Gurdwara Paonta Sahib
temple · 1 min from Paonta Sahib
Day planFirst visitTemples & heritagerelaxed
One day from Paonta Sahib — the gurdwara and Ashoka's Rock Edicts at Kalsi
A one-day Paonta Sahib plan: Gurdwara Paonta Sahib, then the Rock Edicts of Kalsi in Uttarakhand, with all fourteen of Ashoka's edicts. Free copyable plan.
A day that pairs the town's Sikh heritage with a much older piece of history across the border. The morning is at Gurdwara Paonta Sahib, the middle of the day is the drive to the Rock Edicts of Kalsi, and the afternoon ends at Gurdwara Kavi Darbar. The one-day gurdwara plan covers the town's three gurdwaras instead, and the two-day plan adds Renuka Lake. See also when to visit and how to reach Paonta Sahib.
Photos: Mishra.prashant89 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Mishra.prashant89 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Aarti Jadli (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Who this is for
Anyone with one day in Paonta Sahib who is curious about early Indian history as well as the town's gurdwaras, and is happy to cross into Uttarakhand for a few hours.
Day by day
Day 1
Gurdwara Paonta Sahib, then the Rock Edicts of Kalsi
A town morning, a short drive across the state border, and the town's poetry court at the end of the day.
- 08:00Gurdwara Paonta SahibThe town's central gurdwara on the Yamuna bank, built in memory of Guru Gobind Singh, who lived in Paonta Sahib for four and a half years.
- ↓ 36 min by road · 29 km11:00Rock edicts of KhalsiAbout 37 minutes by road into Uttarakhand: one boulder carrying all fourteen of Ashoka's major edicts, with an elephant carved on its north face.
- ↓ 37 min by road · 29 km15:30Gurdwara Kavi DarbarBack in town, the site of the Guru's own poetry gatherings, close to the main gurdwara.
Getting there
Paonta Sahib is reached from Dehradun by car or bus, about 47 km and 46 minutes by road. Kalsi is a further 29 km and 37 minutes from the town, by our routing. See the hub guide for the full arrival table.
Where to stay
Paonta Sahib is the base. Kalsi is a round trip from the town, not an overnight move.
Know before you go
- We found no published opening hours or entry fee for the Kalsi site, so ask in Paonta Sahib before you drive out.
- Remove footwear and cover your head before entering either gurdwara, as at any Sikh place of worship.
- Plan on the round trip to Kalsi taking about 75 minutes of driving, plus time at the rock.
Places on this route
Other ways to do it
All Paonta Sahib itineraries →
Day plan · First visitpilgrimage
One day in Paonta Sahib — the town's three gurdwaras
A one-day Paonta Sahib plan: Gurdwara Paonta Sahib, Kavi Darbar and Tirgarhi Sahib, tied to Guru Gobind Singh's own years here. Free copyable plan.
Best Mar–Apr · Oct–Nov
See the plan →
1 night · 2 days · First visitClassic
Two days in Paonta Sahib — gurdwaras, Simbalbara and Renuka Lake
A two-day Paonta Sahib plan: the town's three gurdwaras on day one, then Simbalbara National Park and Renuka Lake, Himachal's largest lake, day two.
Best Mar–Apr · Oct–Nov
See the plan →Questions people ask
Can you do Paonta Sahib and the Kalsi edicts in one day?
Yes. The town's gurdwaras are close together, and Kalsi is about 29 km and 37 minutes away, so the round trip is roughly 75 minutes of driving. That leaves a morning at Gurdwara Paonta Sahib, time at the rock around midday, and Gurdwara Kavi Darbar in the afternoon without rushing.
What is at Kalsi?
A boulder carrying all fourteen of Emperor Ashoka's major rock edicts, cut around 250 BCE in the Brahmi script. The Archaeological Survey of India calls it the only place in north India with the full set. An elephant is carved on the north face, and the thirteenth edict names five Greek rulers.
Is there an entry fee or fixed timing at Kalsi?
We found no published fee or opening hours, so we do not give any. Ask in Paonta Sahib or at the gate before you set out, and leave a margin for the drive. Kalsi is in Uttarakhand, so the road crosses the state border on the way there and back.