Paonta Sahib

Dedicated to the memory of Shri Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru of the Sikhs, Paonta Sahib is a quaint town that echoes with spirituality. The main attraction is a majestic gurudwara that draws a large number of Sikh pilgrims throughout the year. It is said that its shrine protects a number of the Guru's weapons.

A beautiful gold palanquin has been kept on display in the gurudwara and it is believed that it was donated by devotees. Inside the gurudwara, Shri Talab Sahib and Shri Dastar Asthan are important places and the latter is famous for the turban tying competitions held in it. Another popular venue inside the gurudwara is the Kavi Darbar, where poetry competitions are held. As in all gurudwaras, the langar (communal kitchen food) served here is also open to all.

Apart from the gurudwara, there are also a number of important temples like the Vishwakarma Temple, which attract devotees to town. One can also visit a famous temple devoted to Goddess Yamuna.

There are two legends that provide accounts of how the town got its name. One of them suggests that the name is derived from the word foot, which roughly translates to 'paonta' because the blessed feet of the Guru passed through this town. The other says that the Guru lost an ornament named 'paonta' while bathing in the Yamuna river, and the name of the town was derived from that. According to yet another local legend, Guru Gobind Singh ji wrote the Dasam Granth (a popular religious text of the Sikhs) in this town.