Constructed in the memory of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first guru and the founder of Sikhism, Gurudawara Pathar Sahib is located on Leh-Kargil Road. Many people of the Sikh faith and regular tourists visit this gurudwara to seek the blessings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji every year. The Indian Army maintains the gurudwara located just before the Magnetic Hill point.
Built-in 1517, Gurudwara Pathar Sahib in Leh is highly revered by people of Sikh religion and also Tibetan considered Guru Nanak Dev Ji a Buddhist saint and worshiped Him by the name Guru Gompka Maharaj.
Throughout His lifeline, Guru Nanak Dev Ji traveled distant places and one of them was Tibet. Tibetan Buddhists respected him and considered Him a saint. Not only them but also Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Buddhism in Tibet has had conversations with Sikh leaders who say that Tibetans worshiped him as Guru Gompka Maharaj.
Therefore, Gurudwara Pathar Sahib is one of the must-visit places on your Ladakh trip. Also, back in the 1970s, there was a construction of the Leh-Nimu road and a large boulder was discovered by Lama in the middle of the roadbed. It was covered with Buddhist prayer flags. These flags are mostly put up by Buddhist Lamas along the mountain ridges and mountains in the Himalayas to bless the surroundings.
According to a legend, it is said that during the sojourn of Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Ladakh, he visited Ladakh when a demon lived who used to harass and kill people of the village. One day, he threw a large boulder at the guru while he was sitting at the base of a hill in deep meditation. However, as it touched Guru Ji, without harming him, the rock turned into wax and an imprint of Guru Ji's back, and the head was imprinted on it. The infuriated demon thought that Guru Nanak Dev Ji would be dead but when he reached there, the rock was still there and when in anger he kicked it, his foot was also stuck in the rock. He soon realized Guru Ji's spiritual powers and apologized. He also stopped killing people after that.
The legend associated with the boulder was long forgotten until the 1970s. It was then the boulder was discovered again at the time of Leh-Nimu road construction. The workers tried their all to remove it, but the rock did not move an inch. People working on the construction site got visions to not remove the rock. Despite this, the army officials tried to blow up the boulder but lamas and locals arrived and stopped the work. Lamas told the army about rock and the story associated with it about Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Later, the army officials, lamas, and the local people helped in the construction of Gurudwara Pathar Sahib. It is now maintained by the Indian Army. Also, it is a tradition for vehicles to stop and pay respects at the Gurudwara Sahib before moving forward with their journey.
There are no hotels or homestays around the gurudwara. You can book a stay in Leh and then, visit the gurudwara from there. Also, there are no restaurants or places to eat around. However, langar (free food) is organized from time to time, and tea and rusk are available 24 hours.
For the best experience, plan your trip to Gurudwara sahib between the months of June and October.
Timings
Gurudwara Pathar Sahib is open on all days of the week between 6:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Entry Fees
There is no entry fee to enter the gurudwara.
You can either take a direct flight from Delhi to Leh and book a stay in Leh. You have the option to visit Leh either by Srinagar route or Manali route. Both highways are closed from November to May every year due to heavy snowfall. So, the best time to travel to Ladakh by road is from June to October. Buses and taxis are also available to visit the Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, which is located next to the main road near Magnetic Hill in Ladakh.
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