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Religious Spots in Punjab

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Religious Spots in Punjab

Punjab, the land of five rivers, is a state seeped in history, cultural and abundance of spirituality. Predominated by Sikh religion, Punjab is a land of Gurudwaras. But its story doesn't end at only the worship places of Sikhs. Punjab even has many mosques, shrines, temples and even churches. Let's take you on a spiritual ride of Punjab today. So are you ready? Let's begin with the most pious locations of Punjab.

Gurudwaras in Punjab

Here are the most prominent gurudwaras of Punjab:

Harmandar Sahib / The Golden Temple

Golden Temple In Punjab
Source: www.flickr.com


The most popular Gurudwara in Punjab is the Harmandar Sahib or The Golden Temple. It is a mecca for Sikhs and the most important religious place for them. It is a pilgrimage for them and everyone of Sikh religion visits this auspicious place at least once in their life. The temple's spiritual bliss forms the center of Punjab. But that's not all..read in depth about this Gurudwara here.

Gurudwara Takht Shree Keshgarh Sahib

This Gurudwara is the central place of Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. It is the birthplace of Khalsa. This is the gurudwara where the 10th Sikh guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji baptized the Panj Piyaras (5 beloved ones). The nearest airport is the Chandigarh Airport. The nearest railhead is Ambala or Nangal. Bus services are available from Chandigarh and Ropar.

Gurudwara Damdama Sahib

Gurudwara Damdama Sahib holds religious significance in the Sikh religion as it was the court of Guru Tegh Bahadur and then Guru Gobind Singh. It was the place where Guru Gobind Singh ji was designated as the 10th Sikh guru. Read More Here.


Source: GuruaanDiBani


Gurudwara Sisganj Sahib

The ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur embraced martyrdom in Delhi as his head was cut-off. His head was brought here by his ardent followers and cremated at this spot; hence the name, Sisganj which means the “holy head” was chosen.

Gurudwara Manji Sahib / Gurudwara Dumalgarh Sahib

This was a place where Guru Gobind Singh Ji used to train his sons and other young kids. Once a battle was fought at a nearby hill and the flag of Khalsa was torn and trodden to the ground. Guru Ji, on hearing his, tore a piece of “dumla” (a piece of cloth from under his turban) and set it in his turban as a hanging flag. He then declared that the flag of Khalsa will never fall on the ground again. It will be a part of every Sikh in his turban.

Gurudwara Khadur Sahib

Khadoor Sahib Gurdwara In Punjab

This was the family home and residence of the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad Dev. This was the Gurudwara where Guru ji chose Amar Das as his successor and the third Sikh Guru. He said Guru Amar Das will be “the home of the homeless, and honour of the un-honoured, the strength of the strength-less, the support of the unsupported, the shelter of the shelter-less, the protector of the unprotected, and the emancipator of the captives.”

Gurudwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib

Gurdwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib
Source: www.flickr.com


Gurdwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib was constructed by the fifth guru - Guru Arjan Dev. It has distinctively the largest sarovar amongst all gurudwaras. It is famous for the monthly gathering of pilgrims on the day of Amavasya - the no-moon night. It was the place where Guru ji established a home for lepers for the first time in India.

Gurudwara Baba Bakala

Baba Bakala is a small town that is associated with the Ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. The town has a beautiful Gurudwara which commemorates him and is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year on Raksha Bandhan. The Gurudwara has many beautiful paintings depicting Sikh history. It is a 45 minute road journey from Amritsar.

Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib

Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab
Source: www.flickr.com


Fatehgarh Sahib is the Gurudwara erected in honour of the horrific end brought to the two young sons of Guru Gobind Singh ji. Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh were martyred here at the hands of the Governer of Sirhind, Wazir Khan. Located in the district of Fatehgarh Sahib, it is at a distance of 45Kms from Chandigarh. It can be easily accessed by road from Chandigarh.

