Gurdwara Gangsar Pathsahi Fifth and Sixth is a revered Sikh shrine located in Kartarpur, approximately 16 kilometres northwest of Jalandhar city in the state of Punjab, India. The gurdwara is one of the most historically significant sites in the Kartarpur township, believed to be the very town founded by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, where he spent the last eighteen years of his life farming and preaching. The shrine derives its name from the sacred well — known as Gangsar — that was dug here by the Fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjun Dev Ji, in 1599 CE.
The name 'Gangsar' is a combination of 'Ganga' (the sacred river) and 'sar' (a body of water), and was bestowed upon the well by Guru Arjun Dev Ji himself, who declared that its waters held a spiritual sanctity equal to or greater than that of the River Ganga. The gurdwara commemorates the presence and blessings of both the Fifth Guru, Guru Arjun Dev Ji (1563–1606), who compiled the Adi Granth and transformed the Sikh faith into an organised religion, and the Sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji (1595–1644), who introduced the concept of Miri-Piri — the dual nature of temporal and spiritual authority — symbolised by the two swords he wore. Managed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body overseeing Sikh shrines in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, Gurdwara Gangsar Pathsahi Fifth and Sixth draws thousands of pilgrims annually from across India and abroad.
The gurdwara serves as a living centre for worship, daily recitation of Gurbani, and the perennial Sikh tradition of langar (community kitchen), welcoming visitors of all faiths without discrimination. The site holds particular significance during the Gurpurabs (birth and martyrdom anniversaries) of both associated Gurus, when the entire complex is illuminated and special congregations are held. As one of the important gurdwaras in Kartarpur — a town that also houses the famous Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib — this shrine enriches the spiritual landscape of a region that is considered deeply sacred to Sikhs worldwide.
Significance
Gurdwara Gangsar Pathsahi Fifth and Sixth holds profound spiritual and cultural significance within the Sikh faith. It is one of the few gurdwaras in India that is directly associated with not one but two of the ten Sikh Gurus, making it especially venerable in the Sikh tradition. The site commemorates a pivotal theological moment: Guru Arjun Dev Ji's declaration that inner faith and devotion to the Divine hold greater sanctity than ritualistic bathing in any sacred river, including the Ganga.
This teaching, embedded in the very name of the gurdwara, encapsulates one of Sikhism's core principles — that God is accessible to all, regardless of caste, ritual, or geographic pilgrimage. The gurdwara is also located in Kartarpur, a township of supreme importance to Sikhs as it is believed to be the place where Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent his final years. Being part of this sacred geography amplifies the spiritual resonance of Gurdwara Gangsar.
Culturally, the shrine serves as a community anchor for local Sikhs and as a pilgrimage destination for the global Sikh diaspora. The gurdwara reinforces the living values of seva (selfless service), simran (meditation), and sangat (holy congregation) that are central to Sikh practice. It also stands as a symbol of the reformist spirit of Sikhism, challenging superstition and social inequality — values championed especially by Guru Arjun Dev Ji, who also compiled the Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal scripture of the Sikhs.
Nearby Gurdwaras
Gurdwara Sahib
5.8 km away
Gurdwara Sahib is a community gurdwara that serves as a center for worship, congregation, and social services for the local Sikh community located in India. It is situated in India, the birthplace of Sikhism and home to the largest Sikh population in the world. As with all gurdwaras, Gurdwara Sahib welcomes visitors of all faiths and backgrounds. The gurdwara serves as a place of worship where the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy scripture of the Sikhs) is kept with great reverence. The community gathers here for daily prayers (Nitnem), Kirtan (devotional singing of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib), and Katha (religious discourse). The gurdwara operates a Langar (community kitchen) where free vegetarian meals are served to all visitors regardless of religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity. This practice, established by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and formalized by Guru Angad Dev Ji, embodies the Sikh principles of equality, sharing, and selfless service (Seva).
