apart from Sanskrit, inscriptions in Hindi and Gurmukhi can also be found along the monument's outer periphery. One of them refers to the site as Sri Jwalaji (temple of fire). Another seeks divine blessings from Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith.

Commencing verse Of Ad Granth

Inscription above main entrance

Browsing through the Internet for some information about the travels of Guru Nanak in the Middle East, I came across an article originally written by Ervad Shams-Ul-Ulama Dr Sir Jivanji Jamshedji Modi [5]. While reading through his travel in Azerbaijan I found an inscription in Gurmukhi script. Nothing has been written by Dr Modi about this inscription , he only refers to it as ‘Yet another inscription’. Besides this there is another inscription in Devnagri script that simply refers to as ‘Another inscription’. The locations of both the inscriptions have not been disclosed. However, it is believed that these inscriptions are somewhere in that temple he calls Atash-Kadeh, which is situated in Baku, Azerbaijan.

History of Atash Kadeh

According to Dr Modi the Atash Kadeh was in a place called Surkhani on the road from Baku about 30 to 45 minutes by car. The origin of this word, Surkhani, may have come from “SHO-E-LE-KHANEH” meaning the house (“KHANEH”) of the fire balls (“SHO-E-LE”). Among the ocean of these petroleum wells is situated this alleged Atash Kadeh. Not just him but any Parsee who is a little familiar with Hindu religion, their temples and their customs, after examining this building with its inscriptions, architecture, etc., would conclude that this is not a Parsee Atash Kadeh but is a Hindu Temple, whose Brahmins (priests) used to worship fire (Sanskrit: Agni).

According to Dr Modi this temple might have been built by the Hindu traders visiting Baku. But he has also mentioned that he has examined the small living rooms (cells), adjacent to the main square of this building, which resembled the Indian Buddhist monasteries cells for their monks. I think, however, it could also be possible that this building was originally built by Buddhists during the time when Buddhism was all over India, Iran and adjoining areas up to Baku, Azerbaijan. Later this place was taken over by Hindus from India during the fall of Buddhism. It is also possible that Guru Nanak during his long stay of 11 years in Middle East might have stayed at this place also to preach in the Central Asia.

Links to the Hindu faith

Entrance Fig 3

According to Dr Modi the inscription on the main entrance is in Nagrik (Devnagri) script, which in the beginning invokes the Hindu God, Shree Ganesha. The building is referred to in the inscription as “JWAALAAJEE” (meaning volcanic), that means some burning substance building. And the installation date is mentioned as the Hindu Vikramaajeet calendar year 1866 (equivalent to 1810 CE). This inscription contains nine lines and the figures drawn in this inscription are as follows: the first row has a flower first, then a bell (“GHANT”), then the sun, then a fire ball, and again a fruit. The second row below this has a flower first, then the trident of Lord Shiva (“TRISHOOL”), then the Swastika symbol (Hindu style), then a second trident and then a flower.

If we compare another picture of the main entrance of Baku Temple, we don’t find the inscription shown. We also do not find two parallel ridges between which this plaque of inscription is fixed. It shows that there are two main entrances. Moreover, the wall of the entrance in Fig. 3 is full of black smudges of weathering agencies and has another storey added at the top at the later date. But the wall of entrance in Fig 2 is less smudged and the plaque is free from any such smudges.

It looks like that date, 1810 CE, on plaque on the entrance in Fig 2 does not indicate the date of construction of the Temple since the entrance in Fig. 3 looks much older than 810 CE when the inscription in Devnagri was inscribed as shown on the entrance in Fig. 2. Moreover, it appears to be newer than the background wall of the entrance. It also appears that the inscription on the entrance is much newer than that of the Commencing Verse as shown in Fig 1 above