Anandpur was the site of anointment of Punj Piaray (Five Choosen Beloved Ones). They volunteered to be martyrs when Guru Gobind Singh wanted to test the congregation. They were later on administered amrit by Guru Gobind Singh and declared as Khalsas. The Khara Prasad is always offered to the Panja Pyaras first. Guru Gobind Singh also founded the Khalsa Panth in Anandpur.

In the year 1689, Rani Champa of Bilaspur (present day Himachal Pradesh) requested Guru Gobind Singh to establish a new town as the capital of the Sikh state and also to build forts for the defence of the State. Guru Gobind Singh acceded to the request and built a new town and five forts in the vicinity.

In modern history, Anandpur is also the site of the Anandpur Sahib resolution of the Shironmani Akali Dal in 1973 which led to the political movement in Punjab.

Anandpur also celebrates Hola Mohalla every year around Holi. Around 20 lakh people gather for the celebration which also marks the congregation of Nihangs from all over India.

Takht Kesgarh Saheb is one of the five Takhts or seats of authority in Sikhism.

Source: Sikh Shrines in India, G.S.Randhir
Anandpur Sahib, Harjinder Singh Dilgeer

Picture Credit: Navtejpvs Flickr
Sikh Inside Facebook

Rewalsar is the location of the conference of hill rulers of present day Himachal Pradesh. They feared the Mughal army. At their request Guru Gobind Singh presided over a conference of the hill rulers in Rewalsar. He extracted a promise from them that they would stay united and would not accept supremacy of Mughal rulers in any manner.

Buddhists venerate Rewalsar as the location where he emerged unharmed from an immolation attempt. The daughter of a king had fallen in love with Padmasambhava. The enraged king attempted to burn both Padamashabhava and his daughter alive, but the pyre had turned into a lake from which both emerged alive seated on a lotus. Padmasambhava is believed to have flown from Rewalsar lake to Tibet.

Rewalsar is also the location where Rishi Lomas, who is mentioned in Skanda Purana, meditated on Shiva.

Two small grassy islands float within the lake and these are considered to be divine manifestations.

Source: Anandpur Sahib, Harjinder Singh Dilgeer
Buddhist Monasteries of Himachal, OC Handa
Mandi Gazatteer, 1904

Picture Credit: RTPR9 Wikimedia Commons

Bangla Sahib was once the property of Raja Jai Singh of Amber (Jaipur) where Guru Harikishan stayed.

Guru Sri Harkishan was appointed as the eight Guru even though he was only five years old. His detaractors including his elder brother complained to Aurangazeb who summoned Guru Harkishan to Delhi. Raja Jai Singh took the responsibility of persuading Sri Harkishan to Delhi. He also got an assurance from Aurangzeb that the Guru would stay with him in his bungalow till the succession issue was satisfactorily addressed.

Guru Harkishan spent most of his time in Delhi serving the sick and destitute and won many admirers. He healed people who were afflicted with small pox during that time, but he himself succumbed to the infection when he was only ten years old.

Source: Sikh Shrines in India, G.S.Randhir

Picture Credit: Nimit Nigam Wikimedia Commons

Hemkund is a special Gurudwara. This is the place where Guru Gobind Singh is supposed to have medidated in his earlier life. In his own words he says “I was busy performing penance on the hills of Hemkunt where seven peaks are prominent. The place is called Sapt Shring where King Pandu had performed Yoga.” The location was identified only in 1930s.

Hemkund is in the Garhwal Himalayas and adjoins the Valley of Flowers which is a very popular hiking and nature destination. Hemkund is accessible only by a steep hiking trail. The roadhead from Haridwar to Badrinath branches off towards the Hemkund hiking trail after Joshimath.

Source: Sikh Shrines in India, G.S.Randhir

Picture Credit: Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara Facebook

Manikaran Sahib is on the banks of the Parvati river. It is famous for its hot springs. Guru Nanak ji visited this region in the 16th century. When his followers were hungry, Guru Nanak ji asked the villagers for support. While the villagers donated cooking ingredients, there was no fire. Guru Nanak ji lifted a stone and a hot water spring appeared. It was hot enough to cook the food. A Gurudwara has been built in this spot. Even today food is cooked in the hot springs. The hot springs are also believed to have curative powers and many pilgrims brave the heat to benefit from the medicinal properties.

