When Work Becomes Worship: Darshan at Paonta Sahib

Sometimes, work takes you to places where you end up as a pilgrim. Yet, in hindsight, those journeys feel curated by something beyond calendars and corporate schedules. My visit to Paonta Sahib in November 2023 was exactly that—a routine professional trip that quietly turned into a deeply spiritual experience.

I was visiting a factory in Paonta Sahib, a small industrial town in Himachal Pradesh, when I realised that the travel dates coincided with Guru Nanak Jayanti, one of the most sacred days in the Sikh calendar. At first, it felt like a coincidence. Later, it felt like a blessing.

The journey itself was layered with symbolism. I flew from Bengaluru to Chandigarh, a city where Sikh history is not just remembered—it is lived. From Chandigarh, we took a cab for a three-to-four-hour drive through Punjab’s plains and into the foothills of the Shivaliks. By the time we reached Paonta Sahib around five in the evening, winter had already pulled the curtain down on daylight. The town was quiet, almost meditative.

The first thing we did was head straight to Gurudwara Paonta Sahib. The shrine was illuminated for the celebrations, glowing against the darkening sky. Unlike the intense crowds of larger pilgrimage centres, Paonta felt intimate and grounded. Inside, we bowed before the Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal Guru of the Sikhs. There is a certain humility in that act—acknowledging a tradition built on courage, equality, and devotion, rather than hierarchy.

After the darshan, we walked to the langar hall. Langar is often explained as a free community kitchen, but that definition barely scratches the surface. Sitting on the floor, eating simple food alongside strangers from every background, reminded me that Sikhism institutionalised equality centuries before modern social movements gave it vocabulary. Volunteers served with quiet efficiency, performing seva not as charity, but as duty.

Outside, the Yamuna flowed past a beautifully lit ghat. Small lamps reflected on the river, giving the evening a contemplative, almost cinematic quality. It was one of those rare moments where professional travel gives way to personal reflection. I had come for work, but I left with a spiritual memory.

Paonta Sahib: History, Geography, and Access

Paonta Sahib Gurudwara illuminated at dusk

Paonta Sahib holds a special place in Sikh history, closely associated with Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh Guru. He spent several formative years here, composing literature and strengthening Sikh institutions. The town itself sits on the banks of the Yamuna, at the edge of Himachal Pradesh, near the Uttarakhand border—a geographical transition zone between plains and hills.

How to reach Paonta Sahib:

• By Air: Chandigarh and Dehradun (Jolly Grant) are the closest practical airports.
• By Road: Well-connected by highway from Dehradun, Chandigarh, Shimla, and Amritsar.
• By Rail: Dehradun is the nearest major railhead, followed by a road journey.

The setting—river, foothills, and pilgrimage—makes Paonta Sahib an understated but meaningful stop for travellers exploring North India’s spiritual geography.

Sikh History Through Storytelling

For those interested in Sikh history through narrative formats, Dev Gatha and Gatha Story Podcast explore these themes in depth. The episode “Guruji’s Arrows” reflects on the life and ethos of Guru Gobind Singh, while an upcoming episode will delve into the emotional encounters between Sikhs and Marathas after the Battle of Panipat—an overlooked but powerful chapter in Indian history.

Video: Evening Reflections at Paonta Sahib