Many Gurdwaras were left in Pakistan during the country’s partition in 1947. Yearning for their unhindered darshan (glimpse), all Nanak Naam-Leva (followers of Guru Nanak) Sikhs fold their hands and pray to Akal Purakh in their daily Ardas. Apart from the Gurdwaras related to Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Gurdwaras in memory of other Gurus also adorn various other areas of Pakistan.
Gurdwara Janam Asthan Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji
This is the holy place where Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born to Mata Tripta Ji at the house of his father, Sri Mehta Kalu Ji. The building of this Gurdwara was first constructed by the Guru’s sons, Baba Lakhmi Das and Baba Dharam Chand, which was called ‘Kalu Ka Kotha’, but later came to be known as ‘Nanakiana’. Guru Nanak Sahib was born right here. On the advice of Akali Phula Singh, Maharaja Ranjit Singh built the current structure of the Gurdwara Sahib. According to Janab Iqbal Qaiser, a total of 924 acres of land is in the name of this Gurdwara, which is situated in Nankana Sahib itself. Apart from this, there are about 838 acres of other property and 6 shops in the name of the Gurdwara Sahib.
The management of the Gurdwara Sahib initially remained with the Udasi Mahants and later with the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). But after independence, its management came under the Pakistan Waqf Board. Every year, large groups of Sikhs from all over the world come here on the occasion of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birth anniversary. There is a well inside Gurdwara Janam Asthan, which is called ‘Bebe Nanaki Da Khooh’ (Well of Bebe Nanaki). There is also a memorial Jand tree here to which Bhai Lachhman Singh Dharowali was tied upside down and burnt to death by Mahant Narain Das. Every year, large groups of the Sikh Sangat from around the world, especially on the Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, come to seek the blessings of this holy place.
Gurdwara Bal Lila, Nankana Sahib
Gurdwara Bal Lila Sahib is located towards the southeast end, at a distance of about 300 meters from Gurdwara Janam Asthan. Guru Sahib used to play here during his childhood. To the east of the Gurdwara is a pond, which was excavated by Rai Bular. Its first building and the Sarovar were cemented from the inside by Baba Gurbakhsh Singh with the permission of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Later, the boundary wall of this Gurdwara was constructed by Sant Gurmukh Singh (Patiala). The Pakistan Waqf Board is taking care of the Gurdwara Sahib. But it is a matter of regret that the Prakash (installation) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is not held here; only the building stands as a memorial.
Gurdwara Patti Sahib, Nankana Sahib
Gurdwara Patti Sahib is very close to Gurdwara Bal Lila. It is here that Guru Sahib was sent to learn Hindi from Pandit Gopal Das, Sanskrit from Pandit Brij Lal, and Arabic and Persian from Maulana Qutbuddin of Talwandi. Before the spiritual wisdom of Guru Sahib, these very teachers bowed their heads in reverence. Guru Sahib recited the ‘Patti Bani’ in ‘Asa Raag’ right here. This Gurdwara is also known as ‘Gurdwara Maulvi Patti’. Inside this Gurdwara, ‘Guru Nanak School’ is running for the education of the children of displaced Sikh families from Afghanistan, where education is imparted in the Gurmukhi script and Punjabi language.
Gurdwara Kiara Sahib, Nankana Sahib
Gurdwara Kiara Sahib is two kilometers to the east of Gurdwara Bal Lila. This is the place where Guru Nanak Sahib used to graze his buffaloes. The incident of Guru Sahib turning the crop green again, which was damaged by his buffaloes, is associated with this very place. 45 murabbas (acres) of land are attached to this Gurdwara Sahib. The construction of this Gurdwara was carried out first during the Sikh rule and later by Sant Gurmukh Singh Ji. The tragic aspect is that the Prakash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib does not take place here; only the building stands as a memorial.
Gurdwara Mal Ji Sahib, Nankana Sahib
At this place, Guru Nanak Sahib used to graze cows and buffaloes. This location is one and a half kilometers away from Gurdwara Janam Asthan towards the east. The ‘Mal tree’, also called ‘Van’, under whose shade Guru Sahib used to rest, is still present here today. The construction of this Gurdwara was first done by Diwan Kaura Mal and later during the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Alongside the Gurdwara is a Sarovar, which is five feet above the ground. Three thousand acres of land are attached to the Gurdwara Sahib. Nowadays, the Prakash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is not held here; only the building stands as a memorial.
