25 Best Gurudwaras in India You Must Visit

The diversity of our nation is truly the biggest gift of this sub-continent. The majestic Gurudwaras are spread across the country, which are the holy shrines in Sikhism. India has been home to around 95% of Sikh population, and they worship in these Gurudwaras that are spread across that nation. One thing that is so unique for these Gurudwaras is that they are open to people of all religions and faiths. There are a number of beautiful and serene Gurudwaras located all across India. There are many Gurudwaras in India; each Gurudwara has its own unique history and significant story of purpose attached to it. Gurudwaras are the important places of worship for the Sikh community, and they are also important pilgrimage sites. If you are ever in India, be sure to visit a Gurudwara and experience the unique history and culture of the Sikh religion. Here is a list of the 25 best Gurudwaras in India that you must visit at least once in your lifetime:

1- Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab

Many Gurudwaras are located in Punjab, the birthplace of the Sikh religion. Located in Amritsar city of Punjab, this Gurudwara is also known as Sri Harmandir Sahib Ji or Sri Darbar Sahib Ji, and it is most widely known as the Golden Temple. This is the holiest Gurudwara and one of the most noteworthy pilgrimage sites for the followers of Sikhism. Built over 400 years back, in the 16^thcentury by Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, this Sikh shrine has not only witnessed the devastations of time but also happens to be the strength as well as conviction of faith in the face of adversities and is today one of the most iconic Sikh pilgrimage sites. The Gurudwara is made of marble and gold, and it is surrounded by a pool of holy water. A splendid shrine, with a huge tank in the center, this Gurudwara is also nominated to be a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Pilgrims come from all over the world to worship at the Golden Temple.

• Location: Amritsar, Punjab, India
• Weather: Amritsar’s climate is subtropical, with relatively dry & mild winter season (often cold during nights) and hot &rainy summers. Monsoon lasts approx. from July to mid-Sep.
• Best time to visit: In the months of November to March
• How to reach: One can reach Amritsar by air or by road or by rail

[Suggested Tour: Damdama Sahib with Golden Temple Tour]

2- Gurudwara Shri Bangla Sahib Ji, Delhi

The most visited Sikh Gurudwara in Delhi; this is one of the most popular Sikh shrines in India. Gurudwara Shri Bangla Sahib Ji is located in the heart of downtown Delhi at CP (Connaught Place). It was built in memory of the 8th Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Harkrishan Ji. The Gurudwara Shri Bangla Sahib Ji in Delhi is one of the most famous Gurudwaras in India. It was built in memory of the eighth Sikh guru, Shri Guru Har Krishan Ji. The Gurudwara Shri Bangla Sahib Ji is a place of pilgrimage for Sikhs from all over the world. This place is also well-known with tourists from India as well as abroad.

• Location: Delhi, India
• Weather: Delhi witnesses extreme climate, very hot during summers (from April to July months) and very cold during winters (In the months of December and January)
• Best time to visit: October to March
• How to reach: One can reach Delhi by air or road or rail

3- Gurudwara Shri Sis Ganj Sahib Ji, Chandni Chowk, Delhi

Located in the bustling markets of Chandni Chowk, Gurudwara Shri Sis Ganj Sahib Ji is another important Gurudwara that was built in memory of the 9^thSikh Guru, Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. The Gurudwara is also the site of the mart.

• Location: Delhi, India
• Weather: Delhi witnesses extreme climate, very hot during summers (from April to July months) and very cold during winters (In the months of December and January)
• Best time to visit: During the months of October to March
• How to reach: One can reach Delhi by air or road or rail

4- Gurudwara Shri Rakab Ganj Sahib Ji, Delhi

Gurudwara Shri Rakabganj Sahib Ji is located near Parliament House in New Delhi.

• Location: Delhi, India
• Weather: Delhi witnesses extreme climate, very hot during summers (from April to July months) and very cold during winters (In the months of December and January)
• Best time to visit: During the months of October to March
• How to reach: One can reach Delhi by air or road or rail

5- Gurudwara Shri Jyotisar Ji, Kurukshetra, Haryana

Gurudwara Shri Jyotisar Ji is located in the town of Kurukshetra in Haryana. It was built in memory of the 10^thSikh Guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

• Location: Kurukshetra, Haryana, India
• Weather: The climate of Kurukshetra is warm &temperate. Compared to winters, summers have more rainfall.
• Best time to visit: September to March
• How to reach: One can reach Kurukshetra by air or road or rail

6- Gurudwara Shri Dera Baba Nanak Ji, Gurdaspur, Punjab

Gurudwara Shri Dera Baba Nanak Ji is located in the town of Gurdaspur in Punjab. It was built in memory of the founder of the Sikh faith, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

• Location: Gurdaspur, Punjab
• Weather: Subtropical; dry and mild winters (cold nights); hot and rainy summers.
• Best time to visit: November to March
• How to reach: One can reach Punjab by road, rail or air

7- Gurudwara Shri Damdama Sahib Ji, Talwandi Sabo, Punjab

Gurudwara Shri Damdama Sahib Ji is located in the town of Talwandi Sabo in Punjab. It was built in memory of the fifth Sikh Guru, Shri Arjan Dev Ji.

