Nankana Sahib (Shahmukhi:, ), formerly known as 'Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi' is a city in the
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
i province of
PunjabThe Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the country's most populous region with about 45% of Pakistan's total population. The Punjab is home to the Punjabis and various other groups...
. Located at 31°26'51N 73°41'50E - about 80 kilometers south west of
LahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Historically the main city of the undivided Punjab, it is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage...
and about 75 kilometres East from Faisalabad, with a population of approx. 60,000 , it is also the capital of
Nankana Sahib DistrictNankana Sahib District is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Nankana Sahib is principle town of the district. The district of Nankana Sahib is located about 75 kilometres west from Lahore and about 55 kilometres east from Faisalabad....
and
TehsilNankana Sahib is an administrative subdivision of Nankana Sahib District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city of Nankana Sahib is the headquarters of the tehsil, until 2005 it was a tehsil of Sheikhpura District, but in that year Sheikhpura was bifurcated and the district of Nankana Sahib...
. Because Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, the central figure in
SikhismSikhism, founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and ten successive Sikh Gurus in fifteenth century Punjab, is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat or the Sikh Dharma...
, it is a city of high historic and religious value and is a popular pilgrimage site for Sikhs from all over the world.
About thirty miles south-west of the city of
LahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Historically the main city of the undivided Punjab, it is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage...
, the capital of the
PunjabThe Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the country's most populous region with about 45% of Pakistan's total population. The Punjab is home to the Punjabis and various other groups...
, and on the borders of the civil districts of
GujranwalaGujranwala is a city in the north east of the Punjab province. It is the seventh largest city in Pakistan with a population of 1,132,509 Gujranwala is located at 32.16° North, 74.18° East and is 226 metres above sea-level. It borders with Ghakhar Mandi and some small towns and villages...
and
Faisalabadis a city located in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lyallpur. Faisalabad is the third largest city in Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has risen from 9,171 in 1901 to 179,000...
(formerly called
LyallpurLyallpur may refer to* the former name of Faisalabad city, Pakistan* Lyallpur Town, a municipal area of Faisalabad city, Pakistan...
), stands the town of Nankana Sahib.
Nankana Sahib (Shahmukhi:, ), formerly known as 'Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi' is a city in the
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
i province of
PunjabThe Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the country's most populous region with about 45% of Pakistan's total population. The Punjab is home to the Punjabis and various other groups...
. Located at 31°26'51N 73°41'50E - about 80 kilometers south west of
LahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Historically the main city of the undivided Punjab, it is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage...
and about 75 kilometres East from Faisalabad, with a population of approx. 60,000 , it is also the capital of
Nankana Sahib DistrictNankana Sahib District is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Nankana Sahib is principle town of the district. The district of Nankana Sahib is located about 75 kilometres west from Lahore and about 55 kilometres east from Faisalabad....
and
TehsilNankana Sahib is an administrative subdivision of Nankana Sahib District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city of Nankana Sahib is the headquarters of the tehsil, until 2005 it was a tehsil of Sheikhpura District, but in that year Sheikhpura was bifurcated and the district of Nankana Sahib...
. Because Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, the central figure in
SikhismSikhism, founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and ten successive Sikh Gurus in fifteenth century Punjab, is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat or the Sikh Dharma...
, it is a city of high historic and religious value and is a popular pilgrimage site for Sikhs from all over the world.
Brief History
About thirty miles south-west of the city of
LahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Historically the main city of the undivided Punjab, it is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage...
, the capital of the
PunjabThe Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the country's most populous region with about 45% of Pakistan's total population. The Punjab is home to the Punjabis and various other groups...
, and on the borders of the civil districts of
GujranwalaGujranwala is a city in the north east of the Punjab province. It is the seventh largest city in Pakistan with a population of 1,132,509 Gujranwala is located at 32.16° North, 74.18° East and is 226 metres above sea-level. It borders with Ghakhar Mandi and some small towns and villages...
and
Faisalabadis a city located in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lyallpur. Faisalabad is the third largest city in Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has risen from 9,171 in 1901 to 179,000...
