Nankana Sahib

Guru Nanak was born here in 1469, in what was then the village of Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, and the town that grew around the site takes its present name from him. Gurdwara Janam Asthan, built on the spot of his birth, is the principal shrine: a white marble complex with a gilded dome, a sarovar for bathing, and a langar hall where free meals are served to all comers, as at every gurdwara. Eight further gurdwaras across the town mark episodes from his early life, including Bal Lila where he played as a child and Patti Sahib where he was schooled. The town fills for the anniversary of his birth in November, when large pilgrim groups arrive from India and the diaspora under visa arrangements made for the occasion, and the atmosphere then is entirely different from the quiet of an ordinary week.

History

A town was founded here during the Delhi Sultanate by Rai Bhoi, a Bhati Rajput, and known as Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi; his great-grandson Rai Bular Bhatti renamed it Nankana Sahib after the birth of Guru Nanak, and Sikhs added further buildings to the gurdwara complex in the 1930s and 1940s (Wikipedia, Nankana Sahib).

What's there

• Gurdwara Janam Asthan - the birthplace shrine with its dome and sarovar.
• The langar - the free community kitchen serving all visitors.
• The other gurdwaras - eight shrines marking events from Nanak's early life.
• The November pilgrimage - the birth anniversary gathering.

When to go

October to March for the weather. The birth anniversary in November is the great occasion and the town is full; it is remarkable to witness but accommodation is impossible without arrangements. Ordinary weekdays are calm and welcoming.

Things to know

Heads must be covered and shoes removed inside the complexes; scarves are available at the entrance. Photography inside the shrines may be restricted. The town outside the gurdwaras is an ordinary Punjabi market town with limited facilities for visitors. Security arrangements around the November gathering are heavy.

Nearby

Lahore is an hour and a half east; Hiran Minar lies northeast at Sheikhupura.