7 Most Prestigious Gurudwaras in India

Gurudwaras in India is a religious place for Sikhs. The word Gurdwara stands for ‘guru – dwara’ which means through or by means of guru and can also be called ‘the gateway to guru’. A Gurdwara always keeps its doors open for people of all religions and faiths.

The objective is to find inner peace and unite with the Holy Spirit i.e. with god and the guru helps in this process of unison and achieving peace. All Gurdwaras have the holy book of Sikhs “Guru Granth Sahib Ji” placed in it which is the current guru of the Sikh religion. The origin of Sikhism and Gurdwaras started from the holy city of Amritsar, Punjab and now there are a large number of Gurdwaras all over the world where people of all religions visit and worship. Here is a list of the 10 most famous Gurdwaras in the world.

1. Gurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib

Hemkund, also pronounced as Hemkunt stands for Hem – ice and Kund – bowl. The Gurdwara situated in Uttrakhand is 15000 feet above the sea level in the Himalayan range is a famous center of pilgrimage for not just Sikhs but thousands of devotees of all religions.

According to the autobiographic account of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, he meditated over this place in his previous birth. This shrine is regarded as an epitome of all the principles the Sikh religion believes in Gurudwaras in India.

2. Sri Harmandir Sahib

Sri Harmandir Sahib is also known as Sri Darbar Sahib and The Golden Temple, viewing its structure made up of real gold. Here one can find everything, from the ceiling to the electric cables, covered in golden color. The name “Harmandir” was given after Hari(God) the temple of God.

The Gurdwara was the idea of the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev Ji who wanted to create a central place for all the Sikhs its construction was done under the supervision of Baba Budha Ji in 1645 with its foundation laid by a Muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mir Ji. Presently, this is the most famous and significant place of worship in the Sikh religion with its doors open from all sides to people of all faiths Gurudwaras in India.

3. Gurdwara Bangla Sahib

The word “Bangla” means palace and here it refers to the palace of Raja Jai Singh in which the eighth Sikh Guru, Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji stayed while on his visit to Delhi in 1664. He cured diseases like smallpox, chicken pox and cholera which were an epidemic those days with sacred water.

That water now forms a “sarovar” which is present in the centre of the Gurdwara and people take a dip in it to remove all bodily and mental dirt. There is also a famous museum in this Gurdwara which depicts the great Sikh history of Gurudwaras in India.

4. Gurdwara Manikaran Sahib

The Gurdwara Manikaran Sahib is known for its lovely scenic beauty as it is situated in the mountains of Manali. Historically the Gurdwara has enough significance as the first Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji is known to have first visited this place in 1574 along with his disciples Bhai Mardana and Bhai Bala Gurudwaras in India.

This place is considered as the first place where Guru Nanak Dev Ji meditated through his journey and he is also known to perform few miracles over here.

5. Gurdwara Bhatta Sahib

While traveling over Chandigarh highway to Kulu and Kangra valley, in village Kotla Nihang, Ropar, is where one can see this Gurdwara located. History tells that when the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji was returning from Anandpur after winning the battle of Bhangani in 1745, he visited this place and asked the laborers working over there for a place to rest.

Since there was no other place, the laborers pointed towards a burning kiln. When Guru Ji took his horse over that place, the red-hot brick kiln cooled down like it welcomed the Guru. To commemorate this visit, Gurdwara Bhatta Sahib was constructed Gurudwaras in India.

6. Gurdwara Data Bandi Chod Sahib

This Gurdwara located in Gwalior, MP, is given the name Bandi Chod because it signifies the release of 52 Rajput rulers who were imprisoned in the Gwalior fort. The sixth Sikh guru, Guru Hargobind Singh Ji stayed in the Gwalior fort to pray for Jahangir’s health where he met these rulers and decided to help them to get freed.

Consisting of 6 stories made up of entire marble and having doors made up of gold, this Gurdwara was constructed in 1968 and Sant Baba Uttam Singh Ji was given the charge of its construction. The Gurdwara is specifically popular for its beautiful “Palki Sahib” and a Sikh museum ‘Darshan Deorahi’ Gurudwaras in India.

7. Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Gurdwara

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Gurdwara situated in Assam, is a historic Gurdwara constructed to mark the visit of Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Assam in the year 1505. While Guru Nanak Dev Ji visited this city, he met Shrimanta Shankardeva, the founder of Mahapuruiya Dharma in Assam. This also deepens this place’s importance.

To mark the martyrdom of Guru Ji, every year in December, many Sikh devotees assemble here and they call the festival Shahidee Guru Parv Gurudwaras in India.

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