Gurdwara Bakhshish Dham
6.3 km away
Gurdwara Bakhshish Dham is a revered Sikh shrine and spiritual center situated in the village of Nussi, on the outskirts of Jalandhar, Punjab, India. The name "Bakhshish Dham" translates as "the abode of divine grace" — a title that reflects the institution's core spiritual identity as a place where seekers come to receive the blessings of Waheguru through prayer, kirtan, and the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Jalandhar is one of Punjab's most historically and spiritually significant cities, lying in the heart of the Doaba region between the Beas and Sutlej rivers. The region has been home to Sikh communities since the earliest days of the faith, and numerous gurdwaras in and around the city bear witness to centuries of devotion to the Sikh Gurus. Gurdwara Bakhshish Dham stands as a living continuation of this spiritual heritage, welcoming Sangat (congregation) from surrounding villages and the wider Jalandhar district. The gurdwara is closely associated with the spiritual guidance of Baba Daljit Singh Ji of Amritsar, whose weekly satsangs (spiritual discourses) are held at the premises every Thursday. These sabads and kathas, rooted in the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, draw devotees from across Punjab and are broadcast live on the internet, allowing the global Sikh diaspora to participate. The digital outreach of Gurdwara Bakhshish Dham has made it a point of spiritual connection for Punjabi communities in the United Kingdom, Canada, and beyond, with live broadcasts timed to accommodate audiences in England (8:00–9:00 am England time). In addition to its role as a center of worship and scriptural learning, the gurdwara is the operational home of the Bakhshish International Charitable Society, a non-profit organization that undertakes humanitarian and social welfare work in association with the gurdwara. Through this partnership, the institution extends its mission of sewa (selfless service) beyond religious ceremony and into the lives of those in need across the region. The gurdwara maintains the core Sikh institutions that define every gurdwara worldwide: the Darbar Sahib (main prayer hall) where the Guru Granth Sahib Ji is installed and reverenced as the living Guru, the Langar (community kitchen) that serves free meals to all visitors regardless of faith or background, and facilities for the Samagam — large congregational gatherings held to mark important occasions on the Sikh calendar. The monthly Naam Simran Abhyas, held on the first Thursday of each month, invites participants into hours of meditative recitation of the divine Name, a practice considered central to spiritual liberation in Sikh theology. The gurdwara can be contacted at +917481000042 and its full programs, live streams, and event details are available at its official website, bakhshishdham.org.
Gurdwara Sahib
9.2 km away
Gurdwara Sahib is a community gurdwara that serves as a center for worship, congregation, and social services for the local Sikh community located in India. It is situated in India, the birthplace of Sikhism and home to the largest Sikh population in the world. As with all gurdwaras, Gurdwara Sahib welcomes visitors of all faiths and backgrounds. The gurdwara serves as a place of worship where the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy scripture of the Sikhs) is kept with great reverence. The community gathers here for daily prayers (Nitnem), Kirtan (devotional singing of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib), and Katha (religious discourse). The gurdwara operates a Langar (community kitchen) where free vegetarian meals are served to all visitors regardless of religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity. This practice, established by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and formalized by Guru Angad Dev Ji, embodies the Sikh principles of equality, sharing, and selfless service (Seva).
Gurdwara Bhagwan Pur
10.0 km away
Gurdwara Bhagwan Pur is a revered Sikh place of worship situated in the village of Bhagwan Pur, Punjab, India, at coordinates 31.5278°N, 75.5153°E, placing it within the heartland of the Sikh faith in northern India. As with all gurdwaras, it serves as much more than a house of prayer — it is a living community institution that embodies the core Sikh tenets of seva (selfless service), sangat (holy congregation), and pangat (communal eating). The gurdwara stands as a spiritual anchor for the residents of Bhagwan Pur and the surrounding villages, welcoming Sikhs and visitors of all faiths and backgrounds without distinction of caste, creed, gender, or social standing. The sacred complex is believed to house the Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal living Guru of the Sikhs, enshrined in the main prayer hall known as the Darbar Sahib. Daily worship follows the traditional Nitnem — the prescribed prayers recited at dawn, dusk, and before retiring — accompanied by Gurbani kirtan (devotional music). The gurdwara opens its doors before sunrise for Amrit Vela prayers and remains accessible to sangat throughout the day. Beyond its devotional function, Gurdwara Bhagwan Pur plays a vital role in the social fabric of the community. Its langar (community kitchen) operates daily, providing free meals to all who visit regardless of background — a practice instituted by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the 15th century to challenge caste hierarchy and affirm human equality. The institution also supports local education, pastoral care, and the celebration of Sikh festivals including Gurpurabs (Guru anniversary commemorations), Baisakhi, and Diwali. The gurdwara is managed by a local committee of elected volunteers, following guidelines broadly aligned with the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex elected body overseeing historical Sikh shrines in Punjab. It represents the grassroots network of thousands of village gurdwaras that sustain Sikh religious and cultural life across the Punjab plains, far from the headline shrines of Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib yet no less important to the daily spiritual lives of ordinary Sikh families.