Anandpur Sahib

Anandpur Sahib sits on the Sutlej River in the Shivalik foothills, founded in 1665 by Guru Tegh Bahadur and site of the pivotal 1699 founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh — a moment of central, defining importance to Sikh identity and practice. As one of the five Takhts (seats of temporal authority in Sikhism, alongside the Akal Takht in Amritsar), Anandpur Sahib carries religious weight fully equal to the Golden Temple, yet receives a fraction of its visitor numbers, leaving its gurdwaras considerably calmer for reflection and pilgrimage. Anandpur Sahib suits pilgrims and history-focused travelers wanting to engage seriously with Sikh history at its actual point of origin — Kesgarh Sahib Gurdwara marks the specific site of the Khalsa's founding, while the Virasat-e-Khalsa museum, a striking modern architectural structure, offers detailed context on Sikh history for visitors wanting more than the shrine visit alone. The town's position roughly 85 km from Chandigarh makes it an accessible day trip or overnight pilgrimage stop.