One of the most important and sacred pilgrimage destinations of the Sikh comunity, Gurdwara Bangla Sahib is the palace where Guru Hari Krishan, the eighth Sikh Guru, stayed during his tour to Delhi in 1664. The Guru was entertained as a royal guest by Mirza Raja Jai Singh in this palace which was built on the model of the existing palace of Raja Jai Singh in Jaipur. Later the architecturally impressive palace was dedicated to the memory of the Guru and has been a place of worship since then.

Every day more than seven thousand devotees and visitors come to worship in this Sikh holy shrine. A sculpted bronze cupola hangs in the large central hall over a smaller golden dome under which silk sheets are spread out and covered with flowers. This is where the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, is placed. The Gurdwara complex also has a higher secondary school, a museum, a bookstall, a library and a hospital. There is also a holy pond in the complex where people take holy dips and pray to the Guru.

The two important features of this temple are Sangat congregations and Pangat or community kitchen also known as Guru-ka-langar. The community kitchen provides food to all devotees, pilgrims and visitors which exceeds more than seven thousand people everyday. All in all, a visit to this Gurudwara is a spiritually enriching experience where one can really feel the devotion, faith, belief and hospitality of the Sikh community.

The Address: Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Near Connaught Place, Delhi