(formerly called
LyallpurLyallpur may refer to* the former name of Faisalabad city, Pakistan* Lyallpur Town, a municipal area of Faisalabad city, Pakistan...
), stands the town of Nankana Sahib. In the 1400s A.D., this town was called Talwandi and was surrounded by a deep and lonely
Bar or raised forest tract in the centre of the Punjab (or
Panjab as it was called then). The town is now girdled by a broad expanse of agriculture and vegetation, which, wears through all seasons a cheerful appearance. The jal (Salvadora Persica) predominates, but there are also found the phulahi (Acacia modesta) and the jand (Prosopis spicigera). The wild deer though not seen anymore were seen occasionally to appear startled at the travellers who disturbed the solitude of its domain, and the hare and the partridges used to cower cautiously among the thickets, deprecating molestation.
Talwandi is said to have been originally built by a
HinduA Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, a set of religious, philosophical and cultural systems that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The vast body of Hindu scriptures, divided into Śruti and Smriti , lay the foundation of Hindu beliefs which primarily include dhárma, kárma, ahimsa and saṃsāra...
king called
RajaRaja is the Hindustani term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
Vairat. It was sacked and destroyed by fire and crowbar. The Punjab was parcelled out to
Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
warrior chiefs in exchange for peace by the sovereigns of
DelhiDelhi, known locally as Dilli , and also by the official name National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest metropolis by population in India...
(
DelhiDelhi, known locally as Dilli , and also by the official name National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest metropolis by population in India...
Sultanate). One of these chiefs was Rai Bhoi Bhatti, a
Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
of the Bhatti
RajputA Rajput is a member of one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups of India. They enjoy a reputation as formidable soldiers and it is common to find many of them serving in the Indian Armed Forces. The British Government also accepted them and recruited them heavily into their armies...
tribe. Rai Bhoi along with his son salvaged Talwandi and restored it and built a fort on the summit of the tumulus, in which he lived the secure and happy ruler of his estate with several thousand acres of cultivated land, and a boundless wilderness. Nankana was subsequently known then as Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi (or
Rai Bhoi's Talwandi). After Rai Bhoi's death, his heritage descended to his only son
Rai Bular BhattiRai Bhular Bhatti or Rai was a Muslim noble of the Bhatti clan during the latter half of the fifteenth century. Bhatti clan is the one who created the city of Bhatinda. They actively fought against Ghori along with Prithviraj Chauhan, the king of India, but Converted to Islam after his defeat...
, who governed the land and town at the birth and during the youth of Nanak.
During Rai Bular's rule, Talwandi did not share the tumults and excitements of the outer political world. Rai Bular was a 'gentle giant', towering in stature, but quiet and solitary. Talwandi became a reflection of his personality. It was a quiet place for the training of a prophet or religious teacher who was to lead his countrymen to the sacred path of truth, and disenthral their minds from the superstitions of ages. In this retreat was born Guru Nanak, the founder of the
SikhSikh is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. The term has its origin in the Sanskrit term , meaning "disciple, learner" or , meaning "instruction"....
religion. His birth took place on the third day of the light half of the month of Baisakh (April-May) in the year 1526 of the
VikramadityaVikramaditya was a legendary king of Ujjain, India, famed for his wisdom, valour and magnanimity. During his reign, India ruled most of Asia from the Eastern Arabia to China and North Korea and from Mongolia to Indonesia. He also imparted Vedic rituals to the Middle East and to North Asia...
era, corresponding to A.D. 1469.
Holy places
Nankana Sahib being most sacred Sikh place; the location of the birth of the Sikh founder, Guru Nanak is one of the fastest growing towns in Punjab, Pakistan. It is a popular place for Sikhs from all over the world. At the time of Guru Nanak's birth the town was called Rai Bhoe's Talwandi and was also referred to as Raipur.