Gurudwara Dera Baba Nanak

Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab

This was the place where Guru Nanak Ji turned from a wanderer to a householder. He bought land, did farming and looked after his followers. He had belief that salvation can be practiced living in the world and not renouncing its offerings. He gave teachings to his followers and continued his meditation from here only.

Gurudwara Goindwal Sahib

Gurdwara Goindwal Sahib in Punjab

Located just a few kilometers from Tarn Taran is Goindwal town. It was the town established by Guru Amar Das as a new centre for preaching Sikhism. This gurudwara has a ‘Baoli’, a bath, paved with 84 steps. It is believed that whoever recites Japji Sahib (the holy scripture of Sikhs) on each of the 84 steps of this ‘baoli’, followed by a bath in the Holy well 84 times will attain enlightenment or “Moksh”.


Gurudwara Patal Puri

Gurudwara Patalpuri in Punjab

Located in the district of Kirtarpur Sahib, this gurudwara holds high significance for Sikh people. It was the place where the sixth, seventh and eight Sikh gurus were commemorated. It is the place where Sikh people take the ashes of their deceased and disperse them in the Sutlej rover flowing nearby.

Gurudwara Achal Sahib

This was a place where Guru Nanak stopped during one of his travels. He started giving teachings here and many people came to listen to him. The yogis here were offended at this as they were not getting their due attention. They tried to dissuade Guru Nanak but were humbled when unsuccessful. Guru Nanak calmly said that the way to God was devotion and undeterred love, and not asceticism.

Gurudwara Ber Sahib

Gurudwara Ber Sahib In Punjab
Source: www.flickr.com

This is a gurudwara with high historical and religious significance. This was the spot where Guru Nanak went into a communion with God after disappearing in the Beas River for three days. Upon returning he was enlightened and began his mission of preaching Sikhism. Located in Sultanpur Lodi in Kapurthala, this place is easily accessible from Jalandhar and Amritsar via Taran Taran and Goindwal Sahib. One can plan his visit from both Amritsar (around 60 km away) and Jalandhar (36 km away).

Gurudwara Bir Baba Buddha Sahib

Gurdwara Beed Baba Budha Sahib Ji in Punjab


This gurudwara is a shrine to commemorate Bir Baba Buddha who lived long enough to anoint five succeeding Gurus. He was a venerable Sikh at the time of Guru Nanak and practiced his faith diligently till his last days.

Gurudwara Chheharta Sahib

It is gurudwara established on the place where a huge well was sunk by Guru Arjan dev. It was so wide that it took 6 large Persian wheels to pump the water from it. Still, Guru ji could sunk it. It is still used to pump water in the sarovar in the gurudwara. It is located 7Kms from Amritsar and is easily accessible.

Gurdwara Baba Atal in Punjab

Gurudwara Baba Atal

This gurudwara is one of the finest architectural marvels. Located a short walk away from the famous Golden Temple, this gurudwara is a shrine of the young Baba Atal Rai, son of Guru Hargobind Singh Ji, who died at the age of 9. The nine towers of the gurudwara symbolize the 9 years of his life.


Gurudwara Jyotisar Sahib

Gurudwara Jyotisar Sahib is located in Sangrur. Shri Guru Hargobind Ji came here while visiting Sangrur. Nobody paid any attention to him initially. But when Mai Karmo got to know about Guru ji’s visit, she ran to visit him with a sangat and bowed in front of him.  Guru Ji blessed her with a son and also blessed the place stating, “Whoever will come here with true devotion will be granted all his wishes.”

Gurudwara Saragarhi

This shrine is a Gurudwara built by the British in memory of the Sikh soldiers who died in the Third Anglo-Afghan War. It is a small gurudwara but the thought behind is great and a proof of the warrior strength and loyalty of the Sikh community.

Gurudwara Chuabara Sahib


Source: Sikhroots

This place was the family home of the third Sikh guru, Guru Amar Das. He established his house here and preached Sikhism to followers and non-followers alike. This was also the place where Guru Ram Das was anointed as Guru and Guru Arjan Dev was born.

