Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib
A takht is one of the five seats of Sikh authority, and this is the town's main shrine. Nobody checks your religion. Cover your head and remove your shoes. Listings say it's open round the clock.
1 to 2 daysHow long to stay
Budget to mid-rangeRough cost
Couples, Families, Friends, SoloWho it suits
PunjabNorth India
Is this for you?
This is where Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, founded the Khalsa, the community of initiated Sikhs, in 1699. If you want to understand Sikh history, Virasat-e-Khalsa is a very good place to start. Beyond that it's a small Punjab town, so one night is enough. Skip it if Amritsar already covers your interest in Sikh faith, and don't come on a Monday.
When to go
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Go in the coloured months. The black ones are best avoided.
What to do
Virasat-e-Khalsa
Moshe Safdie's museum of Sikh history, opened in 2011 and the best reason to come if you're new to it. Open 10:30 am to 4:30 pm, closed Mondays, and closed 24 to 31 January and 24 to 31 July.
Qila Anandgarh Sahib
The main of the town's five old forts, now a gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship. The same head covering and shoe rules apply here.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Hola Mohalla
A Sikh festival after Holi, ending in a military-style procession from the Takht. It's listed for 23 to 25 March 2027, but dates move with the moon, and sources for 2026 disagreed. Expect huge crowds.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
What to eat
Eat here for the langar, the free community meal at the gurdwaras, Sikh places of worship. In late 2025 Punjab declared Anandpur Sahib a holy city and moved to ban sales of meat, alcohol and tobacco, so plan on vegetarian food and no drink. Restaurant choice is thin.
Jalebi
Crisp fried spirals soaked in sugar syrup. Volunteers make them for the crowds at big festivals like Hola Mohalla and Baisakhi.
Vegetarian
Langar
A free vegetarian meal cooked and served by volunteers, open to anyone of any faith. Cover your head, sit on the floor and don't waste food.
Vegetarian
Makki di roti with sarson da saag
Maize flatbread with slow-cooked mustard greens, the Punjabi winter plate. Ask for it at a dhaba, a roadside eatery, in the cold months.
Vegetarian
Stuffed paranthas
Griddled Punjabi flatbreads filled with spiced vegetables, the breakfast to have before you walk up to the Takht, the main gurdwara.
Vegetarian
Where to go
Brewbakes CafeKeshgarh Sahib
A vegetarian cafe stop near the Takht when you want a table and something other than dhaba food.
Mid-range, vegetarian
Getting there
Take the 22447 Vande Bharat from New Delhi, 5:50 to 10:00, and return on the 22448 at 14:10 (not Tuesdays, by a third-party listing). From Amritsar, the 14505 takes about 5 hours 15 minutes. Chandigarh Airport is about 70 km away, and the station is about 2.4 km from town.
Where to stay
Anandpur town You can walk to the shrines. A government listing mentions star-category hotels, but we can't vouch for one, and gurdwara rooms aren't confirmed for foreigners, so book a hotel ahead.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Chandigarh A fallback with more hotels, about 2 hours away by train. You give up being in town early and late.
Worth knowing
Rules
Cover your head with a scarf, not a cap, and remove your shoes. Leave tobacco and alcohol outside, and never point your feet at the scripture. Nobody checks your religion.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Safety
If you come for Hola Mohalla, book early and keep away from crushes. A government listing says about 2 million people come, and Canada warns of stampedes at religious gatherings.
Opening
Don't plan Virasat-e-Khalsa on a Monday, or from 24 to 31 January or 24 to 31 July. It also closes on Diwali, Dussehra and national holidays.
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