Manikaran is also sacred for Hindus. They believe the jewels of Parvati were stolen by a serpent while she was bathing in the water of the Parvati river. The name Manikaran is a derivate of Mani (jewel) and Karan(ear). Manikaran also houses a famous Ram temple whose deity is believed to have been brought from Ayodhya. The deity was later on shifted to Kullu.

The Parvati valley where Manikaran is located is also famous for Malana village, whose residents are believed to be the soldiers left behind from Alexandar’s army. Kasol is a nearby backpacking destination.

Source: Sikhwiki.org

Picture Credit: Adarsh Kuruvath Flickr

Nanded in Maharashtra is the location where Guru Gobind Singh spent his last days in the year 1708. Before his death, the Guru had declared, “All my Sikhs are hereby ordered to accept the Granth as their Preceptor. Have faith in the holy Granth as your master and consider it the visible manifestation of the Gurus.”

More than a hundred years later, Maharaja Ranjit Singh ordered a Gurudwara to be built on the banks of the river Godavari. The personal belongings of Guru Gobind Singh including swords and bow & arrows are preserved in the Gurudwara. It is one of the five Takhts of Sikhism.

Source: Sikh Shrines in India, G.S.Randhir

Picture Credit: Sandeep Chetan Flickr

Kartarpur corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak which is a km away from the border on the Indian side to Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan which is about 5 km from the border. Both these Gurudwaras have an intimate connection with the life of Guru Nanak.

Dera Baba Nanak is on the Indian side of river Ravi on the Indo Pak border. Guru Nanak used to come here for meditation during the last days of his life. He also established Kartarpur town across the river and breathed his last at the spot marked by Kartarpur Sahib.

Source: Sikh Shrines in India, G.S.Randhir

Picture Credit: Nina Robinson Flickr

Guru Nanak travelled all over India and outside India covering Assam, Sri Lanka, Tibet and Mecca.

During his second Udasi or Missionary tour of South India, he travelled to Nanded, Hyderabad, Golconda and Bidar. In Bidar he met Pir Jalaluddin and Yakoob Ali. The Guru accompanied by his disciple Mardana stayed in the outskirts of Bidar where the Nanak Jhira Gurudwara is now located.

The people in the region came to visit him in large numbers. The region suffered from acute water scarcity and Guru Nanak is believed to have touched the hillside with his toe and had removed some rubble which revealed the source of a spring water. The place is now called Nanak Jhira.

Eventually Bidar would also find an important place in Sikh history. One of the Panj Piaras anointed by Guru Gobind Singh would hail from Bidar.

Source: Sikh Shrines in India, G.S.Randhir

Picture Credit: Baljinder Kang Wikimedia Commons

Guru Gobind Singh was born in December 1666 at Patna. The site of the Gurudwara was originally the haveli of Salis Rai Johri who was a great devotee of Guru Nanak. He converted his palatial house into a dharamsala. When Guru Tegh Bahadur, Guru Gobind’s father visited Patna, he stayed here. Later it became a gurudwara.

The building was destroyed by fire and Maharaja Ranjit Singh reconstructed it in 1839. It was again destroyed in the devastating Bihar earthquake of 1934 and built again in the 1950s.

Source: Sikh Shrines in India, G.S.Randhir

Picture Credit: Ashish Agarwal Flickr

Gurudwara Nankana Sahib was built around 1600 CE and renovated under Maharaja Randhir Singh in 1819-20. It is about 90 kms west of Lahore in Pakistan.

Source: Sikh Shrines in India, G.S.Randhir

Picture Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed on the orders of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1675. He paid the price for espousing the cause of the freedom of worship of Kashmiri Pandits against whom the emperor had unleashed atrocities.

Source: Sikh Shrines in India, G.S.Randhir

Picture Credit: Den.be Flickr