Gurdwara Makindu Sahib (Sikh Temple Makindu) is located about 104 miles (170km) from Nairobi on the main Nairobi to Mombasa Road. It was built in 1926 by the Sikhs who were working on the construction of the Uganda railway line from the coast (Mombasa) inland to Lake Victoria and beyond to Uganda.
Background
Set in the forest off the main road, the complex houses a dining facility which provides free langar 24 hours a day. Background
History
Makindu served as a railway service point during the construction and early operation of the Uganda Railway.
Sikhs who worked on the Uganda Railway began to gather for prayer at Makindu, and over time a small place of worship took shape near the railway line.
Before 1926, the Sikh place of worship at Makindu consisted of a small tin‑roofed structure used by local Sikhs for daily prayer, and the Guru Granth Sahib was kept there. After the main construction phase of the Uganda Railway ended and Makindu became a less important service point, many Sikh workers left the area and the site fell into relative disuse, although a local attendant continued to care for the gurdwara.
Makindu Sikh Temple is now regarded as one of the best‑known Sikh places of worship in East Africa and serves as a notable pilgrimage site for Sikhs visiting Kenya.
See also Gurdwara Langar Makindu Mombasa Nairobi
References
External links Aerial view via satellite - Google maps