Nankana Sahib- The Holy Land of Sikhs

Pakistan is the most welcoming and preserving country to all the nations and religions. It is a hub to different cultures, religions, and practices. Nankana Sahib is a living example of this scenario. The Sikh community lives here peacefully and enjoy its rituals and events. It offers many sights for the Sikh believers and also non-believer tourists who wish to visit the remains of Sikh saints.

Location

Nankana Sahib is the capital of Nankana District in Punjab. The name of this region is after the first Sikh guru Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak preached about its studies from this city. It continued afterward and now it is the major pilgrimage site for the whole world’s Sikhs.

It is located in 91KM west from Lahore and 75KM from Faisalabad. It is a residence of 70 thousand people.

History

A Rajput Muslim founded the township of Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi which was renamed as Nankana Sahib after the birth of Guru Nanak. The Gurdwara of Nankana Sahib was constructed in 1600 CE after his death. The Sikhs continued to increase and develop its architecture as their holy place.

From that day to present Nankana Sahib is developing gradually with three districts and new hospitals and buildings. Baba Guru Nanak University is the major hub for education nowadays. Its gurdwaras are a special attraction for the Sikhs and tourists.

How to get there?

There are three ways to get to this beautiful place. You can either get their by bus or taxi. Rickshaws are another unique way of transportation in this historical area. The pleasure gets double if you opt rickshaw for your ride.

Gurdwara Janam Asthan

Gurdwara Janam Asthan was the shrine of Guru Nanak Dev’s parents Mehta Kalyan and Mata Tripta. It was established by the son and grandson of Guru nanak.

Previously, the shrine was just a room which was then reconstructed. That room was named as “Kalu ka Kotha” which was then changed to “Nanakayan”.

The present building is constructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Akali Phula Singh. It is a squared sanctum with spacious pavilion. It comprises about 20,000 acres of land.

It is a famous pilgrimage place for Sikhs. Some Sikh priests are appointed here by the government for looking after the shrine and performing rituals daily.

Gurdwara Maulawi Patli

This Gurdwara lies in the place of Guru Nanak’s school. This Gurdwara is nothing more than a small beautiful room with lotus dome and ornate masonry. It is also named as Gurdwara Patti Sahib.

Nanak was very intelligent and became efficient in Hindi, Persian, Arithmetic, and Accounting.

The celebrations

In order to celebrate the anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak, a very grand and traditional event takes place at Gurdwara. Few Sikhs are appointed officially to look after this whole fair. Every year in Baisakhi the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak is celebrated. During that period a large number of Sikhs pay a visit to Gurdwara to perform their religious rituals with full zest.

It is a clear representation that Pakistan is open to all traditions and provides great opportunities and freedom to its fellow beings.

If you are also a Sikh then it is highly recommended to visit this place and praise it. No matters if you are not Sikh, it is still a great recreational place for all.

What to eat?

You must have eaten a wide range of Italian or Continental cuisines but the things which I am going to mention here are beyond words. If you get a chance to visit Nankana Sahib the do eat them. I bet you will forget all other dishes. So must try:

• Dahi Barre.
• Gol Gappay.
• Biryani.
• Pulao.
• Dal Chawal.

They are simply yummmm!

Conclusion

Visit Nankana Sahib freely. It is a safe place with the services of Hospitals and ambulances. The aura here is something different. So, it is a highly recommended place to visit.