Fatehgarh Sahib, a town of sacred pilgrimage in Punjab, has been witness to one of the most tragic, painful and violent chapters of Sikh-Mughal history going back three centuries. Despite that, a 350-year-old mosque not only stands in complete harmony with a recently completed gurdwara, but is looked after by the Sikh priest.

Chittian Masjidan (White Mosque), with its three white-washed domes, can be seen from a distance amidst the agricultural fields of Mahadian village. A few Mughal-era structures still dot the countryside here, even as the area is dominated by Sikh shrines, the largest one being the main Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib, to which Sikh pilgrims come from all over the world.

What is unique about the mosque is that it stands just a kilometre away from the spot where the two young sons of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh—Fateh Singh (7) and Zorawar Singh (9)—were buried alive in 1705 by the Mughal commander Wazir Khan, who was the Nawab of Sirhind, a town 5 km away, because they refused to convert to Islam as per the diktat of the Mughals under the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb.

The name of Fatehgarh Sahib comes from the name of Guru Gobind Singh’s youngest son, Fateh. The town, around 45 km from Chandigarh, is a great draw especially during the annual Jor Mela fair to commemorate the martyrdom of the young 'sahibzadas' (sons of the guru).