Guru Ram Rai Gurudwara, Dehradun, Uttarakhand India

Darbar Shri Guru Ram Rai Ji Maharaj situated in the heart of Dehradun city is a magnificent monument of great historical and religious significance. In fact, the city of Dehradun itself derives its name from the historical fact that Shri Guru Ram Rai Ji, the eldest son of the Seventh Sikh Guru Har Rai Ji, set up his "dera" (camp) in "dun" (valley) in 1676. This 'Dera' 'Dun' later on became Dehradun.


The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb was highly impressed by the miraculous powers of charismatic Guru Ram Rai Ji. Hence he asked the contemporary Raja of Garhwal, Fateh Shah to extend all possible help to Shri Guru Ram Ji. Initially a Gurudwara(temple) was built in Dhamawala. The Construction of the present building of Darbar Sahib was completed in 1707. There are portraits of gods, goddesses, saints, sages and religious stories on the walls. There are pictures of flowers and leaves, animals and birds, trees, similar faces with pointed noses and big eyes on the arches which are the symbol of the colour scheme of Kangra-Guler and Mughal art. High minarets and round pinnacles are the models of the Muslim architecture. The huge Talab in the front measuring 230 x 80 feet which had dried up for want of water over the years and in which people had been dumping rubbish, has now been renovated and revived. Now whoever pays a visit to the Shri Darbar Sahib would definitely notice this change.