Paonta Sahib

Paonta Sahib, a city sacred to the memory of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, is also a bustling township with growing industries. It retains tangibly memorials to the martial Guru in the form of his weapons and a majestic Gurudwara and recalls his presence even in the name of the city which is derived from "paon" meaning "foot" either because he set foot in this place or according to an alternative story, because he lost an ornament which he wore on his foot called a "paonta" while bathing in the riverPaonta Sahib, Gurudwara Paonta Sahib, Paonta Sahib Gurudwara Yamuna which flows here.


Overlooking the river is the Gurudwara where Guru Gobind Singh held court and wrote the major portion of the "Dassam Granth". The Guru also built the Paonta Fort in over hundred acres of land, which housed not only his followers, but as many as 46 famous poets. Regular poetry reading sessions and symposiums were organized to encourage the sort form. The guru left Paonta Sahib after the battle of Bhangani with Raja Fateh Shah, in which he defeated the errant ruler's army after thirty days of battle.

Paonta Sahib is distinguished by its association with the Sikhs and attracts them by the thousands at the spring festivals of 'Baisakhi' and 'Holi'. There are also two Hindu temples, one dedicated to Lord Rama called Devi Ka Mandir and built by a princess, and the other is sacred to Lord Krishna.

Sachkhand 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. Takhat Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib is the principal shrine at Nanded.It marks the site where the Guru had his camp in 1708 A.D. after the departure of the emperor Bahadur Shah. The tenth Guru held his court and congregation here. It is the site of his own tent where he was convalescing after he was attacked by assassins. It is the place from where the tenth Guru rose to heaven along with his horse Dilbag.

In 1708 being prescient of the end of his earthly role, the Guru had despatched Banda Singh with five of his Sikhs to Punjab and Mata Sahib Devan under a separate escort to Delhi before the stabbing incident. He told the rest of his retinue to retire to their homes if they so wished, but he bade one Bhai Santokh Singh to stay on here and keep Guru ka langar going. many others also chose to remain. Together they built a room over the platform where the used to sit while holding his court and installed Guru Granth Sahib on it. They called it Takhat Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh, while conferring Guruship on the holy Book, had himself named Nanded as Abchalnagar (lit. steadfast city) after the first word of a hymn read at random on the occasion.


Other Gurudwaras Near Takhat Sri Hazur Sahib:

Gurdwara Sangat Sahib
Gurdwara Mal Tekri Sahib
Gurdwara Shikar Ghat
Gurdwara Hira Ghat
Gurdwara Nagina Ghat
Gurdwara Mata Sahib Devan
Gurdwara Baba Banda Bahadur Ghat
Gurdwara Ratangarhi Sahib
Gurdwara Mai Bhago
Gurdwara Langar Sahib, Nanak Sar and Ratangarh Sahib established by Baba Nidhan Singh

Takhat Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib

Takhat Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib is the principal shrine at about half a Kilometer from the left bank of the river Godavari, Nanded, Maharashtra. It marks the site where the Guru had his camp in 1708 A.D. after the departure of the emperor Bahadur Shah. The tenth Guru held his court and congregation here. It is the site of his own tent where he was convalescing after he was attacked by assassins. It is the place from where the tenth Guru rose to heaven along with his horse Dilbag.

In 1708 being prescient of the end of his earthly role, the Guru had despatched Banda Singh with five of his Sikhs to Punjab and Mata Sahib Devan under a separate escort to Delhi before the stabbing incident. He told the rest of his retinue to retire to their homes if they so wished, but he bade one Bhai Santokh Singh to stay on here and keep Guru ka langar going. many others also chose to remain. Together they built a room over the platform where the used to sit while holding his court and installed Guru Granth Sahib on it. They called it Takhat Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh, while conferring Guruship on the holy Book, had himself named Nanded as Abchalnagar (means steadfast city) after the first word of a hymn read at random on the occasion. Sachkhand (means region of Truth) had been used by Guru Nanak Dev to mean the abode of God.

The present building of the Takhat Sahib was got constructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh with money, artisans and labour sent from Punjab during early 1830s. The complex of the Takhat Sahib is spread over several hectares. Besides the Takhat Sahib proper it also includes two other shrines, Bunga Mai Bhago ji comprising a large room where Guru Granth Sahib is seated and some historical weapons like steel quoits, a broad sword, a steel bow and an arrow, a gilded dagger-sized sword, a few swords and a mace are at display, and Angitha Bhai Daya Singh and Dharam Singh. These two survivors of the battle of Chamkaur, who were among the Panj Piare.

Gurudwara Gupatsar Sahib, Manmad : Manmad Gurudwara is situated at Manmad which is a major junction on Delhi to Mumbai route. Before starting of Sachkhand Express, pilgrims had to change the train at this station to travel to Shri Hazur Sahib, Nanded.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji brought two royal prisoners from Satara Fort by air route here by holding the stir rups of his horse. The names of the prisoner were Balarao and Rustumrao.

There was then very dense forest at the place of Manmad Gurudwara. Sant Baba Nidhan Singh Ji started karseva for constructing Gurudwara here by clearing the dense forest with the help of his people. Hidden Bauli was found while constructing the Gurudwara. After cleaning the well, it was noticed that the water of the well is divine and sweet. Because of this hidden well (Gupta Kuwan) the Gurudwara is later named as Gurudwara Gupatsar Sahib.

Hemkunt Sahib on a sunny day

Sikhs believe that this holy place, known as Hemkunt (lake of ice), is the tap asthan (place of meditation and prayer) at which the tenth and final living Guru of the Sikhs achieved union with God in his previous incarnation. From there, the Guru was summoned by God to be reborn into the world to teach the people the true path. The temple built on the shore of the lake commemorates his mission. It also shelters the Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal scriptural Guru for the Sikh community.


The community is itself recognized as a collective Guru, and pilgrims, as they walk the path toward Hemkunt, share the sacred journey with its members. In this way, all three forms of the Guru - the source of spiritual guidance - are understood to be present at Hemkunt. Sikh pilgrims go there to be inspired to walk the same difficult path that the Guru walked, both in body and in spirit, and to, through the Guru's grace, realize their connection with God in the same place where the Guru realized his. At Hemkunt Sahib, Sikhs feel closer to the Guru and, through the Guru, closer to God.