Nankana Sahib

Encyclopedia : N : NA : NAN : Nankana Sahib

---

---

 

Nankana Sahib, also known as Raipur and Rai-Bhoi-di-Talwandi is a small town in the Pakistani province of Punjab with a population of almost 60,000 [World Gazetteer estimate for Nankana Sahib]. The town is located about 75 kilometres west of Lahore and is famous as the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh religion.

Holy places

The town has nine gurdwaras 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 some 25,000 Sikh pilgrims visit the town with about 15,000 gathering during the peak season around the birthday celebrations of Guru Nanak.

Administration

The area around Nankana Sahib was formerly a tehsil of Sheikhupura District but in May 2005, the provincial government decided to raise the status of Nankana Sahib to that of a district [Nankana becomes a district] as a way of promoting development in the area.

Development

The provincial government has developed plans [Government plans to turn Nankana into a model city] to develop Nankana Sahib with various projects including a rest house for Sikh pilgrims, a new hotel, a shopping mall, a housing scheme, a modern hospital and a roadlink to the Lahore-Faisalabad dual-carriage way.A trans national bus link is proposed that operate between Nankana Sahib and Amritsar of Punjab in India.

References