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.