Must Visit Gurudwaras In India
Here’s a list of 10 Gurudwaras in India to visit and show gratitude towards God for everything you got. Enjoy the scenic beauty and of course Langar…
BACKGROUND
A religion of bravery, sacrifice, equality, unity, and beliefs in ‘Service to Mankind is Service to God’ ; Sikhism is not only a religion but a philosophy too. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion emerged around the end of 15th century CE in Punjab. It is one of the youngest major religions and world’s fifth-largest religion with 30 million people following it. Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak Dev ji, a humble saint and first Guru of Sikhs.
Sikhism is known for its legacy of giving extraordinary brave men who fought for truth, respect and brotherhood. Follower of Sikhism are called Sikhs meaning ‘disciple, seeker or learner’. There are ten Gurus in Sikhism and it is believed that they were inhabited by a single spirit. And after the death of tenth Guru, the spirit transferred itself to the holy scripture, The Guru Granth Sahib, also known as Adi Granth (first volume) which is now regarded as the sole guru.
Sikh’s place of worship is called as Gurudwaras and is known for its cleanliness and langar (community kitchen to serve needy people) but it is open for all irrespective of your religion, caste, occupation or status. Check out the list down below to know some of the most beautiful Gurudwaras in India.
There are Panj Takht or 5 Takhts in Sikhism. ‘Takht’ means throne of authority. These are the spiritual center of Sikhs and are very significant. The following are the five Takhts-
Gurudwaras to Visit In India
GURUDWARA HARMANDIR SAHIB, PUNJAB
Also known as ‘Darbar Sahib’, is located at Amritsar, Punjab. It is the spiritual epicenter of the Sikhs. In 1588, Guru Arjan Dev laid the foundation of this holy shrine and in 1604 he placed the holy scripture, Adi Granth.
The gurudwara remained the target of persecution and destroyed several times by Mughals and Afghan armies. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, after founding the Sikh empire, rebuilt in marble and in 1809, covered with golden sheets and therefore named as ‘Golden Temple’.
The four gates of the main temple symbolize that people of all sorts are invited and respected. Inside it consists of many memorable items that belong to many Sikh who fought many wars in World War 1 and 2.
A must visit Gurudwara in India to know the origin of Sikhism.
Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Bathinda Gurudwara, Punjab
‘Damdama’ means ‘resting place’. The tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, stayed here after fighting several wars. It is important also because here only Guru Gobind Singh prepared Bir( copy ) of Guru Granth Sahib.
A must go to Gurudwara in India.
Takht Sri kesgarh Sahib Gurudwara, Punjab
Also referred as ‘Anandpur’ (city of bliss), is a city located in Punjab. It is a sacred place because last two Sikh Gurus lived here, Guru Teg Bahadur Ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Built by Guru Gobind Sahib for the defense of Sikhs.
Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurudwara, Nanded, Maharashtra
It is located on the banks of Godavari River. It is the place where the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, took his last breath. The Gurudwara within the complex known as ‘Sachkhand’ (Realm of Trust).
The gurudwara was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the room where Guru Gobind Singh cremated is known as ‘Angitha Sahib’.
A must go to Gurudwara in India.
Takht Sri Patna Sahib, Patna Gurudwara, Bihar, India
Also known as Harmandir Sahib. Patna is the birth-place of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji and he spend some early years also. Guru Teg Bahadur, also visited the place and stayed there for some time. The Gurudwara was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1780.
A must go to Gurudwara in India.
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, CP, Delhi, India
Situated at the heart of Delhi, it is one of the most famous Gurudwara to visit in the Capital. Built in 17 Century as a bungalow and later on in 18th Century, after the new construction it was converted into Gurudwara to commemorate the stay of eighth Sikh Guru, Guru Hari Kishan. During his stay in Delhi was under the influence of Chicken Pox and Cholera. He helped many diseased people by giving them water from the nearby well but later on, he died after contracting the illness. In order to pay homage, Maharaja Jai Singh built a small tank over the well, which is believed to have healing properties. The place is a hotspot for tourist attraction. It is without a doubt one of the beautiful gurudwaras in India.
Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara, India
Located in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand. Built in the memory of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, it is located at a height of 4160 metres. It is in the shape of star and remains accessible only in the month of May. Amazing Scenic beauty and weather. A must go to Gurudwara in India.
A must go to Gurudwara in India.
Gurudwara Sri Manikaran Sahib, India
Located on Parvati river, Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh.
It is a pilgrimage centre for both Hindus and Sikhs. The Hindus believed that Manu recreated Human Life in Manikaran, after floods making, it pure, sacred place. There are temples of the Hindu deities Rama, Krishna, and Vishnu. The area is well known for its hot springs and its beautiful landscape.
Manikaran is believed to be a place where Guru Nanak Dev Ji come to his place with his disciple, Bhai Mardana. There is also an interesting behind their visit and hot springs.
The Sikhs followers were hungry after travelling. So, Guruji asked Mardana to get food from Langar. They give them flour and vegetables but the main problem was how to cook food without fire. So guruji asked him to asked Mardana to lift a rock and beneath it a hot spring appeared. He asked him to put the chapatis on the spring and as expected the chapatis sank. Then Guru Nanak ji asked him to say if it floats he will donate one chapati in the name of God. And to his surprise all the chapatis float even the sank one also float back.
You should definitely check out this Gurudwara In India.
Gurudwara Baba Atal Sahib Gurudwara, Amritsar, Punjab
The gurudwara was built to commemorate the death of son of Guru Har Gobind Singh.
Baba Atal was 9 yrs when he died and the gurudwara was built on the exact location. The building consists of 9-storeys and is well-known for its architecture.
It is one of the amazing Gurudwaras to go.
Gurudwara Mattan Sahib Gurudwara, Jammu and Kashmir, India
It is a highly pious place in Jammu and Kashmir for Sikhs and Brahmins. Built by a brahmin who converted as Sikh, due to the influence of teachings of Guru Nanak Dev ji. It is one of the most sacred places of worships for Sikh and Brahmins in Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of the Gurudwaras located at the highest peak in India.
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