Gurudwara Bangla Sahib

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is the most prominent Sikh house of worship in Delhi, instantly known by its gleaming golden dome and tall Nishan Sahib flagpole near Connaught Place. It marks the site where the eighth Sikh Guru, Har Krishan, stayed in 1664 and tended the sick during a smallpox and cholera epidemic.

The site's spiritual centre is the Sarovar, a large holy tank whose water, called amrit, is believed by devotees to carry healing properties. The present gurdwara was built in the eighteenth century by the Sikh general Baghel Singh and has since been enlarged; its white marble courtyards, gilded dome and continuous recitation of the scriptures create a serene contrast to the bustle outside.

What visitors find memorable is the langar, the free community kitchen that serves simple vegetarian meals to thousands every day regardless of faith or background, run entirely by volunteers. The scale of the operation, with vast pots, rolling rotis and communal seating, embodies the Sikh principles of equality and selfless service.

For travellers, entry is free and open to all. Visitors must remove shoes, wash their feet and cover their heads; scarves and shoe-minding are provided at no charge. It is respectful to walk clockwise around the sarovar and to sit quietly during the hymn singing inside the prayer hall. The complex also houses a museum, a school, a library and a charitable hospital, and volunteers are always glad to explain the traditions to newcomers; many devotees carry away small bottles of the sarovar water as a blessing. Central and easy to reach on foot from Connaught Place or by metro, it makes a moving stop on any Delhi itinerary, and the early morning and evening prayers, with live devotional music, are the most atmospheric times to come.