Glorious Past of Anandpur Sahib

The foundation of Anandpur was laid by Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru and Suraj Mal ji ( Elder brother ) in June 1665. They purchased land consisting of the villages of Lodipur, Mianpur and Sahota from the dowager Rani Champa of Bilaspur and broke ground on a new settlement which they named Chakk Nanaki after their mother.

Guru Tegh Bahadur met martyrdom in 1675. Thereafter, Guru Gobind Singh was anointed the successor and tenth Guru. The town was renamed as Anandpur. Ever since town’s growth dramatically fuelled as Sikhs moved near Guru Gobind Singh.

It was in Anandpur on March 30, 1699 that a new chapter was written by Guru Gobind Singh, which had an everlasting impact on Indian history. He initiated a process of renewal and regeneration of a “New Order” in the multi-religious and multi-cultural Indian society. A new path was declared and “Khalsa” was born. Guru Gobind Singh baptised the first five Sikhs (Panj Pyare) coming from different social backgrounds, by administering Amrit to form the ‘Pure Ones” and in turn asked them to initiate him into the “Panth” thus upholding his belief in absolute equality amongst all Sikhs.

Over the years, Anandpur Sahib grew into a formidable stronghold of the Sikhs. It became the centre of activities, the new citadel of the Gurus. Many a strategy were planned, and battles mounted from here.