10 Most Popular Gurudwaras In India

The Golden Temple, also known as Harmandir Sahib, meaning “abode of God” (Punjabi pronunciation: [ɦəɾᵊmən̪d̪əɾᵊ saːɦ(ɪ)bᵊ]) or Darbār Sahib, meaning “exalted court” (Punjabi pronunciation: [d̪əɾᵊbaːɾᵊ saːɦ(ɪ)bᵊ]), is a gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the preeminent spiritual site of Sikhism.The gurdwara is built around a man-made pool (sarovar) that was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das in 1577. Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru of Sikhism, requested Sai Mir Mian Mohammed, a Muslim Pir of Lahore, to lay its foundation stone in 1589. In 1604, Guru Arjan placed a copy of the Adi Granth in Harmandir Sahib. The Gurdwara was repeatedly rebuilt by the Sikhs after it became a target of persecution and was destroyed several times by the Mughal and invading Afghan armies. Maharaja Ranjit Singh after founding the Sikh Empire, rebuilt it in marble and copper in 1809, overlaid the sanctum with gold foil in 1830. This has led to the name the Golden Temple.The Golden Temple is spiritually the most significant shrine in Sikhism. It became a center of the Singh Sabha Movement between 1883 and 1920s, and the Punjabi Suba movement between 1947 and 1966. In the early 1980s, the Gurdwara became a center of conflict between the Indian government led by Indira Gandhi, some Sikh groups and a faithful movement led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale seeking to create a new nation named Khalistan. In 1984, Indira Gandhi sent in the Indian Army as part of Operation Blue Star, leading to deaths of over 1,000 Sikh soldiers and civilians, as well as causing much damage to the Gurdwara and the destruction of Akal Takht. The Gurdwara complex was rebuilt again after the 1984 damage.The Golden Temple is an open house of worship for all men and women, from all walks of life and faith. It has a square plan with four entrances, has a circumambulation path around the pool. The complex is a collection of buildings around the sanctum and the pool. One of these is Akal Takht, the chief center of religious authority of Sikhism. Additional buildings include a clock tower, the offices of Gurdwara Committee, a Museum and a langar – a free Sikh community run kitchen that serves a simple vegetarian meal to all visitors without discrimination. Over 100,000 people visit the holy shrine daily for worship. The Gurdwara complex has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its application is pending on the tentative list of UNESCO.

Read More About Gurudwara Hari Mandir Sahib, Punjab / Source

Hazur Sahib (Hazūrī Sāhib; lit. ‘presence of the sahib/master’), also known as Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib, is one of the five takhts in Sikhism. It is located on the banks of the Godavari River at the city of Nanded in the state of Maharashtra, India. The gurdwara within the complex is known as Sach-Khand (Realm of Truth).The structure is built at the place where Guru Gobind Singh left his earthly life. The inner room of the gurdwara is called the Angitha Sahib and is built over the place where Guru Gobind Singh was cremated in 1708. The gurdwara was built between 1832 and 1837 by order of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780–1839).

Read More About Hazur Sahib Gurudwara, Maharashtra / Source

Hemkund Sahib (also spelled Hemkunt), formally known as Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib Ji, is a Sikh place of worship and pilgrimage site in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. It is devoted to Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), the tenth Sikh Guru, and finds mention in Dasam Granth, a work presumed dictated by Guruji himself, but insufficiently verified, where mythological components exist in the work. With its setting of a glacial lake surrounded by seven mountain peaks, each adorned by a Nishan Sahib on its cliff, it is according to the Survey of India located in the Himalayas at an elevation of 4,160 meters (13,650 feet). It is approached from Govindghat on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway. The main town near Gobindghat is Joshimath. The altitude of the lake at Hemkund is approximately 13,650 feet.

Read More About Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib, Uttarakhand / Source

Gurdwara Baba Atal is a famous Gurdwara of Amritsar. Many of the millions of pilgrims that visit the Harmandir Sahib every year do not realise that one of Amritsar’s finest architectural marvels, and one of the Sikh religion’s most poignant places of worship, is just a short walk from the famous Harmandir Sahib.

Built some two centuries ago, the Baba Atal Gurdwara is a touching commemoration of the young life of Baba Atal Rai, the son of Guru Hargobind. Its nine storeys echo his nine years of life before his death in 1628.

