Gurudwara Sikh Pilgrimage

Upon arrival at Delhi Airport, independently make your way through immigration, customs clearance, and luggage collection. Afterward, proceed to the arrival area where you’ll locate the Jaya Travel representative assigned to your group. This should only take minutes, as the courier will be holding a placard with your group name.

From here, you’ll board air-conditioned transportation and begin the approximately six-hour dive to Paonta Sahib. Upon arrival, your agent will check everyone into the deluxe hotel where you’ll spend the remainder of the night.

Overnight at Hotel Pal Haveli (Deluxe). Dinner.

Begin your morning with a strong start by enjoying the hotel’s buffet breakfast. Afterward, board your private transportation to Gurudwara Paonta Sahib Ji – a well-known heritage worship place for Sikhs.

According to local legend, Guru Gobind Singh’s horse refused to ride past the site, so he stayed there for four years. It’s believed that this is where a major portion of the “Dasam Granth,” or the “Book of the Tenth Emperor,” was written. Folklore also narrates that the Yamuna River has been flowing less ferociously since the Guru’s request when he sat down nearby to write.

Inside the gurdwara, the Guru is said to have distributed salaries from the Sri Talab Asthan. Also present is the Sri Dastar Asthan where he supposedly judged turban-tying competitions, and a museum exhibiting his belongings and popular weapons of the time.

Proceed to the next stop on your tour – Gurudwara Tirgarh Sahib Ji. Built on a grassy knoll with a deep history, it’s believed to be the place where Guru Gobind Singh battled against his enemies. The last monument your group will explore is Gurudwara Bhangani Sahib Ji, the site of his first battle in 1686 against Raja Fateh Sahib, whom he defeated.

The remainder of the day is at your leisure to enjoy.

Overnight at Hotel Pal Haveli (Deluxe). Breakfast, Dinner.

After enjoying the hotel breakfast, meet your private driver to begin the approximately five-hour drive to Anandpur Sahib – the Holy City of Bliss.

En route, the group will stop at Gurudwara Shri Fatehgarh Sahib. It’s dedicated to the great martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s younger sons who were bricked alive in 1704 by Wazir Khan. Also located nearby are Gurudwara Burj Mata Gujri and Gurudwara Shahid Ganj.

The next stop on your drive is Sri Kiratpur Sahib Ji, founded in 1627 by Guru Shri Hargobind Singh Sahib Ji. The Guru spent a great part of his life here, and it’s also the birthplace of Guru Shri Har Rai Ji and Guru Shri Har Krishan Ji.

Return to the coach and continue driving to Anandpur Sahib, nestled between the Shivalik Hills in the east and the Sutlej River in the far west. This is the location where Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji spent 25 years of his life teaching and guiding his disciplines. Considered one of the holiest places of the Sikh religion, the city is surrounded by a vast stretch of green vegetation whose aroma of calmness and spiritualism is carried by the breeze.

After the visit, return to the hotel to enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.

Overnight at Hotel Temple View (Deluxe). Breakfast, Dinner.

After breakfast at the hotel, the group will depart on a guided adventure to various Gurudwaras around Anandpur Sahib.

The starting point is Gurudwara Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, the main hub at Anandpur Sahib. It’s the birthplace of the Khalsa and is located on the hill where Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji used to hold congregations. Among the Five Temporal Authorities (Five Takhts), this place holds an esteemed value for Sikhs.

Moving on to the next stop, you’ll come to Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib. In 1675, Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib Ji grasped martyrdom and, after dying, his head was cremated in the temple. People believe that the central pedestal is the oldest structure in the shrine.

The next monument you’ll explore is Gurudwara Guru Ka Mahal – the first structure and building of Chakk Nanaki. This place is worshiped as the ‘Guru Ka Mahal’ Complex. Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji used to live here along with his disciples.

Afterward, the group will be guided to Gurudwara Bhora Sahib. It was the residence of Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib Ji and features an underground room that used to be used for meditation and composing hymns.

The final portion of this tour is Gurudwara Akal Bunga Sahib, which is situated opposite the Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib. Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji used to address the Sikhs to struggle for freedom and faith, also asking people to stay prepared to fight tyranny and injustice.

Overnight at Hotel Temple View (Deluxe). Breakfast, Dinner.

Begin your morning with a hearty breakfast from the hotel buffet. When you’re finished, the group will board the coach and begin the approximately five-hour drive to Amritsar. Upon your arrival at the hotel, your tour manager will assist with checking in.

Amritsar is inextricably linked with the history of Sikhism, being counted as one of the most revered sites in the world. It was founded in the 16th century and named for the Amrit Sarovar (pool of nectar) amidst which stands the Golden Temple. Accounts suggest that Guru Amardas purchased the land from Emperor Akbar and decided to build a tank at the site. Following his death, it was completed by Guru Ramdas.

In the evening, proceed on a guided visit to the Golden Temple. It’s here where you’ll attend the Palki Ceremony, which takes place two times every day. In this ceremony, the Guru Granth Sahib, kept in the main gurudwara, is carried to its night abode, the Akal Takth.