Gurdwara Tambu Sahib, Nankana Sahib
Gurdwara Tambu Sahib is one kilometer away from Gurdwara Janam Asthan towards the east. After feeding langar to the hungry ascetics of Chuharkana and completing the ‘Sacha Sauda’ (True Bargain), Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, along with Bhai Mardana Ji, came and sat under a Van tree here. This tree is still present today and is stretched out like a tent (Tambu), due to which the name of the Gurdwara Sahib is famous as ‘Tambu Sahib’. Nowadays, the Prakash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is not held here; only the building stands as a memorial.
Gurdwara Sacha Sauda Sahib, Chuharkana
Gurdwara Sacha Sauda Sahib adorns the village of Chuharkana in the Sheikhupura district of Pakistan. It was here that Guru Sahib fed langar to hungry ascetics with the twenty rupees given by his father Mehta Kalu for doing business, thus striking the ‘Sacha Sauda’. This three-story Gurdwara building was constructed during the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. There are 125 acres of land associated with this Gurdwara.
‘Gurdwara Sachkhand’ Chuharkana
A Gurdwara named ‘Sachkhand Sahib’ adorns the village of Chuharkana in memory of the holy arrival of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The condition of the Gurdwara Sahib is very dilapidated.
Gurdwara Rori Sahib, Eminabad
Gurdwara Rori Sahib is one and a half kilometers to the northwest of the city of Gujranwala in Eminabad. At this place, Guru Nanak Sahib sat on a seat of pebbles (Rori). Now a very beautiful Gurdwara is built at this location. During the Sikh rule, an annual jagir of 5,000 as well as 225 acres of land was attached to the Gurdwara’s name.
Gurdwara Chakki Sahib, Eminabad
Gurdwara Chakki Sahib adorns the city of Gujranwala in Eminabad. Here, Guru Nanak Sahib was imprisoned by Babur and sentenced to grind a millstone (Chakki). When Babur came to know about Guru Sahib’s personality, he was so impressed that upon Guru Sahib’s word, he released thousands of prisoners. There are 14 acres of land attached to this Gurdwara Sahib.
Gurdwara Khoohi Bhai Lalo Ji, Eminabad
Gurdwara Khoohi Bhai Lalo Ji adorns Eminabad as a memorial to Guru Nanak Sahib. Bhai Lalo Ji, a resident of Saidpur, Eminabad, was a carpenter by profession. When Guru Nanak Sahib came here, he stayed at his house. It was here that Guru Sahib rejected the royal delicacies prepared by Malik Bhago with money amassed by squeezing the blood of the poor, and instead gave preference to eating the simple food prepared with Bhai Lalo Ji’s hard-earned livelihood of blood and sweat. A well (Khoohi) carrying the holy touch of Guru Sahib is still present here.
Gurdwara Nanak Garh, Badami Bagh, Lahore
Badami Bagh is near Lahore in Pakistan, where Gurdwara Nanakgarh stood in memory of Guru Nanak Sahib. According to Sikh history, it was at this place that Guru Sahib liberated Bhai Duni Chand’s father from the cycle of eighty-four. Mahants used to manage the place. The mention of this Gurdwara now only appears in the pages of history; no trace of the historical site remains.
Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi Pehli, Lahore
Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi Pehli is adorned in Lahore in memory of the holy arrival of Guru Nanak Sahib. According to Sikh history, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji graced the house of his devotee Duni Chand here in 1570. This historical place is situated at ‘Chauhatta Mufti Baqar’ inside the Lahore-Delhi Gate. At that time, this area was known as ‘Sirian Wala Bazaar’ (or Chauhatta Jawahar Mal). Here itself, Guru Sahib instructed Duni Chand not to perform rituals and inspired him to worship the one Akal Purakh. Only a picture of Guru Nanak Sahib is adorned at this historical site.
Gurdwara Chubacha Sahib, Dharampura, Lahore
Gurdwara Chubacha Sahib is situated at Dharampura in Lahore city. Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji set his blessed feet here. The Sangat established the Gurdwara Sahib at the very spot where Guru Nanak Dev Ji washed his feet in a small pool. The condition of the Gurdwara’s building is very dilapidated.
‘Gurdwara Dehra Janam Asthan Bebe Nanaki Ji’, Chahal
Fifteen kilometers southeast of Lahore in Pakistan is the village of Chahal, which was the maternal grandparents’ home of Guru Nanak Sahib. Guru Nanak Sahib visited this village many times. The Guru’s sister, Bebe Nanaki, was also born in this village in Samvat 1521 Bikrami. ‘Gurdwara Dehra Chahal’ was actually the house of Baba Rama Ji (Mata Tripta Ji’s father). This Gurdwara is also known as ‘Janam Asthan Bebe Nanaki Ji’. There are 15 acres of land attached to this Gurdwara Sahib.
