Gurudwara Guru ka Tal

Gurudwara Guru ka Tal stands beside the Delhi to Agra highway near Sikandra, on the north-western edge of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, close to Akbar's Tomb. It is one of the main Sikh places of pilgrimage in the city.

Sikh tradition holds that in 1675 Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, came here and offered himself for arrest to the forces of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. He was taken to Delhi, where he was executed later that year. The gurudwara marks this event. The name means the Guru's tank, and refers to a large stone reservoir beside the shrine. The tank is older than the gurudwara and dates from 1610, in the reign of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, when it was built to collect rainwater for irrigation in the dry season. The present gurudwara was built in the 1970s through the efforts of Sant Baba Sadhu Singh, known as Mauni.

The gurudwara is built of red sandstone and white marble, with domes and carved details that echo the Mughal-period monuments nearby. Inside, the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scripture, is placed in the main prayer hall, where hymns are sung through the day. The old stone tank, with steps and carved stonework, lies next to the complex. Like all gurudwaras, it runs a langar, a free community kitchen that serves vegetarian meals to anyone who comes.

Visitors of all faiths are welcome. Heads must be covered, shoes removed and hands and feet washed before entering. Tobacco and alcohol are not allowed.

Entry is free and the gurudwara is open throughout the day. Head scarves are available at the entrance.

What remains of the old tank? The reservoir is a red stone structure ornamented with carving, close in style to the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. It was built with twelve towers, and eight of them survive. Sikh tradition says that after offering arrest here, Guru Tegh Bahadur was held in Agra for several days before being sent to Delhi.