Gurdwara Damdama Sahib in Sahnewal is witness to one of the most painful chapters of Sikh history. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh master, took a halt at the gurdwara after he had to leave Chamkaur Sahib after his two sons—Baba Ajit Singh and Baba Jujhar Singh—attained martyrdom along with almost 40 others.The Guru took a halt here after the battle of Chamkaur Sahib in December 1704.The gurdwara stands quiet with a tall Nishan Sahib. Though it was rarely noticed by those passing through the nearby highway earlier, some activity can now be seen with daily prayers, kirtan and langar.Disguised as Uch Da Pir and carried in a palanquin by two Afghan followers—Bhai Ghani Khan and Bhai Nabi Khan—the Guru passed through Machhiwara and Alamgir as he moved towards Malwa. The route he took is now known as Guru Gobind Singh Marg.As per local tales, the Guru stopped and rested under a Karir tree at the gurdwara, due to which it is known as Damdama Sahib, or a place where one takes a breath. Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo also got its name in the same manner.It is said that while resting, the Guru asked a passerby about the village council, to which the latter casually said there was no panchayat.“As you say, so shall be,” the Guru is said to have replied, meaning there would be no panchayat in the future as well. He then left.The villagers, full of remorse on realising who had passed by, rushed after the Guru and stopped his palanquin a short distance away at a place now known as Ghera Sahib. The villagers encircled the Guru and formed a circle to stop him.Moved by their remorse, the Guru relented and blessed them, saying wise elders of the village would always sit together to settle matters to bring justice.To date, locals say the Guru’s words hold true in spirit. “Baba Ji di gal sach ho gayi (Guru’s words have come true),” says a shopkeeper near the shrine. Many residents say that Sahnewal struggles to speak in one voice even today.“Wherever you look, everyone has their own agenda. If someone wants to come together and do something good for the town, it becomes difficult. What Guru sahib said—that there will be no panchayat—still feels true. People just don’t come together,” said Manjinder Singh Bhola, a town resident.Many see it as a curse. Sahnewal is known for factions that remain divided and lack consensus on almost every major issue. Some others, however, take it as a blessing in disguise as every major issue is not decided by an elected body but by the elders.The gurdwara has a small and peaceful prayer hall. While Takht Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo is remembered as Guru Ki Kashi, Sahnewal’s Damdama Sahib is remembered as a moment of rest, repentance and blessing.