Gurdwara Shri Keshgarh Sahib is located in the center of the city of Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, India at a distance of about 40 KMs from the district headquarters, Rupnagar. It is also known as “Takht Shri Keshgarh Sahib” and is one of five highest Sikh institutions in India. it is the city’s main Sikh shrine. The city began as Chakk Nanaki, which was founded by Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1665. His son Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who spent 25 years of his life in the city, added greatly to the city’s size, giving it the new name of the City of Bliss.
Shrine’s History
Its foundation stone was laid on March 30, 1689. In fact, It was here that the Khalsa was born with the first initiation of Khande Di Pahul when the young Guru called for a special congregation on the Baisakhi day of 1699 with thousands of Sikhs in attendance. One can only imagine how large the area was around Keshgarh Sahib then to accommodate the many thousands of Sikhs in attendance on that historic day. At that time the hill of Keshgarh Sahib was at least 10-15 feet higher than it is today. Next, to it, there was, at that time, another hill known as “Tambu Wali Pahari”, because a special tent was set up there on the day of the revelation of Khalsa.
That hill and a long range of small hills which extended from Kesgarh Sahib to Anandpur fort no longer exists, because in the name of progress, in 1973, a road was constructed to link Kesgarh Sahib and Anandgarh Sahib fort that necessitated levelling the hill tops. Keshgarh Sahib fort was built in 1699. The neighbouring Hill armies attacked Anandpur Sahib several times between 1700 and 1705, but were never able to reach Kesgarh Sahib because the fort was seemingly impregnable and besides, before reaching the gates of Kesgarh the armies would have had to capture the forts at Taragarh, Agamgarh, Fatehgarh and Anandgarh and that never happened.
Shrine’s Map Location and How to Go There
By Road
The nearest Bus stop is Anandpur Sahib.
By Rail
The nearest Railway station is Anandpur Sahib
By Air
The nearest Airport is Chandigarh Airport.