Takht Kesgarh Sahib

Getting there

• By road

  Anandpur Sahib lies on National Highway 503, which links Kiratpur Sahib and Chandigarh to Nangal, Una and further Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. The takht is about 78 km from Chandigarh.

• By train

  Rupnagar, the district town, has a railway station on the Northern Railway zone of the Indian Railways. Rupnagar is about 40 km from the takht.

Why devotees come here

Takht Kesgarh Sahib stands in Anandpur Sahib, Rupnagar district, Punjab. It is one of the five takhts of the Sikhs, and the place where Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699.

Takht Kesgarh Sahib is one of the five takhts of the Sikhs. Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh lived in Anandpur Sahib, and the gurdwara is one of the forts that Guru Gobind Singh built in the town to defend the Sikhs. He began five defensive forts around Anandpur Sahib, and this one is also called Kesgarh Qila.

The Khalsa was formed at Anandpur Sahib on Baisakhi in 1699, and the Gurus and their families lived in the town. The present complex stands on a hillock and was built between 1936 and 1944. Its dome is a fluted lotus shape.

Today the town draws large crowds during Hola Mohalla and Baisakhi. Kirtan darbars and katha sessions mark the days.

Festivals

• During Hola MohallaHola Mohalla

  Nihangs in cobalt blue tunics and turbans perform death-defying feats on horseback.

• On Baisakhi dayBaisakhi

  The festival marks the formation of the Khalsa here in 1699, with kirtan darbars and katha sessions.

Tips for your visit

• Qila Anandgarh Sahib and Qila Fatehgarh Sahib are two other gurdwaras in the same town, so you can visit more than one.
• The Virasat-e-Khalsa museum, opened in 2011, is a major tourist attraction in Anandpur Sahib.
• Large crowds come to Anandpur Sahib for Hola Mohalla and Baisakhi.

Questions people ask