Read More About Gurudwara Baba Atal Sahib, Punjab / Source

Rewalsar Gurdwara in Mandi town of Himachal Pradesh is an ancient shrine dedicated to Govind Singh, the 10th Guru of the Sikhs. It is said that the Sikh community gathered here and fought the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. There is also a big lake and a Buddhist monastery called ‘Mani-Pani’, established by Guru Padmasambhava near the lake.

Read More About Gurudwara Rewalsar Sahib, Himachal Pradesh / Source

Takht Sri Patna Sahib also known as Harmandir Sahib, is a Gurdwara in the neighbourhood of Patna Sahib, India. It was to commemorate the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs on December 1666. It was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, who also built many other Gurdwaras in the Indian subcontinent. The current shrine of Patna Sahib or Takht Sri Harmandirji Sahib was built in the 1950s.Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, was born in Patna, Bihar, on 22 December 1666. He also spent his early years here before moving to Anandpur Sahib. Besides being the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, Patna was also honored by visits from Guru Nanak Dev Ji as well as Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.
Patna Sahib railway station, a railway station with same name located nearby, is connected to many metropolitan cities of India by the Howrah-Delhi Main Line.

Read More About Sri Patna Sahib, Bihar / Source

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is one of the most prominent Sikh gurdwara, or Sikh house of worship, in Delhi, India, and known for its association with the eighth Sikh Guru, Guru Har Krishan, as well as the holy river inside its complex, known as the “Sarovar.” It was first built as a small shrine by Sikh General Sardar Baghel Singh in 1783, who supervised the construction of nine Sikh shrines in Delhi in the same year, during the reign of Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II.It is situated near Connaught Place, New Delhi on Baba Kharak Singh Marg and it is instantly recognisable by its golden dome and tall flagpole, Nishan Sahib. Located next to it is the Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Read More About Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, New Delhi / Source

Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, located in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, is a beautiful gurudwara built in memory of Guru Nanak. This Gurudwara was built in memory of the founder of Sikhism and the first Guru Nanak Dev Ji. This gurudwara was built in 1517 to commemorate Guru Nanak Dev’s visit to the Ladakh region. During his lifetime, Guru Nanak had visited many places. Tibetan Buddhists also worship Guru Nanak as Guru Gomka Maharaj and as Nanak Lama.

Read More About Pathar Sahib, Laddakh / Source

Fatehgarh Sahib is a town and a sacred pilgrimage site of Sikhism in the north west Indian state of Punjab. It is the headquarters of Fatehgarh Sahib district, located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north of Sirhind. Fatehgarh Sahib is named after Fateh Singh, the 6-year-old son of Guru Gobind Singh, who was seized and buried alive, along with his 9-year-old brother Zoravar Singh, by the Mughals under the orders of governor Wazir Khan during the ongoing Mughal-Sikh wars of the early 18th century. The town experienced major historical events after the martyrdom of the sons in 1705, with frequent changes of control between the Sikhs and Mughals.The town features historic Gurdwaras, including the underground Bhora Sahib marking the location where the two boys refused to convert to Islam and fearlessly accepted being bricked alive. In contemporary times, the town is the site of educational institutions such as the SGPC run Guru Granth Sahib University and Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College.

Read More About Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab / Source

Gurudwara Paonta Sahib, is a noted Gurudwara in Paonta Sahib, District of Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh.
This Gurdwara was built in memory of Guru Gobind Singh ji, the tenth guru of sikhs. The Gurdwara enjoys a high historic and religious importance among the followers of the Sikh religion world over. The Gurudwara have a palanquin “Palki” made of pure gold, donated by devotees.
Shri Talab Asthan and Shri Dastar Asthan are the vital places inside the Sikh shrine. Shri Talab Asthan is used for disbursing salaries and Shri Dastar Asthan is used for organizing the turban tying competitions. A legendary temple is also attached to the Gurudwara which is rebuilt recently in the vicinity of Gurudwara compound. The temple is devoted to Goddess Yamuna. Kavi Darbar, a prominent place near the Gurudwara is the venue for holding the poetry competitions. The weapons and pens used by Guru Gobind Singh Ji are displayed in a museum near the Paonta Sahib Gurudwara.
The Gurudwara is visited by tourists from different states. The site is situated on the bank of River Yamuna. This gurudwara serves langar (parshada)for all. The pure beauty of gurudwara signifies that God is one and we all are its children.
Another place of religious and historical importance is the Gurdwara built at Bhangani Sahib, about 1 km from Gurdwara Tir Garhi Sahib. With its proximity to the river Yamuna, the whole area presents a picturesque sight.

Read More About Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh / Source