Sikhism is a religion that focuses on equality, justice, tranquility, and service. The culture of Sikhism makes India a more peaceful country. Every Gurudwara has wonderful architectural displays and has a very calm and peaceful atmosphere. You can add a Sikh Gurdwara tour to your itinerary and visit some of the most famous Sikh temples in the country where millions of tourists flock every year to seek blessings from God. This tour helps the tourists to explore more about Sikh traditions and everything that makes this religion unique. One specialty about the Sikh temples is that they offer free food known as Langar to everybody. Visiting the gurdwara and having Langar can be a nice spiritual experience.
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Delhi
One of the best places to visit in Delhi is Gurudwara Bangla Sahib where you can pray, listen to ardaas(prayers) and feel blessed. I have visited the temple on numerous occasions to seek blessings and to experience the utmost peace. It is quite surprising as the temple is located on one of the busiest streets of Delhi but once you are inside, all you hear is the voice of your soul. One has to remove their shoes and cover their head before entering any Sikh temple as it is believed that we do not sacred places with dirty feet. When you enter the temple premises, you will see everybody praying patiently and quietly while listening to the melodious prayers. I love the positive energy I get from this sacred and tranquil place. You can have langar (community meal) also if you want. All people wait for their turn and enter the dining hall with discipline. All the volunteers are very humble and lots of respect is shown to the visitors. A must visit place for everyone irrespective of their caste and religion because this type of experience you will not get anywhere else. A beautiful museum is also built inside the temple where you can get a lot of information about their religion and understand them better. Your trip will be incomplete to Delhi without visiting this Sikh temple.
Golden Temple, Amritsar
This temple is one of the most renowned Sikh temples not only in India but in the entire world. Golden Temple is also known as Gurudwara Harmandir Sahib. It has a stunning gold plated architecture surrounded by a Sarovar( Holy pond ) that looks ravishing at night when the Gurdwara is all lit up. Inside the Gurdwara, visit the main prayer hall where you can sit with the other devotees and pray. This place offers a tranquil peaceful environment to its devotees. You will witness many people there volunteering and doing the cleaning, washing, etc. Golden Temple has the largest community kitchen where they serve langar to everybody and don't charge anything. Undoubtedly, the langar tastes very delicious and I recommend everyone to try Langar when they visit here. You also have an opportunity to volunteer in the community kitchen as well. I visited Golden temple last year and explored the community kitchen and trust me, it was a sight to behold. A grand kitchen is managed by volunteers where they all give their time to prepare meals together for the devotees. They perform their duties with dedication and faith with no complaints. There is no best time to visit the Golden temple as it is open throughout the day and prayer rituals take place from early morning till late night but I prefer to visit the temple early in the morning so that one can attend the Prakash ceremony- early morning prayer ritual. Whenever you happen to visit Amritsar, visit this temple for a heavenly experience in your life.
Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh
Situated at the banks of River Yamuna, Paonta Sahib is one of the biggest Gurdwaras in India with divine beauty. It consists of golden domes and a sacred lake where people bathe as well. You can spend a wonderful day here exploring, visiting museums, and praying. This little museum is a great place to learn about Sikh Gurus where you can find personal accessories and weapons of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The whole temple is well maintained and impressive. There are other buildings also in the temple such as the Guru ka langar hall, the Sheesh mahal, etc. Moreover, you can partake in langar with your friends and family and relish Kada prasad too. You will enjoy your visit thoroughly and would love to visit here again and again.
These gurdwaras have a special significance in the Sikh community and I suggest you visit these places with your loved ones especially with your kids because they will learn about Indian values and have an amazing experience in India.
