Yahiyaganj Gurudwara, Lucknow: Where Guru Tegh Bahadur Stayed in 1670
Tucked into the busy lanes of old Lucknow, the Yahiyaganj Gurudwara is the city's most historic Sikh shrine. VoxyTalksy visited it on Guru Nanak Gurpurab in 2020 to film its darshan and learn its story.
What the video shows
The video was filmed at the Yahiyaganj Gurudwara on Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Prakash Purab in 2020 and uploaded on December 1, 2020 (IST). Reporter Ayush Tiwari shows the COVID-19 precautions in place at the time, with sanitisers at the entrance and masks for those entering, and the preparations for the celebrations. The gurudwara's head granthi explains that the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, stayed at this place for three days, and describes the programme of kirtan by visiting ragi jathas, katha and prayers for those affected by the pandemic. According to the video description, the channel was also shown two hukamnamas and a signature attributed to Guru Gobind Singh, and a sacred manuscript preserved at the shrine.
History of the shrine
Historical accounts agree that Guru Tegh Bahadur stayed at Yahiyaganj for three days in 1670 while travelling between Patna Sahib and Anandpur Sahib. A couple of years later, the young Guru Gobind Singh is said to have stayed here for more than two months with his mother Mata Gujri and his uncle Kripal Chand. The shrine is more than three centuries old, though much of the present building has been reconstructed.
The gurudwara's gallery preserves hukamnamas (edicts) issued by Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh, and a manuscript of the Guru Granth Sahib whose opening page carries the Mool Mantar, attributed to Guru Tegh Bahadur's hand.
In December 2025, the Uttar Pradesh tourism department announced plans to develop the gurudwara as a heritage and tourism site with a budget of Rs 2 crore, covering visitor facilities, beautification and better access.
Guru Nanak Gurpurab
Guru Nanak Dev Ji's birth anniversary is celebrated on Kartik Purnima, usually in November. The festival begins with an Akhand Path, includes a Nagar Kirtan procession, and ends with langar open to everyone. In Lucknow, Yahiyaganj is one of the main centres of the celebration.
Visiting tips
- Yahiyaganj is in the old city, near Aminabad and Chowk; the lanes are narrow, so public transport or an e-rickshaw is easier than a car.
- Cover your head, remove your shoes and wash your hands and feet before entering, as at any gurudwara.
- Langar is served to all visitors irrespective of faith.
- Ask the sevadars before photographing the relics or the sanctum.
