Gurdwara Nankana Sahib is one of the most important sacred sites in Pakistan. That has received many tourists and followers every year to express their devotion. Pakistan has been declared one of the best tourist destinations in the world due to the increase in religious tourism.
Gurdwara Janam Asthan also referred to as Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. It is a highly revered gurdwara that is situated at the site where the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, was born. The shrine is located in the city of Nankana Sahib, near the city of Lahore in the Punjab province of Pakistan. 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. The Gurdwara complex is listed on the Protected Heritage Monuments of the Archaeology Department, Government of the Punjab.
Guru Nanak is the one who founded Sikhism and he is said to have been born in 1469. Following his footsteps, ten Gurus emerged in Sikhism, whose teachings are greatly followed in Pakistan, and are popular among other religious groupings as well.
Therefore gurdwara Nankana Sahib might be a sacred place for Sikhs. However, it holds sentimental value for people of other beliefs as well who visit the place regularly. Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation of Nankana Sahib University here in October 2019.
History of Violence
The Gurdwara Nankana Sahib Pakistan was originally constructed around 1600 CE. It was later on renovated in 1819-20 CE by Gian Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh at the Sikh Conference of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Peshawar, Kangra, and Hazara. Its history dates back to when the British took over Punjab in 1849 after the Hindus started occupying the Sikh Gurdwaras.
During British rule, the Gurdwara Janam Asthan was the site of a violent episode when in 1921. Over 130 Akali Sikhs were killed after they were attacked by the Mahant of the shrine. The incident is regarded as one of the key milestones in the Gurdwara Reform Movement. Which led to the passing of the Sikh Gurdwara Act in 1925 and ended Mahant’s control of Gurdwaras. In 2014, Pakistan had a memorial for the massacre building.
