Gurdwara Janam Asthan ( Punjabi ,

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

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

gurdwara A gurdwara or gurudwara () is a place of assembly and place of worship, worship in Sikhism, but its normal meaning is "place of guru" or "home of guru". Sikhism, Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths and rel ...

that is situated at the site where the founder of

Sikhism Sikhism is an Indian religion and Indian philosophy, philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups, major religio ...

Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also known as ('Father Nanak'), was an Indian spiritual teacher, mystic and poet, who is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is t ...

, was born. The shrine is located in

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 among ...

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

Location

The shrine is located in the town of

, approximately 65 kilometres from

Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...

. 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 Chand, (1440–1522) was the father of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Names Various names are used to refer to Guru Nanak's father, some of which are: 'Mehta Kalu', 'Kalu Rai', 'Kalu Chand', 'Kalian Rai', and ...

and

Mata Tripta Mata Tripta (1446–1522; Punjabi: ਮਾਤਾ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾ; ''mātā tripatā'') was the mother of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Biography Early life Tripta was born in 1446 to a father named Bhai Raam, a Jhangar Khatri ...

. 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) was the founder and first maharaja of the Sikh Empire, in the northwest Indian subcontinent, ruling from 1801 until his death in 1839. Born to Maha Singh, the leader of the Sukerchakia M ...

in the 19th century.

1921 Massacre

86 Sikhs were killed during the 20 February 1921

Nankana massacre The Nankana massacre (also known as Saka Nankana Sahib) occurred on the premises of Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib on 20 February 1921, at that time a part of the Punjab Province of British India, but today in modern-day Pakistan. Betwee ...

, 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 (IPA: ; known in Punjabi as the Akali Morcha), also called the Gurdwara Reform Movement, was a campaign to bring reform in the gurdwaras (the Sikhism, Sikh places of worship) in India during the early 1920s. The movement led to ...

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, ''Darbār '' hall 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 video, pinball, electro-mechanical, redemption, etc., game ** Arcade video game, a coin-operated video game ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade video game's hardware ** Arcad ...

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