Rai Bular BhattiRai Bhular Bhatti or Rai was a Muslim noble of the Bhatti clan during the latter half of the fifteenth century. Bhatti clan is the one who created the city of Bhatinda. They actively fought against Ghori along with Prithviraj Chauhan, the king of India, but Converted to Islam after his defeat...
was the ruler of this area and Baba Nanak's father was Rai Bular's employee. The divine qualities of Baba Nanak were first discovered by his sister Nanaki and
Rai Bular BhattiRai Bhular Bhatti or Rai was a Muslim noble of the Bhatti clan during the latter half of the fifteenth century. Bhatti clan is the one who created the city of Bhatinda. They actively fought against Ghori along with Prithviraj Chauhan, the king of India, but Converted to Islam after his defeat...
. Rai Bular gifted approx. of land all around the city of Talwandi to Guru Nanak and the town began to be called Nankana Sahib. The town currently has nine
gurdwaraA gurdwara , meaning "the doorway to the guru", is a place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism and also a place where weary travellers and pilgrims may rest and eat. A gurudwara is also referred to as a "Sikh temple"...
s including the Gurdwara Janam Asthan which marks the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev. Each of the gurdwaras is related with important events in Guru Nanak's life. 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.
In 2006 a bus service between the Sikh holy city of
AmritsarAmritsar is a city in the northwestern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering just over 3,695,077...
in India and Nankana Sahib was inaugurated by
Manmohan SinghManmohan Singh is the 14th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the first person of Sikh faith to hold the office...
, India's Prime Minister, who himself is a Sikh.
Administration
The area around Nankana Sahib was formerly a
tehsilA tehsil is an administrative division of some countries of South Asia....
of
Sheikhupura DistrictSheikhupura District is a district of Punjab province, Pakistan. Sheikhupura is the headquarters of Sheikhupura District. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the district had a population of 3,321,029 of which 25.45% were urban.-Administration:...
. In May 2005, the provincial government decided to raise the status of Nankana Sahib to that of a district as a way of promoting development in the area.
Development
The provincial government has developed plans to develop Nankana Sahib with various projects including a rest house for
SikhSikh is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. The term has its origin in the Sanskrit term , meaning "disciple, learner" or , meaning "instruction"....
pilgrims, a new hotel, a shopping mall, a housing scheme, a modern hospital and a roadlink to the
LahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Historically the main city of the undivided Punjab, it is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage...
and
Faisalabadis a city located in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lyallpur. Faisalabad is the third largest city in Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has risen from 9,171 in 1901 to 179,000...
dual-Carriage way.
See also
- Safdarabad
Safdarabad is an administrative subdivision of Sheikhupura District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city of Safdar Abad is the headquarters of the tehsil, until 2005 it was a tehsil of Sheikhupura District, but in that year Sheikhpura was bifurcated and the district of Nankana Sahib was...
- Khanqa Dogran
- Sangla Hill
Sangla Hill is a Tehsil in Pakistan located in Nankana Sahib District in the Punjab Province.- Introduction :The tehsil of Sangla Hill is situated in the newly created district of Nankana Sahib and lies 103 km [64 miles] from the provincial capital of Lahore...
- Shahkot
Not to be confused with Shahkot, IndiaShahkot is in the Nankana Sahib District. The town has a population of about 75,000 and is located at co-ordinates 31°33'42" north 73°29'15" east....
- Sheikhupura
Sheikhupura or Shekhupur , formerly Kot Dayal Das or Singhpuria , is an industrial city in the province of Punjab slightly northwest to Lahore in Pakistan. It is known for its historical places, and is commonly known locally as Qila Shaikhupura, because of the fort in the city, constructed by the...
- Salarwala
Salarwala , is located in Faisalabad District, Punjab, Pakistan. Latitude 33.66; Longitude 73.28. It is a town situated on the Faisalabad to Lahore railway section. It is one of the oldest railway stations of pre-partition days. Many people have used it as a starting point for a railway journey...
- Warburton
Warburton is a mid sized town in Punjab province of Pakistan. It about 15 km north of Nankana Sahib and South East of Sheikhupura.The town was named after a British army officer during British rule...