Gurudwara Sri Tham Sahib

Gurudwara Sri Tham ji Sahib is situated in the Kartarpur city of Jalandhar district. This holy place is in remembrance of Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji. King Akbar presented this place to Guru Arjan Dev. In the year 1651, while starting the foundation of this town, Guru Sahib instead of installing a small pillar went ahead & installed a big taahli (the Indian rosewood tree) pillar to start the foundation of this town & named this pillar as "Dukhan da Thaman" by giving it various boons. A very beautiful platform was also constructed around this pillar to facilitate the seating arrangement for the followers. With the establishment of Khalsa, Maharaja Ranjit Singh got this 7 storey building built from his royal treasury & named this place on the name of holly pillar as Gurudwara Sri Thamm ji Sahib.

Gurudwara Alamgir

Alamgir Gurdwara is situated only 11 kilometers south of Ludhiana along the Ludhiana-Malerkotla highway. It is constructed in the memory of Guru Gobind Singh ji who had spent a few days to refresh himself of the tedium of an unrelenting fight against the Machiavellian enemy.
Apart from these, every city in Punjab has numerous gurudwaras, some were visited by one of the 10 Sikh gurus, and some were commissioned by them to be built by their followers. Every gurudwara holds importance for any member of the Sikh community.

Temples in Punjab

Here are the most prominent Temples of Punjab:

Ram Tirath Temple

Ram Tirath Temple In Punjab

This place holds a great significance for Hindus, as this is the place where Sita came after Ram deserted her. This is considered as the ashram of Sage Valmiki and the birthplace of Luv and Kush, sons of Ram and Sita. Situated 16 kms from Amritsar, this place commemorates Mahirishi Valmiki’s hermitage as well.

Mata Mandir Temple

An old devout developed this Hindu temple in the image of the great shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu. It is remarkable for a Disney-esque series of grottoes and shrines featuring Hindu deities.

Durgiana Mandir

Durgiana Mandir in Punjab
Source: www.flickr.com


Built in the third decade of the 20th Century it echoes, not the traditional Hindu temple architecture, but that of the Golden temple and, in a similar manner rises from the midst of a tank and has canopies and the central dome in the style of the Sikh temple. The dome of the mandir is beautifully illuminated at night during fairs and festivals.

Hanuman Mandir

Hanuman Mandir is a popular religious attraction at Amritsar. During the Dussehra Navratras, parents follow a quaint custom (unique to Amritsar) of dressing up their male progeny as langoors (a species of monkeys), probably to honor Hanuman, also known as the monkey god.

Bhagwati Mandir

Established at the tiny village of Khanna, Bhagwathi Mandir is as old as the reigns of 17th century AD. The story of the foundation of this Temple speaks of the dedication of a devotee called Kamalu Bhagat who was once going to the nearby Temple of Jawala Mukhi at Kangra to worship the presiding deity. But on his way, Bhagwati Mata, the sacred Goddess of Kangra, came in front of him and instructed him to build a holy Temple in his village only. This way the building of Bhagwathi Mandir took place in the area.

Shiv Mandir

One of the most ancient temples of the region, the Shiv Mandir in Jalandhar is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It bears relics of brilliant architecture of the gone by golden era.

Sodal Mandir

Situated in Jalandhar, this is of one of the ancient temples of Punjab and attracts many devotees of different religion to worship and seek divine blessings for eternal happiness. The "Sodal Mandir" is dedicated to a child God who was believed to possess supernatural and divine powers.

Panch Mandir

A revered place, Panch Mandir is dedicated to several Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Located in Kapurthala, this mandir is a giant structure with the holy sanctorum in the middle, encircled by smaller temples. The temple displays the engineering skills of the people of the ancient times. Apart from being an important place of religious worship, the "Panch Mandir" is also a celebrated place for archaeologists who throng the temple to study the rich architecture of the traditional society.