• Location: Talwandi Sabo, Punjab, India
• Weather: Subtropical; dry and mild winters (cold nights); hot and rainy summers.
• Best time to visit: During Nov to March months
• How to reach: One can reach Punjab by road, rail or air

8- Gurudwara Shri Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib Ji, Nanded, Maharashtra

Gurudwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib Ji is located in the city of Nanded in Maharashtra. It was built in memory of the 10^thSikh Guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The Gurudwara is also the place where the Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji was declared as the eternal Guru of the Sikhs.

• Location: Nanded, Maharashtra, India
• Weather: Maharashtra’s climate is tropical monsoons; receiving heavy rainfalls during monsoon seasons. Summers are hot and winters are chilly
• Best time to visit: Winter season (From November to February)
• How to reach: Nanded has its own Hazur Sahib Railway Station. Nanded is connected by road to several places in Maharashtra. The most proximal airport (domestic) to Nanded is the Aurangabad Airport, and the closes airport (international)to Nanded the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad.

9- Gurudwara Shri Guru Nanakji, Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh

Located in Kasauli, Garkhal, Solan district, Himachal Pradesh, Gurudwara Shri Guru Nanakji happens to be one the oldest Sikh shrines. The Gurudwara also gives accommodation facilities to the devotees here.

• Location: Kasauli, HP, India
• Weather: Kasauli has a warm &temperate climate generally. Summers are usually mild &moderate, while winters are very chilly. Monsoons are muggy &oppressive.
• Best time to visit: The best time to visit Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh is during summers when the days are pleasant, and the sky is clear.
• How to reach: Kasauli, being a small town, does not have an airport. The most proximal one is in Chandigarh. Also, the most proximal rail head is Kalka.

10- Shri Hemkund Sahib Ji, Chamoli, Uttarakhand

Situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, Shri Hemkund Sahib Ji Gurudwara is one of the holiest Sikh pilgrimage sites.

• Location: Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India
• Weather: The weather in Chamoli, Uttarakhand remains salubrious all through the year. The highest noted temperature reaches up to 34 degree Celsius, and the lowest noted temperature reaches up to even the freezing point.
• Best time to visit: Nov-March and July-Aug
• How to reach: Reach from the Govindghat on the highway (Rishikesh-Badrinath).

[Suggested Tour: Hemkund Sahib Tour Package]

11- Shri Nada Sahib Ji, Panchkula, Haryana

Located in the Shivalik Hills of the Panchkula district, Haryana, Shri Nada Sahib Ji Gurudwara is the holy site where the 10^th (last) guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, made a halt while travelling from Paonta Sahib to Anandpur Sahib after winning the battle of Bhangani in the year 1688. This shrine is frequented by Sikh pilgrims looking for peace &solace, There is a museum also here that depicts Sikh history.

• Location: Panchkula, Haryana, India
• Weather: Panchkula experiences hot summers, cold winters and monsoon rainfall.
• Best time to visit: During winters
• How to reach: The closest airport is the Chandigarh airport. One can travel via rail as well. However, the best option to travel here is by road.

12- Shri Manikaran Ji Gurudwara, Manikaran, Himachal Pradesh

Located in Manikaran in Parvati Valley through River Parvati, Gurudwara Shri Manikaran Ji is a famous Sikh shrine in India. As per Sikh traditions, the founder of Sikhism, Shri Guru Nanak Ji, visited this place during third Udasi in the early 16^thcentury with Bhai Mardana, who was his disciple. There is also a hot spring in the premises here.

• Location: Manikaran, HP, India
• Weather: Extreme cold all through the entire year with an average temperature reaching around 10 degree Celsius.
• Best time to visit: The ideal time to visit Manikaran is during the summer season when the average temperature reaches 10 degrees Celsius. The months of April, May and June are the best months for visiting this legendary place.
• How to reach: By Rail – The major railway station is 300 kilometers away in Pathankot. By Air – You can even travel to Manikaran from Kullu/Manali by taking a flight at the Bhuntar Airport to Kullu/Manali. By Road – Manikaran is well-connected by road to Bhuntar via the local state-buses.

