Gurdwara Janam Asthan ( Punjabi ,

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Punjabi : ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਜਨਮ ਅਸਥਾਨ), also referred to as Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, is a highly revered

gurdwara A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...

that is situated at the site where the founder of

Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...

Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated wor ...

, was born. The shrine is located in the city of

Nankana Sahib Nankana Sahib () is a city and capital of Nankana Sahib District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is named after the first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak, who was born in the city and first began preaching here. Nankana Sahib is the most ...

, near the city of

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

in the

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

province of

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

Location

The shrine is located in the town of

, approximately 65 kilometres from

. Nankana Sahib had previously been known as ''Rāi Bhoi Kī Talvaṇḍī,'' but was eventually renamed in honour of

Significance

Gurdwara Janam Asthan is believed to be located at the site where

was born to

Mehta Kalu Mehta Kalu, formally Kalyan Das, (1440–1520) was the father of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Kalu was born as 'Kalyan Das' to Shiv Ram Bedi and Mata Banarasi in a Hindu Khatri family of the '' Bedi'' gotra. He served as the ''patwar ...

and

Mata Tripta Mata Tripta ( Punjabi: ਮਾਤਾ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾ; ''mātā tripatā'') was the mother of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism. Her father was Bhai Raam, a Jhangar Khatri from the village of Chaliawala (or Chahal), near Lahore, and he ...

. The gurdwara forms part of an ensemble of nine important gurdwaras in Nankana Sahib. The shrine is frequently visited by Sikh ''yatris'' as part of a pilgrimage route in Pakistan.

History

The first gurdwara is believed to have been built at the site in the 16th century by the grandson of Guru Nanak, Baba Dharam Chand. The current gurdwara was built by

Ranjit Singh Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839), popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or "Lion of Punjab", was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. He s ...

in the 19th century.

1921 Massacre

86 Sikhs were killed during the 20 February 1921

Nankana massacre The Nankana massacre (or Saka Nankana Sahib) in Nankana Sahib gurdwara on 20 February 1921, at that time a part of the British India but today in modern-day Pakistan. Between 140 and 260 Sikhs were killed, including children as young as seven, b ...

, which took place after a confrontation between supporters of the gurdwara's manager, ''Mahant Narayan Das'', and members of the reformist

Akali movement The Akali movement , also called the Gurdwara Reform Movement, was a campaign to bring reform in the gurdwaras (the Sikh places of worship) in India during the early 1920s. The movement led to the introduction of the Sikh Gurdwara Bill in 1925, w ...

who accused him of both corruption and sexual impropriety.

Conservation

The gurdwara complex is listed on the Protected Heritage Monuments of the Archaeology Department of Punjab.

Gallery

File:The Main Entrance of Gurdwara Janam Asthan.jpg, Main entrance File:Nankana sahib.jpg, The main gate of Gurdwara Janam Asthan File:Inside view of the entrance - Gurdwara Janam Asthan.jpg, Courtyard view File:Mandap at Gurdwara Janam Asthan.jpg, ''Mandap'' File:Sarovar at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib Janam Asthan.jpg, ''Sarovar'' File:Arched Corridor of Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana.jpg,

Arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware ** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board * Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games * ...

s around the ''sarovar'' File:Pool in Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana.jpg, Gurdwara Janam Asthan File:The Minaret of Gurdwara Janam Asthan.jpg, View of one of the towers of the main complex File:Ariel View of Gurdwara Janam Asthan-2.jpg, Aerial view of Janam Asthan File:Nankana Sahib Old Photograph (Early 20th century).jpg, Old Photograph of Gurdwara Janam Asthan (Early 20th century)

References

External links

{{Cultural heritage sites in Punjab, Pakistan , state=open Gurdwaras in Pakistan Religious buildings and structures in Punjab, Pakistan Religious buildings and structures with domes Guru Nanak Dev