Anandpur Sahib is one of the most divine places of the Sikhs after Amritsar, India. The holy city is located in the Rupnagar district of Punjab and is at about 80 kilometers north-west of Chandigarh. Anandpur has formed between the Shivalik ranges to the east and the Sutlej River distant away in the west.
The city is the venue of one of the largest annual Sikh gatherings and celebrations during Hola Mohalla in the spring season. Each Gurudwara in the city constructed beautifully and offering peace to every person who visits this holy place.
History of Anandpur
Let me tell you something about the history of the place, on March 30, 1689, the tenth guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh laid the foundation of a new town and named it Anandpur Sahib. To defend Anandpur from external threats, Guru Gobind Singh built five forts around the town and joined them with trenches and underground tunnels. For a short while, religious intolerance wreaked devastation on the city, causing various battles in the region. The city, however, recuperated from the scars of the war and turned into a stunning reminder of Indian heterogeneity.
The construction began in 1689 and took over approximately ten years to finish. It was here that Guru Gobind Singh purified the first five Sikhs called the Panj Pyare. The five beloved ones in the Panj Pyare had offered him their heads to uphold Dharma, thus creating the foundation of the Khalsa. Anandpur Sahib, Chak Nanki, and some adjoining villages form the present city of Anandpur Sahib. It is generally believed that the Anandpur Sahib was founded in June 1665 by the Ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur.
Below are the 12 most popular Gurudwaras in and around Anandpur Sahib where you can visit:
- Gurudwara Sri Kesgarh Sahib
- Gurudwara Bhora Sahib
- Gurudwara Damdama Sahib
- Gurudwara Sisganj sahib
- Gurudwara Akal Bunga
- Gurudwara Dumalgarh Sahib
- Gurudwara Mata Jit Kaur sahib
- Gurudwara Qila Anandgarh Sahib
- Gurudwara Qila Lohgarh Sahib
- Gurudwara Qila Fatehgarh Sahib
- Gurudwara Qila Holgarh Sahib
- Gurudwara Thara Sahib
If you are traveling from Chandigarh to Himachal on a family trip or a trip with your friends, then you will see Anandpur Sahib on the way. I suggest you should visit Gurudwara Sahib at that time. It will hardly take half an hour to visit the main Sikh Gurudwara and you can also eat Langar in Gurudwara’s hall.
Transportation to Anandpur Sahib
You can travel to Anandpur Sahib by railway, road, and air. The nearest airport is at Chandigarh, which is about 88 kilometers away. The nearest railway station is at Nangal. Free accommodation is available at the gurdwara. You can also stay in the standard hotels at Nangal.