✍️ By Rahul Goyal · Chandigarh Life
Quick answer: Kiratpur Sahib, on the Sutlej in Rupnagar district, is a town where three Sikh Gurus lived: Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Rai and Guru Har Krishan. Gurdwara Patalpuri Sahib stands where Guru Hargobind and Guru Har Rai were cremated, and Sikh families come here to immerse the ashes of their loved ones. Google Maps lists it as open 24 hours and shows about 74 km (roughly 1 hour 20 minutes) from Chandigarh; Wikipedia says 90 km.
Kiratpur Sahib sits about 10 km south of Anandpur Sahib, so it fits neatly into a Sikh heritage day out. This guide draws on Wikipedia and Google Maps, because the Rupnagar district portal has no tourist page for the town, and it points out where the sources differ.
Kiratpur Sahib at a glance
| Detail | What we found |
|---|---|
| Main shrine | Gurdwara Patalpuri Sahib, on the left bank of the Sutlej (Wikipedia) |
| Where | Kiratpur Sahib, Rupnagar district, Punjab 140115; plus code 5HH7+67G on Google Maps |
| From Chandigarh | About 73.8 km, roughly 1 hour 19 minutes via NH 205 on Google Maps, with tolls; another route is 73.6 km. Wikipedia says 90 km from Chandigarh, so the sources differ |
| Timings | Open 24 hours (Google Maps) |
| Nearby towns | About 10 km south of Anandpur Sahib and about 30 km north of Rupnagar (Wikipedia) |
| Founded | 1627 or 1634, depending on the account (Wikipedia gives both) |
| Visitor rating | 4.8 on Google Maps, about 2,300 reviews (21 September 2026) |
How Kiratpur Sahib came to be
Wikipedia says Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, founded Kiratpur Sahib, and gives two dates: 1627, when he bought the land from Raja Tara Chand of Kehlur through his son Baba Gurditta, and 1634, the date the article’s history section gives, citing Gurinder Singh Mann. We do not choose between them. The same article says the Guru moved the Sikh community here from Kartarpur.
Three Gurus lived at Kiratpur. Wikipedia says Guru Har Rai and Guru Har Krishan were born here and received the Guruship here, and that Guru Tegh Bahadur later moved the community to Anandpur Sahib. It also says Guru Gobind Singh and his followers received the sacred head of Guru Tegh Bahadur here in 1675 from Bhai Jaita; Gurdwara Babangarh Sahib marks the spot, and the procession then went on to Anandpur Sahib.
Gurdwara Patalpuri Sahib
Wikipedia describes Patalpuri Sahib as the place where Guru Hargobind, who died on 3 March 1644, and Guru Har Rai, cremated on 6 October 1661, were cremated. Guru Har Krishan died in Delhi, and, according to the Bhatt Vahis, his ashes were brought here and immersed in the Sutlej on 22 August 1664. The article adds that three separate shrines once stood on the site and were later merged into one building through renovation.
The gurdwara stands on a tall plinth with a large hall, and one end of the hall leads towards the river, where the Guru Granth Sahib is installed. The spot from which ashes are released into the river is called the asth ghat. Wikipedia notes that many Sikhs now choose Patalpuri Sahib for immersing ashes after a funeral, especially families living near Kiratpur and Sikhs abroad, while others use any nearby river or stream. Please treat the ghat as a place of mourning and avoid photographing families there.
A photograph of the earlier building taken in May 1934 by Dhanna Singh Chahal ‘Patialvi’ is in the public domain on Wikimedia Commons, if you want to compare it with the present structure.
Other gurdwaras in Kiratpur Sahib
- Gurdwara Baba Gurditta: on a hill about 1 km from the town, built in memory of Baba Gurditta, the eldest son of Guru Hargobind, who died here, and of Baba Sri Chand (Wikipedia).
- Gurdwara Babangarh Sahib: where the head of Guru Tegh Bahadur first rested in 1675 (Wikipedia). Google Maps lists it as Bibangarh Sahib.
- Gurdwara Shish Mahal Sahib: built on the site of the first building completed in the new town, the home of Baba Gurditta and later of Guru Hargobind; Wikipedia says Guru Har Rai and Guru Har Krishan were born here.
- Gurdwara Charankamal: commemorates where Pir Buddan Shah met Guru Nanak Dev, and his mausoleum is on a nearby hill (Wikipedia).
- Gurdwara Teer Sahib: Wikipedia says the sixth Guru revealed the site of Patalpuri by shooting an arrow from here; Google Maps lists it as Gurudwara Sri Teer Sahib Ji, rated 4.9.
- Gurdwara Sri Hargobindsar Sahib: in the village of Dadhi, about a kilometre from the town (Wikipedia).
Visiting: timings, facilities and etiquette
- Timings: Google Maps lists Gurdwara Patalpuri Sahib as open 24 hours.
- Facilities: visitors mention langar, and a small sarovar near the toilet and shower facilities. These are visitor comments, not official statements. The Maps listing carries no phone number, so check the arrangements for rooms at the gurdwara office.
- Etiquette: cover your head, remove your shoes, and keep tobacco and alcohol out of the complex.
- Combine it with: Anandpur Sahib, about 10 km north, which has Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and the Virasat-e-Khalsa museum.
How to reach Kiratpur Sahib from Chandigarh
Google Maps shows about 73.8 km and 1 hour 19 minutes via NH 205 in usual traffic, with tolls on the route, and 1 hour 21 minutes on the alternative in current traffic. Wikipedia quotes 90 km on the Nangal–Rupnagar–Chandigarh road, so the two figures differ; check the live route on the day. Rupnagar is about 30 km south of the town, according to Wikipedia.
Plan a longer Sikh heritage trip
- Sikh heritage day trip: Fatehgarh Sahib and Virasat-e-Khalsa for a single-day plan on the same circuit.
- Best gurudwaras in Punjab and best gurudwaras in Chandigarh.
- Our Gurpurab guide for the Sikh calendar.
- In Anandpur Sahib, about 10 km north, see Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Virasat-e-Khalsa; for another story of Guru Har Rai, read about Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali; and the Ropar Archaeological Museum lies further south.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kiratpur Sahib?
Kiratpur Sahib is in Rupnagar district, Punjab, on the Sutlej, about 10 km south of Anandpur Sahib and about 30 km north of Rupnagar according to Wikipedia. Gurdwara Patalpuri Sahib has the plus code 5HH7+67G on Google Maps and the PIN 140115.
What is Gurdwara Patalpuri Sahib?
It is the gurdwara on the bank of the Sutlej where Guru Hargobind and Guru Har Rai were cremated and where the ashes of Guru Har Krishan were immersed. Many Sikh families now bring ashes here for immersion.
How far is Kiratpur Sahib from Chandigarh?
Google Maps shows about 73.8 km and roughly 1 hour 19 minutes via NH 205, with tolls. Wikipedia says 90 km, so the sources differ.
Is Gurdwara Patalpuri Sahib open 24 hours?
Google Maps lists it as open 24 hours.
Which Gurus lived at Kiratpur Sahib?
Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Rai and Guru Har Krishan, according to Wikipedia. Guru Har Rai and Guru Har Krishan were born here.
When was Kiratpur Sahib founded?
Wikipedia gives 1627 in one place and 1634 in another, so the founding year depends on the account. Both credit Guru Hargobind.