13- Shri Nanakmatta Gurudwara, Uttarakhand

A Sikh holy site located in Nanakmatta in the state of Uttarakhand, this Gurudwara is associated with Shri Guru Nanak Ji, the founder of Sikh religion and the first guru of Sikhs; and also associated with Shri Guru Hargobind Ji. It is believed that Shri Guru Nanak Ji visited this place during his 3^rd Udasi (1514) while he was on his way to the Mount Kailash.

• Location: Uttarakhand, India
• Weather: Temperate climate; marked by some seasonal variations in the temperature and also has tropical monsoons.
• Best time to visit: The months of March & April and September & October are the ideal months to visit Uttarakhand.
• How to reach: Uttarakhand is well-connected by rail, road and air to all the major cities of the country.

14- Gurudwara Shri Sahib Ji, Shimla

Located on the Padhawa hills on the hill-town of Shimla, this Gurudwara is a major tourist attraction, drawing a multitude of tourists each year from India as well as abroad. Constructed in the year 1907, this Gurudwara is over a hundred years old.

• Location: Shimla, India
• Weather: Principally cool during the winter season and moderately warm during the summer season.
• Best time to visit: In the months of May/June, and Dec/Jan.
• How to reach: A Shimla’s small railway station is just 1 km away from the center of the town, which is connected to Kalka through a narrow-gauge rail-track. Jubbarhatti (23 km) is the nearest airport. By road, one can avail the Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus service or opt for the private operators as well, which connect Shimla to many major cities in Northern India.

15- Gurdwara Nanak Jhira Sahib Ji, Karnataka

Located in Bidar in Karnataka, this is one of the most magnificent historical shrines in South India for Sikhs. This famous holy site for the followers of Sikhism was constructed a year after India got independence i.e. in the year 1948. Dedicated to Shri Guru Nanak Ji, the 1^st guru & founder of Sikhism, the beauty of this place is marked by the lavish gardens, an expansive pool and hills on 3 sides.

• Location: Karnataka, India
• Weather: Subtropical climate, with winters (from January to Feb), summer season (from March to May), southwest monsoon season (from June to Sep), and post-monsoon time (Oct to Dec)
• Best time to visit: Winters
• How to reach: Karnataka is well-connected by air or road or rail

16- Shri Ram Rai Ji Gurudwara, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, this Gurudwara is an intriguing holy shrine. Built in the seventeenth century by Shri Guru Ram Rai Ji, who was the eldest son of Shri Har Raj Ji, who was the 7^th Sikh Guru, with the help of the then ruler of Dehradun, this Sikh shrine attracts numerous devotees all the year round. It is believed that Shri Guru Ram Rai Ji built this holy place after being banished from his home-town for stopping to not become a Sikh Guru.

• Location: Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
• Weather: Humid subtropical climate varying greatly from tropical to even extreme chilly weather depending upon the altitude of that particular area(s)
• Best time to visit: Summers
• How to reach: Reach by air at the Jolly Grant Airport or by bus as Dehradun is connected to many cities by road, or by rail at the Dehradun Railway Station.

17- Gurudwara Sri Singh Sabha Ji, Pushkar, Ajmer, Rajasthan

Located in Pushkar, Ajmer, Rajasthan, this Sikh shrine was earlier called Shri Guru Nanak Ji Dharamshala but later it was rechristened by the name, Gurudwara Shri Singh Sabha JI. This site holds the significance of being visited by Shri Guru Nanak Ji, the 1^stGuru & Sikhism founder, and is also connected with the 10^thGuru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji also.

• Location: Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
• Weather: Mostly hot all year round.
• Best time to visit: Oct to Feb
• How to reach: Reach by air at the nearby Jaipur airport or by rail at the Ajmer Junction railway station or by road as Ajmer is well-connected by road.

18- Shri Bhai Dharam Singh Ji Gurudwara, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh

A holy shrine for the Sikh religion in India, this Gurudwara is located in the Saifpur village near Meerut (in the native village of Bhai Dharam Singh), Uttar Pradesh. He was one of the 5 Panj Pyare initiated by the 10^th (last) Sikh guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Shri Anandpur Sahib Ji forming the core of Khalsa. This place was constructed by him in the early eighteenth century.

• Location: Meerut, UP, India
• Weather: Warm &temperate climate
• Best time to visit: Nov to Feb
• How to reach: Travelling to Meerut, UP is more comfortable by rail as the city is having its own railway stations. If you wish to travel by air then the most proximal airport is Delhi International airport. You can also reach via road as it is well-connected to many cities.

19- Sri Patna Sahib Ji Gurudwara, Patna, Bihar

 

One among the Panj Takht Sahib (5 most important Sikh shrines), Shri Patna Sahib Ji Gurudwara also known as the Takht Shri Harmandir Sahib Gurudwara is a holy Sikh shrine in Patna, Bihar. This had been constructed by the then Sikh ruler, Maharaja Ranjit Singh for commemorating the birthplace of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10^th (last) Sikh guru, who had taken birth at this site in the year 1666.

