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Pakistani Gurdawaras

There are around 195 Gurdwaras across Pakistan. A Gurdwara, referred to as the gateway to the guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs however, people from all faiths are welcomed in the Sikh Gurdwara. The gurdwara has a Darbar Sahib where the current and everlasting Guru of the Sikhs, the holy scripture Guru Granth Sahib, is placed on a Takhat (an elevated throne) in a prominent central position. The Raagis (who sings Ragas) recite, sing and explain the verses from the Guru Granth Sahib, in the presence of the holy congregation.

Some of the prominent Sikh shrines established by the Sikh Gurus are

  • Gurdwara Nankana Sahib
  • Gurdwara Rori Sahib, Eminabad
  • Gurdwara Sacha Sauda, Farooqabad
  • Gurdwara DarbarSahib, Kartarpur
  • Gurdwara Patti sahib, Nankana Sahib
  • Gurdwara Bal Lila, Nankana Sahib
  • Gurdwara Kiara Sahib, Nankana Sahib
  • Gurdwara Tambu Sahib, Nankana Sahib
  • Gurdwara Panjvi Patshahi, Nankana Sahib
  • Gurdwara Chevin Patshahi, Nankana Sahib
  • Gurdwara Mal Jee Sahib, Nankana Sahib
  • Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore
  • Gurdwara Singh Singhnia Shaheed, Lahore
  • Gurdwara Guru Ram Das Ji, Lahore
  • Gurdwara Mai Kaulan, Lahore
  • Gurdwara Chaki Sahib, Eminabad
  • Gurdwara Lalo De Khui, Eminabad
  • Gurdwara Bheri Sahib, Sialkot
  • Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hassan Abdal
  • Gurdwara of Bhai Joga Singh, Peshawar

Significance of the Circuit

The three gurdwaras fall within the geographical and ecological zone of the riverine basin of the River Ravi. The ensuing historical and cultural expressions associated with this area have woven through millenniums giving us a significant historical/cultural account which knits together many faiths and people. In addition to the Sikh Heritage of the area ranging from Gurdwaras to the exquisite Sikh period havelis there are many remains of the Jain and Mughal heritage such as Sheikhupura Fort and Hiran Minar. The culmination point of this Circuit is Lahore located at a distance of 78.5 km from Gurdwara Sacha Sauda. Lahore, the capital city of the Punjab, has been a melting pot of the many religions and cultures which interacted with each other through centuries and left and indelible mark on the ethos of the city. Lahore is also where the journey for the Sikh Yartis Begins at Darbar Sahib.

Gudwara Nankana Sahib

Nankana Sahib is a city in Punjab named after Baba Guru Nanak Dev. Located about 80 kilometers south west of Lahore, it is a city of high historic and religious value and is a popular pilgrimage site for Sikhs from all over the world. The Town currently has nine Gurdwaras including the Gurdwara Janam Asthan (also known as Gurdwara Nankana Sahib) which marks the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev. Annually, approximately 30,000 Sikh pilgrims visit the town, with about 15,000 gathering during the peak season around the birthday celebrations of Guru Nanak.

Gurdwara Rori Sahib, Eminabad

Gurdwara Rori Sahib, located in Gujranwala is the sacred shrine which marks the site where, according to tradition, Guru Nanak was meditating on a bed of hard brickbats (ror-ree in Punjabi) in 1521. It is also said that this was the place where Guru Nanak performed chilla (40 days of meditations). At this site an imposing Gurdwara, along with a large pond and other monuments, was built.

Gurdwara Sacha Sauda, Farooq Abad

Gurdwara Sacha Sauda Sahib is located in Sheikhupura. The story related to this this site is that when Guru Nanak was eight years old, his father gave him some money to begin business by buying and selling goods at a profit. However, Guru Nanak met some Sadhus who were hungry and so he decided to feed them with the money he had received from his father. On returning home Guru Nanak explained to his father that a good deed was the best profit one could make with money. This free food that is distributed became the Sikh tradition of Langar. On the spot of the first Langar, a Gurdwara was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Gurdwara is an impressive structure with a three-story building; which houses the guest rooms for yatris and offices in the front and a courtyard surrounded by buildings at the back. The entire complex has been beautified: well maintained, cleaned and regularly painted and is frequently visited by the town’s people because of its serene and well-kept ambience.

Gurdwara DarbarSahib, Kartarpur

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib is located in Kartarpur near the River Ravi. The significance of the location is that Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life here. The original abode established by Guru Nanak was washed away by floods of the River Ravi. The Present Gudawara with the beautifully white domed building was donated by Sardar Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala. Nearby are also a well and other facilities that were added more recently. A parking area has also been added towards the north. The site lies only 3km from the Pakistan India border.

Gurdwara Patti sahib, Nankana Sahib

Gurdwara Patti Sahib also called Gurdwara Maulvi Patti Likhi (‘Patti’ means a wooden board on which children learn to write alphabets with a pen made of a soft stem. The board could be washed after the lesson and would be given another coating of soft light clay and is re-used) is located at the site where young Guru Nanak learned the various different languages mainly Persian and Arabic which were then used in the Punjab, each with its own distinct alphabet.

This sacred shrine lies midway between Gurdwara Janam Asthan and Gurdwara Bal Lilah along the road leading from Janam Asthan to the railway station in Nankana Sahib. The city has been renamed after its most famous native son Guru Nanak. Once known as the village of Talwandi the town is located in West Punjab, Pakistan.

Gurdwara Bal Lila, Nankana Sahib

Gurdwara Sri Bal Lila Sahib was originally built by Rai Bular, the ruler of the village. It is significant as the village playground, where young Nanak assembled his friends not only for physical games but to lead them as holy man sitting in meditation. Gurdwara Sri Bal Lila Sahib marks the field where Guru Nanak used to play in the company of other children. During the early 1800s, Maharaja Ranjit Singh had the building renovated and the tank enlarged and properly lined. Of the land donated by him, about 3,000 acres were allotted to Gurdwara Sri Bal Lila Sahib. After the 1921 tragedy at Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib, the custodian mahants of this Gurdwara voluntarily handed it over to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in exchange for suitable maintenance allowance for their families.

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