Anandpur Sahib

Anandpur Sahib was founded in 1665 and it is where Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa in 1699, which makes it one of the most significant places in Sikhism. Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, one of the five seats of Sikh authority, stands at the centre. The following day after Holi, the town holds Hola Mohalla, instituted by the tenth guru as a martial gathering rather than a festival of colour: Nihang Sikhs in blue robes ride at speed, perform gatka swordplay, tent pegging and bareback stunts over three days, camped in the fields around. The Virasat-e-Khalsa museum, opened in 2011, covers Sikh history.

History

The ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, founded Anandpur in June 1665 after leaving Kiratpur, and the town grew as Sikhs settled near his son, Guru Gobind Singh, who founded nearby Paonta Sahib in 1685 as a second base. On Vaisakhi in 1699 Guru Gobind Singh summoned Sikh congregations from far and near to Anandpur and there founded the Khalsa Panth (Wikipedia, Anandpur Sahib).

What to look for

• Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib - one of the five seats of Sikh authority.
• Hola Mohalla - Nihang horsemen, gatka and martial displays in spring.
• Virasat-e-Khalsa - the museum of Sikh history above the town.
• The surrounding forts - the hill fortifications of the guru's period.

When to go

October to March for comfortable weather; Hola Mohalla falls the day after Holi, in March, and is the reason many visitors time a trip, though the town is overwhelmed then.

Things to know

Hola Mohalla crowds are enormous and accommodation impossible without booking far ahead. Heads must be covered in the gurudwaras. Horse displays are fast and spectators need to keep well back.

Nearby

Chandigarh lies southeast; Rupnagar is south.