‘Luhura Sahib’ Ghawindi
The historical place of Guru Nanak Sahib, ‘Luhura Sahib’, adorns the village of Ghawindi in the Lahore district of Pakistan. According to the Mahan Kosh, Guru Sahib came here traveling from the village ‘Jahman’. During Guru Sahib’s time, there used to be a Luhura tree here, which made the Gurdwara famous by the name Luhura Sahib. In this village, Guru Nanak Sahib preached to the traveling merchants to live in the will of Akal Purakh, and it was here that he recited the ‘Pehre’ Bani in Sri Raag. Twenty bighas of land are attached to the Gurdwara Sahib.
Gurdwara Ruri Sahib Patshahi Pehli, Jahman
Gurdwara Ruri Sahib, Patshahi Pehli is located half a kilometer away from the village of Jahman in the Lahore district of Pakistan. It is said that Guru Nanak Sahib visited this village three times. ‘Gurdwara Ruri Sahib, Patshahi Pehli’ is to the east of the village. There are 50 acres of land attached to the Gurdwara Sahib.
Gurdwara Chhota Nanakiana, Manga
While preaching Sikhi, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji came to the village Manga, which falls between Lahore and Multan. The local Sangat established a Gurdwara in memory of the Guru’s arrival, which is famous as Gurdwara Chhota Nanakiana Manga. Later, the sixth master, Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, also got a Sarovar constructed alongside the Gurdwara. According to Janab Iqbal Qaiser, 500 ghumaon of land is attached to the Gurdwara Sahib.
Gurdwara Pehli Patshahi, Manak
The village Manak is situated on the road from Lahore to Raiwind, at a distance of 45 kilometers from Lahore. Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji stayed in this village during his preaching tour. The mound on which the Guru sat came to be named Manak. Here itself, the local residents established a Gurdwara in memory of the Guru, which is famous as Gurdwara Pehli Patshahi Manak. The village has endowed 82 ghumaon of land to the Gurdwara Sahib. The condition of the three-story building and the Sarovar of the Gurdwara is not satisfactory.
Gurdwara Sahib, Bhailgram
Guru Nanak Sahib came to ‘Bhailgram’, a village in the Kasur district of Pakistan, during one of his journeys. A very beautiful Gurdwara Sahib was built in his memory. Guru Nanak Sahib stayed in this village while traveling from Manga to Ram Thamman. According to Janab Iqbal Qaiser, nowadays the Prakash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is not held in the Gurdwara Sahib.
Gurdwara Baba Ram Thamman Ji
Gurdwara Baba Ram Thamman Ji adorns the village Kalkhu Wara in the Kasur district of Pakistan. Baba Ram Thamman Ji was a sadhu who was the son of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s maternal aunt. Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji came here many times. Thousands of acres of land are granted as a jagir in the name of the Gurdwara Sahib.
Gurdwara Holan Sahib, Bharnavan
Gurdwara Holan Sahib is situated in memory of the arrival of Guru Nanak Sahib in the village ‘Bharnavan’ in the Kasur district of Pakistan. It was here that a child named Sultan roasted holan (green chickpeas) and fed them to Guru Sahib. This Gurdwara is located on the Multan Road at a distance of about two kilometers from Bhai Pheru towards Lahore. Even today, 700 acres of land remain attached as a jagir to the name of Gurdwara Holan Sahib.
Gurdwara Pehli Patshahi Alpa (Chhota Nankana)
The village of ‘Alpa’ is situated 27 kilometers to the west of the village Manga in the Kasur district of Pakistan. Guru Nanak Sahib visited this village. This site was initially about four kilometers outside the Alpa village, where today a village named ‘Chhota Nankana Alpa’ has settled. Before 1947, the Prakash used to take place here. This holy Gurdwara has a large jagir in this village and several other villages. This Gurdwara was called ‘Gurdwara Pehli Patshahi Alpa’ (Chhota Nankana).
Gurdwara Chhota Nanakiana, Nanak Jagir District Akuwara Satghara
There is a town ‘Satghara’ in the Akuwara district of Pakistan where the historical Gurdwara of Guru Nanak Sahib is located. Guru Nanak Sahib came here traveling from Alpa. Here, addressing a moneylender, Guru Sahib recited the verse “Sahansar daan de Inder ruaia”. This place is famous as “Gurdwara Chhota Nanakiana, Nanak Jagir, Satghara”, District Akuwara.
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