Birthplace of the Khalsa
Anandpur Sahib, founded in 1665 by Guru Tegh Bahadur, is revered as the spiritual cradle of the Khalsa — the collective body of initiated Sikhs established by Guru Gobind Singh on Baisakhi day in 1699. It was here that the Guru administered Amrit (sacred nectar) to the first Panj Pyare (Five Beloved Ones), formalising the Khalsa identity and code of conduct that continues to define Sikh devotional life.
The town is home to Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, one of the five Takhts (seats of temporal authority) in Sikhism, alongside several other historic gurdwaras marking events from the lives of the ninth and tenth Gurus. The annual Hola Mohalla festival, held the day after Holi, transforms Anandpur Sahib into a spectacular display of Sikh martial arts, processions and community service on a scale matched by few other religious gatherings in India.
