Takht Sri Patna Sahib

Guru Gobind Singh was born in Patna in 1666 and spent his early childhood here before the family moved to Punjab, and the gurudwara marking the house is one of the five takhts, the seats of temporal authority in Sikhism. The present white domed building dates largely from the twentieth century, rebuilt between 1948 and 1957 after an earthquake in 1934 damaged the earlier building. It holds relics associated with the guru, including a cradle, a small sword and sandals. As at every gurudwara the langar runs continuously, and the site draws pilgrims from Punjab across the country, particularly around the guru's birth anniversary.

History

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, was born in Patna on 22 December 1666 and spent his early years here before moving to Anandpur Sahib, and Guru Nanak and Guru Tegh Bahadur also visited Patna. Sir Charles Wilkins described the shrine in an account of 1781; soon afterwards it burned and was rebuilt by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 19th century, and after damage in an earthquake in 1934 it was rebuilt between 1948 and 1957 (Wikipedia, Takht Sri Patna Sahib).

What to look for

• The white domed shrine - the twentieth-century building on the birth site.
• The relics - the guru's cradle, sword and other objects on display.
• The langar - free meals served continuously to all comers.
• The old city lanes - Patna City around the gurudwara.

When to go

October to March; Prakash Parv, the guru's birth anniversary, falls in December or January and brings very large crowds. Bihar summers are severe.

What to expect

Heads must be covered and shoes left at the counter. The surrounding old city is congested and access slow. Photography inside is restricted.

Nearby

Patna's centre lies west; Nalanda is southeast.

Key facts