Kali Devi Temple, Patiala

Devoted to Goddess Durga is the Kali Devi Temple in Patiala. A consecrated place of worship for Hindus, this temple was built by the Royal family of Patiala. Far from the hustle bustle of the city, the calm surrounding of the holy temple provides relief and solace to mind and soul of the devotees.

Mukteshwar Temple

One of the most sacred places in Pathankot Punjab, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is situated on the banks of River Ravi. The temple is also known as the Mukesran Mandir.  A mela, called the Mukesran Da Mela, is held every year, in the month of April, to mark Baisakhi. Lots of pilgrim from all over the Punjab and nearby state Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir comes here for puja every year mainly on that mela and on Shiv Ratri.

Mosques in Punjab

Punjab caters to all culture. This land also has some famous mosques on its soil. Here are they:

Unique Moorish Mosque

Unique Moorish MosqueLocated near the railway station it was built in 1930 during the reign of the last Maharaja of Kapurthala, Jagatjit Singh. He had employed a French architect Manteaux who followed the design of the great Qutbiya Mosque in Morocco. It has a large compound paved with the purest Indian marble. The artists of the school of Art, Lahore, have decked the inner dome.

Baba Rode Shah Samadhi

This is an exclusive and well-liked tomb that lies on the Amritsar-Majitha road. It is said that a saint residing in this place used to meditate piously and not indulge in any interaction with anyone. But one day he allowed a childless couple to see him and soon after they had a baby boy.  They offered Baba money and other goods to thank him but he refused all but asked the couple to bring a bottle of liquor and distribute it among his devotees instead. Though he passed away in 1924, the tradition is still going strong. Among the more famous devotees of Baba Rode Shah was the singer Mohammed Rafi.

Rauza Sharif of Sheikh Ahmed Farooqi

It is the place where Mujadid-alf-Saani Sheikh Ahmed Farooqi, Kabuli, Sirhindi was buried. He lived during the rule of Akbar and Jahangir. This was between the time from 1563 to 1634. The old mosque in the vicinity is extant, so are several cenotaphs. This beautiful and spacious mausoleum is a national historic monument, which is venerated as a second Mecca by Suni Muslims, is visited annually in or about August by thousands of Naqshbandi Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia and India. In the premises of the mausoleum there are tombs and cenotaphs apart from a mosque. One such grand cenotaph is of King Shah Zaman of Afghanistan.

Mazar of Peer Haji Ratan

This is a place that is sacred to both Muslims and Sikhs. It is said that the Ambassador of Raja Bhoj, Baba Haji Rattan visited Mecca and upon returning to India started meditating at this place. It is sacred to Sikhs as their first Guru, Guru Nanak Dev ji and their 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh ji both visited this shrine.

Churches in Punjab

Christians form only 1.1% of total population of Punjab but there are still a number of churches in the state.

Catholic Church

Situated in Pathankot, this church represents the idealistic Catholics beliefs and caters to a small minority of Catholic Christians in the area.

United Church Of North India

This is a missionary association who brought Christianity to Punjab in 1880s. They build churches in Northern and Western regions of Punjab. Almost all major cities of Punjab have a United Church of North India.

St Paul’s Church

St Paul’s Church, located on the Court road in Amritsar, is one of the oldest churches of the Diocese of Amritsar. The church was established on 24th may 1852 and was used for worship for the first time on the Christmas day of 1853. On 17th January 1857, the church was consecrated on by the Bishop of Madras of the then Church of England in India and at that time the church was in Diocese of Lahore. Later after the partition, it joined The Church of North India when it was formed in 1970.

The Pentle Coastal Mission and St. Pius Church are also some of the most prominent places for your visit. So do visit them on your visit.


Also Read:

Religious Spots in Bathinda
Religious Spots in Moga
Religious Spots in Amritsar
Religious Spots in Abohar
Religious Spots in Barnala

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