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ANANDPUR SAHIB, ANANDPUR - FACTS & FIGURES

Location: Anandpur , India.
Significance: The birth place of the Khalsa, Keshgarh Fort.

Anandpur Sahib is a small town 80 km from Chandigarh. It lies in the Ropar district of north-east Punjab, on the border with Himachal Pradesh. On one side of Anandpur Sahib are the foothills of the towering Shivalik range, on the other, the river Sutlej.

Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib (the birth place of the Khalsa) is located in Anandpur Sahib, it was created by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Keshgarh Sahib is where the first Khalsa were initiated by Guru Gobind Singh on Baisakhi day March 30, 1699 (this date is considered sacred). It is one of the five most sacred places in Sikhism.

Weapons in Anandpur Sahib Some of the weapons of Guru Gobind Singh are displayed here. The most precious of these is the actual Khanda (double edged sword) used by Guru Gobind Singh to prepare the amrit (sweet water) used in the first Khalsa initiation ceremony.

Keshgarh Fort (or Keshgarh Qila) is the name given to the fort that the tenth Master constructed in Anandpur Sahib. The fort is now the Takhat called Keshgarh Sahib. This Gurdwara was one of the five forts constructed by Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib for the defense of the Sikhs. The Guru spent 25 years at Anandpur Sahib and to protect the Sikhs from the hill Rajas or Mughals, the Guru began the construction of five defensive Qilas (forts) all around the town.

The five Panj forts Qilas constructed by Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib are:

Keshgarh at the center (now a Takhat), Anandgarh (fort of bliss), Lohgarh (fort of steel), Holgarh (fort of colour) and Fatehgarh (fort of victory). All the forts were joined together with earthworks and underground tunnels. The construction began in 1689 and took over ten years to complete.

HOLA MOHALLA AT ANANDPUR SAHIB

Anandpur Sahib comes to life every year on the occasion of Hola Mohalla. This tradition dates back to the times of the 10th Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The Guru decided that the occasion of the festival of Holi, fun and frolic and colour splashing, be the occasion for the display of the martial spirit of his people and he gave this festival of Holi a more masculine name of HOLA MOHALLA. Each year Hola Mohalla marks the congregation of lacs of devotees from all over the country for a festival of colour and gaiety. The Nihangs (members of Guru's army) in their colourful attire are the greatest attraction for the people visiting the Hola Mohalla. In deep blue robes with saffron girdles, high conical turbans decorated with steel rings, flowing beards, twisted moustaches, the nihangs enact mock battles on this occasion armed with spears and swords. Their army halts at many places to show off their art of fencing, tent-pegging and jousting to thousands of people gathered from all over the country at Anandpur Sahib on the occasion of Hola Mohalla.

Baisakhi 1999 at Anandpur Sahib had been significant as it marked the completion of 300 years of the Birth of the Khalsa. It was on Baisakhi day in 1699 that Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji baptised the ‘Panj Pyaras’ at Anaandpur Sahib at the place where Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib stands.

SACRED PLACES NEAR SRI ANANDPUR SAHIB

GURU-KA-LAHORE

It is 11 kms on Sri Anandpur Sahib-Ganguwal route leading to the State of Himachal Pradesh. On 25th January, 1686, the 10th Guru's wedding to Mata Jito Ji was celebrated here. Two almost pinhead springs still functional, were pierced by the 10th Guru by lancing the rocky mountains.

GURUDWARA MATA JITO JI

Not far from Holgarh Fort. Mata Jito Ji was cremated here.

BHAI GHANAIYA JI: HIS BAOLI / SPRING

Across the now almost dried up rivulet Charan Ganga and below the Taragarh hill, Bhai Ghanaiya Ji had anticipated the RED CROSS almost two centuries before its formation in the modern times. He used to render first aid to friends and foes, alike-something unknown in the world, then.

Sri Anandpur Sahib is the bastion from where the stoutest defence was put up to maintain liberty from the bigoted slavery of the Mughals and their tributory chiefs of the surrounding hills.