Patalpuri Gurudwara in Kiratpur Sahib, Punjab

Built on the banks of Sutlej river and the foothills of Shivalik range is the beautiful and historic Gurudwara of Patalpuri in Kiratpur Sahib, a small religious town in the Ropar (or Roopnagar) district of Punjab.

Patalpuri Gurudwara, Kiratpur

Kiratpur was established by the 6th Sikh Guru Hargobind Singh. Another famous Gurudwara nearby is Anandpur Sahib or Keshgarh Sahib, 10 km away (considered as the second most important place for the Sikhs as it is the birthplace of the Khalsa).

The Darbar Sahib at Patalpuri Gurudwara, Kiratpur

The significance of Kiratpur’s Patalpuri Gurudwara lies in the fact that Sikhs come here to immerse the ashes of their loved ones and it is not uncommon for the Sikhs living abroad also to come here to immerse the ashes. Two of the Sikh Gurus – Guru Hargobind and Guru Har Rai have been cremated here.

The Sarovar at the Patalpuri Gurudwara, Kiratpur

The Gurudwara, like most Gurudwaras, is made of white marble and shimmers in the sun. Next to the Darbar Hall there is a Langar Hall. There is a sarovar, a big sacred water pond where the pilgrims can take a holy dip.

Sutlej waters at Patalpuri Gurudwara

The water from the Sutlej main river flows next to the Gurdwara by means of a canal and the water is clean. There is also a footbridge made for persons to go across.

The footbridge over the Sutlej

One problem that people face is that they have to climb 15-20 steps which is problematic for the old and the handicapped. The management should make a ramp.
 

Another view of the Patalpuri Gurudwara

There are no flights to Kiratpur. Nearest point is Chandigarh from where it is about 90 km and one can take either a Punjab Roadways bus or hire a cab. From Delhi it takes about seven hours by car to cover the distance of about 300 km.

As kiratpur is near the foothills of the Himalayas, it can also be made a base for further explorations into the mountains to places like Palampur, Dharamshal, Mandi, Manali and further.

Also Read:
The Unique Gurudwara at Sussaan
Keshgarh Sahib
Virasat-E-Khalsa

The Langar in Sis Ganj Gurudwara, Delhi

Langar is a Sikh tradition that probably has roots in the Sufi tradition of sharing.

Langar at Sis Ganj Gurudwara, Delhi

Big and historic Gurudwaras in Delhi like Sis Ganj, Rakab Ganj, Bangla Sahib, Damdama Sahib and some others have reserved a separate hall for the community kitchen where food is served round the clock to devotees. This too is a sacred space. Till some decades ago Langar was served on leaves stitched together and people would take a small part of it home for the family members but now there are steel plates and spoons. Everything from pealing, cooking, serving and dish-washing is done by volunteers. 

The kitchen in Sis Ganj Gurudwara

No one is turned away from the Langar. It always amazes me that the Langar is so well organised when everything else in India is so chaotic. The sangat (congregation of the faithful) sits in a pangat (line) and they partake in the Langar which comprises of chapatti (Indian bread), rice, daal (lentil) and a vegetable. Hundreds of kilos of lentils and vegetables are cooked in super-size vessels. Food is cooked in Desi Ghee (clarified butter) and the kitchen is there for devotees and tourists to inspect. There are no signs outside the kitchen saying ‘No Entry’ or ‘Entry Restricted’. The Indian bread, Chapati or Roti, has always been made by hand, again by volunteers, but now there is also a huge machine in the kitchen of the Sis Ganj Gurudwara that makes/bakes the chapatis. One can easily make out the difference between hand-made and machine-made rotis. The food is fresh and vegetarian. It is simple and delicious. In fact, it is in bad taste to pick faults with the Langar because it is sacred. For the same reason one should not waste it. Eat it, or take it home for your family. 

The day I visited Sis Ganj Gurudwara in Old Delhi, pumpkin was being peeled and chopped for the evening Langar.

Pumpkins under preparation for the Langar at Sis Ganj Gurudwara

What is the intention behind the tradition of Langar? The idea is not to feed the poor. The idea is that all are equal and to prove this the rich and the poor, so-called low castes and high castes, men and women, children, sit together in a common space and eat the same food. Has the Sikh project of equality succeeded? That is another question. Equality is, all said and done, a utopian concept. Theoretically it sounds good, but in praxis it fails to materialize. The French Revolution and the Russian Revolution could not create equal and just societies. But what is the harm in imagining for half an hour that we are all equal?