• Location: Patna, Bihar, India
• Weather: The city witnesses extreme temperatures, with very hot in summers between the months of March and June and monsoons from late June to late Sep; and freezing cold in winters between late Oct and early Feb.
• Best time to visit: Winter season (late October to early February)
• How to reach: Patna is well-connected by air and road and rail

20- Gurudwara Mata Kaulan, Amritsar, Punjab

Located near the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, this Gurudwara is a popular one here. Significant with the name Mata Kaulan, this was named after a Muslim woman, Bibi Kaulan. Mata Kaulan is believed to have been with a Muslim saint, Mian Mir, who took refuge with the 6^thguru, Shri Hargobind Ji.

• Location: Amritsar, Punjab, India
• Weather: Amritsar’s climate is subtropical, with relatively dry & mild winter season (often cold during nights) and hot &rainy summers. Monsoon lasts approx. from July to mid-Sep.
• Best time to visit: In the months of November to March
• How to reach: One can reach Amritsar by air or by road or by rail

21- Shri Bibeksar Sahib Ji, Amritsar, Punjab

Situated on the banks of Bibeksar Sarovar in Amritsar, Punjab, this Gurudwara is a renowned Sikh landmark here. Initially, this was constructed by the 6^th Sikh guru, Shri Hargobind Sahib Ji. The present structure had been constructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

• Location: Amritsar, Punjab, India
• Weather: Amritsar’s climate is subtropical, with relatively dry & mild winter season (often cold during nights) and hot &rainy summers. Monsoon lasts approx. from July to mid-Sep.
• Best time to visit: In the months of November to March
• How to reach: One can reach Amritsar by air or by road or by rail

22- Gurudwara Shri Baba Atal Rai Sahib Ji, Punjab

This sacred Sikh shrine is counted among the best Gurudwaras in the country. Gurudwara Shri Baba Atal Rai Sahib Ji was built to commemorate the early death of Guru Hargobind Singh Ji’s son, Baba Atal Ji, who left for the heavenly abode at the tender age of nine years and the place where he renounced the world happens to be the exact location of this Gurudwara.

• Location: Punjab, India
• Weather: Punjab experiences 3 seasons; summers span from mid-April to end of June, and rainy season spans from early July to Sep end, and winters are from early Dec to Feb end.
• Best time to visit: During winters
• How to reach: One can reach Punjab by air or by road or by rail

23- Gurudwara Majnu Ka Tila, Delhi

This Gurudwara is located near ISBT, Kashmiri Gate in Delhi. This happens to be the earliest Sikh shrine here in the capital city. Named after a mound where Majnu (who was actually a boatman; he used to ferry people across the River Yamuna free of cost) who had met Shri Guru Nanak Ji. In the year 1783, the Sikh leader, Shri Baghel Singh Ji built a Gurudwara to commemorate the stay of Shri Guru Nanak Ji, which now holds great significance for the Sikh devotees.

• Location: Delhi, India
• Weather: Delhi witnesses extreme climate, very hot during summers (from April to July months) and very cold during winters (In the months of December and January)
• Best time to visit: October to March
• How to reach: One can reach Delhi by air or road or rail

24- Gurudwara Mattan Sahib, J & K

A very revered site in Srinagar, Gurudwara Shree Mattan Sahib Ji is located on the Anantnag-Pahalgam Road. Built by a Brahmin, who accepted Sikhism and got converted after hearing the influential message(s) of Shree Guru Nanak Dev Ji, this Gurudwara happens to be a symbol of religious beliefs and eternal knowledge in the Supreme Being. This place was built on the site of ruined temples, and is now one of the most famous holy places in the Kashmir valley, where, not just the Sikh devotees, but also the Brahmins pay their respect.

• Location: Jammu and Kashmir, India
• Weather: Predominantly humid subtropical climate in J & K, which is influenced by the mountains it is surrounded by.
• Best time to visit: March through October
• How to reach: There is good road connectivity; the nearest rail junction is Jammu Tawi and Jammu airport is the closest one.

25- Gurudwara Shree Nanak Piao Sahib Ji, Delhi

Gurudwara Shree Nanak Piao Sahib Ji is located on the Grand Trunk Road near Sabzi Mandi in the capital city, Delhi. The significance of this Gurudwara is that during the rule of Sikander Lodhi, Shree Guru Nanak Sahib Ji came at this place along with Shree Bhai Mardana Ji; and had stopped in a garden here.

• Location: Delhi, India
• Weather: Delhi witnesses extreme climate, very hot during summers (from April to July months) and very cold during winters (In the months of December and January)
• Best time to visit: During the months of October to March
• How to reach: One can reach Delhi by air or road or rail