Northern India cradles most of the Gurdwaras also called Gurdwara temple, the worship place of the
Sikhs. People visit Sikh Gurdwara to pay obeisance to the sacred book Guru Granth
Sahib, that has the words of saints, the basis of sikh religion.
Major Gurdwara Sikh Temple
- Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib-the holy City of Bliss-is one of the most important
sacred places of the Sikhs and is closely linked with their religious
traditions and Sikh history. It is located on the lower spurs of the
Himalayas surrounded by picturesque natural scenery, with the river
Satluj forming a shimmering and shiny blue border on the South west
barely four miles away. So far as the historical significance of
Anandpur Sahib is concerned, it is second only to Amritsar, the city of
Golden Temple.
- Damdama Sahib
This Sikh temple consecrates the memory of an earlier visit of Guru Gobind
Singh to the place in course of his return from Kurukshetra. Here Raja
Ajmer Chand together with two Mughals, Sayyed Beg and Alaf Khan made a
surprise attack on the Guru but was badly beaten back. The Mughal
General was so impressed by the charismatic personality of the Guru that
he became his devotee.
- The Golden
Temple or Darbar
Sahib
The Golden Temple or Darbar Sahib, situated in Amritsar, Punjab, is the
most sacred temple of Sikhs. It is a symbol of the magnificence and
strength of the Sikh people all over the world. In the evolution of the
Darbar Sahib, is entwined the history and ideology of Sikhism. In its
architecture are included, symbols associated with other places of
worship. This is an example of the spirit of tolerance and acceptance
that the Sikh philosophy propounds.
- Patna Sahib
The Sikhs consider the city of Patna as particularly holy, as the tenth
guru of the Sikhs was born here. It was here that Guru Gobind Singh was
born in the year 1666 and spent his early years before moving to
Anandpur. Besides being the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, Patna was
also honoured by visits from Guru Nanak as well as Guru Tegh Bahadur.
- Hemkund Sahib
The high altitude Lokpal lake, known as Hemkund ( 4329 mts.) lies in
heavenly environs. A steep trek from Ghangharia leads one to this spot
in about four to six hours. It is an important pilgrimage for both
Hindus and Sikhs, as well as for people from other faiths. There is a
Sikh Gurudwara and a Lakshman temple built on the bank of the lake.
Encircled by seven snow clad peaks and their associated glaciers, it
reflects its surroundings enchantingly on its crystal clear serene
waters. The glaciers from Hathi Parvat and Saptrishi peaks feed the lake
and a small stream called Himganga flows out of this lake.
- Sri Akal Takht
Akal Takht literally means Eternal Throne. It is part of the Golden
Temple complex in Amritsar. The Akal Takht is situated on the other end
of the causeway connected to the Harmandir Sahib. Its foundation was
laid by Guru Hargobind. It was here that he was ceremonially installed
as Guru in 1606. The building of the Akal Takht opposite the Golden
Temple has a special meaning.
- Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib
Keshgarh Sahib the famous Sikh temple is situated at Anandpur. It is considered the birthplace
of the Khalsa. The Khalsa order was founded here by Guru Gobind Singh in
1699. Some of the weapons of Guru Gobind Singh are displayed here. The
most precious of these is the actual Khanda (double edged sword) used by
Guru Gobind Singh to prepare the amrit (sweet water) used in the first
Khalsa initiation ceremony.
- Takht Sri Hazur Sahib
Hazur Sahib is on the banks of Godavari in Maharashtra. This is where
Guru Gobind Singh left this world. The inner room of the temple is
called Angitha Sahib and is built over the place where Guru Gobind Singh
was cremated in 1708.
The Other Sikh Temples
Manikaran
|
Poanta
Sahib |
Harmandir Takth |
Gurdwara Sis Ganj |
Gurdwara
Bangla Sahib |
Nangli Sahib Gurdwara
|
Gurdwara Shri Guru Nanak Dev
Ji |
Takht Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar
Sahib |
Gurdwara
Rakab Ganj |
|