Location : Bihar
Famous As : The birthplace of Guru Govind Singh
Year of Construction : 1839
Best time to Visit : October to March
About Gurudwara Sri Patna Sahib
One of the holiest pilgrimages for people belonging to the Sikh community
outside Punjab is the Gurudwara Patna Sahib, being the birthplace of the
tenth Sikh guru, Guru Govind Singh. Born in 1666, it was here that Guru
Govind Singh spent the early years of his life preaching around the place
before moving to Anandpur. Besides that, the place is also revered for
visits by saints such as Guru Nanak and Guru Teg Bahadur.
Harmandir Takht, as it is more commonly known, is situated in the old
quarters of Patna city, the place earlier known as Kucha Farrukh Khan. Patna
Sahib is regarded to be one amongst the five holy Sikh takhts located across
the country and is also one of the only two situated outside of Punjab, the
other being Takht Sri Hazoor Sahib at Nanded in Maharashtra.
The history of the shrine dates back years to the times of Salis Rai Johri,
a great devotee of Guru Nanak, who influenced by his teachings converted his
opulent residence into a 'dharamshala' providing free accommodation for Sikh
devotees. The place was subsequently converted into the Patna Sahib before
being heavily damaged by a huge fire in the early 19th century. The
restoration work on the site was started in 1839 by Maharajah Ranjit Singh.
The building suffered another dent when an earthquake rocked the city of
Patna in 1934. Work on the construction of the present structure was taken
up on November 19, 1954 and was completed in about three years.
The holy structure houses a number of ancient articles related to the Sikh
community and Guru Govind Singh, prominent ones being a cradle covered with
golden plates, four iron arrows, sword and a pair of footwear. Rare
'hukumnamas' or written orders of Guru Govind Singh and Guru Teg Bahadur are
also contained here. The architecture of the temple is also one of a kind
built entirely in snow white marble.
Other Attractions in Patna
Golghar
The Golghar is a huge beehive shaped structure built by captain John
Garstin in 1786 to primarily serve the purpose of a granary, following the
famine of 1770. A series of steps wounding the 29 mts high structure leads
to the top, from where a breathtaking view of the nearby Ganga river and the
entire Patna city can be had.
State Museum
Situated on the Buddha Marg, the museum contains a rare collection of
coins, miniature paintings, terracotta, bronze and stone sculptures dating
back centuries to the Gupta and Maurya periods. Amongst the most famous
artifacts contained here are the Mauryan Didarganji Yakshi dating back to
3rd century BC, Ashes of Buddha, a cannon from the First World War, a 15 mts
long fossilised tree and other finds from Bodhgaya and Nalanda. The Tibetan
and Chinese sections are also worth appreciating.
Kumrahar
Just outside the city on the Kankarbagh Road is Kumrahar, known as
Pataliputra in ancient times. The site has been an important archaeological
place with excavations at the place revealing relics of ancient dynasties
dating from 600 BC to 600 AD. A huge hall with 80 beautifully carved pillars
has also been discovered here.
Martyrs Memorial
Situated at the compound of the old secretariat, the memorial houses seven
life like statues of brave men who sacrificed their lives in 1942 in India's
struggle for independence.
Sher Shah Suri Mosque
Built in 1545 by the famous Mughal ruler Sher Shah Suri, the beautiful
mosque is built in a typical Afghan architectural style and constitutes one
of the major landmarks in Patna.
Stay At
While short stay accommodation facilities are also provided at the
Gurudwara, a number of quality hotels and lodges are also located across the
city. Some of the quality hotels at Patna include Hotel Pataliputra Ashok (6
km from airport, 2.5 km from railway station), Maurya Patna (5 star, South
Gandhi Maidan), Hotel Republic (3 star, Exhibition Road), Hotel Samrat
International (3 star, Fraser Road) and Hotel President (2 star, Fraser
Road).
Getting There
By Air : The capital of Bihar, Patna is known as an
important business centre of eastern India as also the gateway to the
religious destinations of Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda and Bodhgaya. The city
has a domestic airport which connects it to other major cities in India.
Indian Airlines operates regular flights between Patna and Delhi, Calcutta,
Lucknow etc.
By Rail : Patna is well connected by trains from major
destinations across the country. Daily trains between Delhi and Patna
include the Vikramshila Exp., Shramjevi Exp., Sampoorna Kranti Exp., Magadh
Exp., North East Exp., and the Lal Quila Exp. The approximate time taken for
the journey is around 14 hours. More information on train schedule and
timings can be obtained from the official site of Indian Railways
http://www.indianrail.gov.in/
By Road : Good roads connect Patna with other cities
across Bihar. State transport corporation operates regular buses between
Patna and other major cities in Bihar.
Local Transport : Cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws, local
buses and local trains are the major means of moving around in the city.
Private taxis can also be hired (if you are staying at a hotel, the front
desk should be able to arrange a taxi for you). If travelling by any of the
local means, it is advisable to get an idea of the prevailing fairs from a
localite as the auto rickshaws and taxis are not metered.
Distance from Major Cities
- Allahabad : 360 Km
- Bhagalpur : 235 Km
- Dhanbad : 288 Km
- Gaya : 97 Km
- Lucknow : 535 Km
- Kanpur : 555 Km
- Jamshedpur : 427 Km
- Varanasi : 235 Km