This main gurudwara has a highly charged ambiance – the hymns that go on for an entire day completely stop in pin-drop silence while Palki Sahib, the holy book, is carried to the Akal Takth. This distance of around 100 Mts (from the main gurudwara to the Akal Takth) is covered in around 10 minutes, with devotees lined up on both sides of the railing.

Overnight at Hotel Clarks Inn (Deluxe). Breakfast, Dinner.

Begin your morning by enjoying a sumptuous buffet breakfast. Afterward, join a guided tour of the Golden Temple, laid by Guru Ram Das in the 14th century and acclaimed as one of the holiest sites for Sikhs. It has four doorways and gorgeously decorated arches reflecting influences of both Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture. The construction of the was initiated by Guru Arjan Dev while Guru Hargobind, who accorded the religion a martial temper, built the Akal Takht in 1606.

After the exciting experience, return to the coach where your driver will escort the group back to the hotel.

Later, the group will visit Jallianwala Bagh – a historic garden and memorial of national importance. It preserves the memory of those wounded and killed in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre that took place on the site of the festival of Baisakhi Day in April 1919.

The next item on your itinerary is the Durgiana Temple, which is frequented by devout Hindus. Situated outside the Lohgarh Gate, you’ll get to view a stunning partial replica of the Golden Temple dedicated to the Goddess Durga.

In the afternoon, board the coach for a one-hour drive to your next excursion, Wagah Border. This border has an army protection outpost because it’s the only authorized border between India and Pakistan. Buses with special travel permits can cross over to neighboring countries carrying passengers with valid visas.

Once you arrive at this magical destination, you’ll have the chance to observe the “Beating the Retreat” ceremony performed by soldiers of both countries every evening. After the ceremony concludes, board the coach and drive back to the hotel.

Overnight at Hotel Clarks Inn (Deluxe). Breakfast, Dinner.

On this day, you’ll be transferred to the Amritsar railway station to board the Vande Bharat Express Train for Delhi, departing Amritsar at 8:20 am and arriving in Delhi at 1:50 pm. Upon arrival at New Delhi Railway station, locate your Jaya Travel representative who’ll escort your group to the hotel for check-in.

Begin the evening on a high note with a visit to the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. This was once a superlative of Raja Jai Singh of Amber (now Jaipur) who commanded great honor in the court of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. It’s been converted into a holy shrine since the eighth Guru Sri Har Krishan accepted the invitation of the king. During his stay in Delhi, the Guru won many admirers and his healing powers spread throughout the city.

In the basement, view the hospital run by the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee. It has a large tank with Parikarma and verandah on its three sides. It was constructed entirely with people’s contribution and the voluntary labor of the devotees. Also located in the basement is an art gallery showcasing beautiful paintings that depict historical events related to Sikhism.

Once your visit concludes, the driver will drop you off at the hotel where you’ll have the remainder of the night at your leisure.

Overnight at Hotel Southgate (Deluxe). Breakfast, Dinner.

After enjoying a warm breakfast at the hotel, join a guided tour of the famous Gurudwara of Delhi. Gurus and their followers used to frequently honor Delhi, especially during the period of Sikh Gurus – Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru, and Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru.

The first stop your guide will make is at the Gurudwara Sis Ganj. A famous Sikh pilgrimage, it was built on the land where Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur was martyred in 1675. Bhai Lakhi Shah Banjara and his son, Bhai Naghaiya, took the Guru’s body to cremate in the Raisina village, where the Gurudwara Rakab Ganj stands today. One can still see the trunk of the tree under which the Guru was martyred, along with the well where the great Holy Spirit took his daily bath in prison.

Proceed onwards to the next stop on this tour, which is the Gurudwara Rakab Ganj. After Guru Tegh Bahadur was cremated in 1675, his ashes were placed in a gagar (urn) to bury on the spot, where a mosque was later built. In 1783, Sardar Bhagel Singh and 30,000 Sikh warriors claimed this spot as their sacred place. Muslims contested this, and it was decided that Sikhs would reconstruct the mosque at their expense in case the urn containing the ashes of the respected Guru was not found buried beneath. However, the urn was found and thus a magnificent Gurudwara was built.

Following that, your tour guide will take the group to visit Gurudwara Sri Moti Bagh Sahib. At this location, Guru Sahib Ji announced his arrival in Delhi by shooting an arrow into the right foot of Emperor Bahadur Shah’s chair from eight miles away. Bahadur Shah originally took it as a miracle but soon learned it was his skill in archery. The emperor was impressed with Guru Sahib and acknowledged his supremacy.

The last stop on today’s tour is Gurudwara Banda Bahadur, located close to the Qutub Minar. These grounds are the execution site of Guru Band Bahadur Singh Ji, his son, and his followers. He is well-known as one of the most courageous Sikh leaders to have walked the earth. A great fair was organized during Vaishakhi where more than 30,000 people visited and watched Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, his four-year-old son, and eminent Sikhs get martyred.

Overnight at Hotel Southgate (Deluxe). Breakfast, Dinner.

Today marks your return home as this memorable holiday ends. You’ll check out and make your way to the airport, carrying with you the pleasant memories of your pilgrimage — a treasure you’ll cherish for a lifetime.