Kesgarh Qila

Kesgarh Sahib Gurudwara at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, the birth place of Khalsa

Kesgarh Qila (Punjabi: ਕੇਸਗੜ੍ਹ ਕ਼ਿਲਾ, Hindi: केसगढ़ क़िला) is the name given to the fort that the tenth Master constructed in Anandpur Sahib. The fort is now the Takhat called Kesgarh Sahib. This Gurdwara was one of the five forts constructed by Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib for the defense of the Sikhs. The Guru spent 25 years at Anandpur Sahib and to protect the Sikhs from the hill Rajas or Mughals, the Guru began the construction of five defensive Qilas (forts) all around the town.

The five Panj forts, Qilas, constructed by Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib are:

1. Kesgarh at the center (now a Takhat),
2. Anandgarh (fort of bliss),
3. Lohgarh (fort of steel),
4. Holgarh (fort of colour) and
5. Fatehgarh (fort of victory).

All the forts were joined together with earthworks and underground tunnels. The construction began in 1689 and took over ten years to complete.