It was here that the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born in 1966 and spent ten years of his life before moving to Anandpur. Later on, Patna was also honoured by visits from Guru Nanak Ji and Guru Tegh Bahadur. The Gurudwara which now commemorated Guru Gobind Singh is also regarded as the holiest of all the five Takhts.
The construction of Patna Sahib traces back to the nineteenth century when a great devotee of Guru Nanak,Salis Rai Johri converted his majestic haveli into a Dharamshala where Guru Teg Bahadur also stayed. This is the place where at present Patna Sahib is located. Later on, Maharaja Ranjit Singh led the reconstruction of the holy shrine in 1839 following destruction by fire.
In 1934, when the state of Bihar was severely affected by an earthquake, some portions of this holy Gurudwara were also affected which later on got fixed in 1954, and thus we have the present magnificent building of Patna Sahib that tells a grand story of architectural excellence and supreme faith. The place which was once known as Kaccha Farukh Khan is now famous as Harmandir Gali as it houses the auspicious Harmandir Takht Patna Sahib Gurudwara.
Patna Sahib Gurudwara also houses a museum inside its premise which mainly exhibits artefacts concerning Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Sikh history. The main items include handwritten orders known as "Hukumnamas" of Guru Gobind Singh and Guru Tegh Bahadur that are preserved in a book, a sacred sword, a pair of sandals made of ivory, four iron arrows and a cradle with gold plated stands. The Gurudwara and the Museum provides a deep insight into the history of Sikhism of Eastern India.
There are several shops lining the Harmindar Gali that sell interesting stuff related to Sikh traditions and culture. Bamboo and leather items are the major buys from these shops which can be great gifting options for your dear ones.
Patna is well connected by air, road and railways to different parts of the country. Patna airport
is 18.8 Kms away from Patna Sahib Gurudwara, and it takes approximately 1 hour to reach Gurudwara
from the airport by road.
The nearest railway station to Patna Sahib Gurudwara is Patna Sahib Railway Station which is only
1.7 Kms from the Gurudwara, and it takes only 6 minutes to reach here via Guru Gobind Path.
Although, not every train has a stoppage at this railway station because the major railway station
of Patna is Patna Junction which is 13.1 Kms from the Gurudwara and has well-connected transport
facilities to other parts of the city, including Patna Sahib Gurudwara.
One can hail shared autos that are the most prevalent medium of transport here. The fare is around
INR 20, and they will drop you at Chowkshikarpur from there you can ask auto or e-rickshaw to drop
you at Chowk. Then you have to walk 100 meters right to reach Patna Sahib Gurudwara. The auto
facility is quite ideal in cases of travelling with no or minimum luggage.Local trains and private
cab facility is also available here. You can consider private cabs in case you are travelling with a
lot of luggage.
Highlights:Patna experiences scorching heat and is unbearably
hot, the dusty climate during summers from March to June often crossing 40 degrees mark on the
temperature scale. Even the months of monsoon from July to September are often characterised with
blocked transport facilities, however, to only some extent. Therefore, the months of winter from
October to February make an ideal time to visit Patna Sahib Gurudwara. Also, in December the
birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji is celebrated with much pomp and pride, attracting the maximum
number of visitors.
Distance from Patna Airport: Distance between
Airport and Patna Sahib Gurudwara is 22 kms.
Entrance fee: Free of cost.
Timing: 5:00 A.M.- 9:00 P.M.( Everyday).
Location: Takhat Sri Harmandir ji, Patna Sahib, Patna,
Bihar 800008.