Gurdwaras in Pakistanਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ ਦੇ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰੇ

History of Sikhism in Pakistan

The story of Sikhism begins in what is today Pakistan. In 1469, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born at Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, the town now known as Nankana Sahib, about 65 kilometres from Lahore. He spent his childhood there, and the town was later renamed in his honour. Nearly every chapter of his life — his birth, his travels, and his final years — unfolded on land that lies within Pakistan's present borders.

After Guru Nanak, the Sikh Gurus kept travelling through the region. Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Guru, was martyred in Lahore in 1606, and the spot is marked by Gurdwara Dera Sahib. Under Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Sikh Empire, whose capital was Lahore, many of these shrines were rebuilt in grand style with gilded domes and marble. The Partition of 1947 drew a border through Punjab and left the great historic gurdwaras on the Pakistani side, cared for today by the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee under the Evacuee Trust Property Board.

The major gurdwaras of Pakistan

More than 150 historic gurdwaras stand across Pakistan, from the birthplace of the faith to the site of its founder's final years. These are the most important.

Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib — the most revered of them all: the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The main shrine stands where the Guru was born in 1469, and the town around it grew into one of Sikhism's great pilgrimage centres. Every November, thousands of pilgrims gather here for Guru Nanak Gurpurab.

Read our detailed guide: Nankana Sahib — birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur — one of the holiest sites in Sikhism. After his long missionary journeys, Guru Nanak settled at Kartarpur on the Ravi river around 1521, farmed the land, set up a langar, and preached here for 18 years until his death in 1539. The present shrine building dates to 1925, raised with a donation from the Maharaja of Patiala, and the complex was greatly expanded in 2018 across 42 acres. It is often described as the largest gurdwara in the world.

Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal — in Hasan Abdal near Islamabad, famous for the boulder bearing what Sikhs believe is the handprint (panja) of Guru Nanak. The Guru reached here with Bhai Mardana in the summer of 1521; the spring of water he is said to have drawn from beneath the rock still flows. The first gurdwara on the site was built by Hari Singh Nalwa, the great general of the Sikh Empire.

Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore — standing beside the Lahore Fort, the Badshahi Mosque and the Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, this gurdwara marks the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji in 1606. A memorial was first raised here in 1619 by his son Guru Hargobind; the gilded-domed building seen today was built during Ranjit Singh's reign. Note that visiting is restricted — entry is generally permitted to Sikhs, with others needing special permission from the Evacuee Trust Property Board.

Gurdwara Sacha Sauda, Chuharkana — near Sheikhupura, marking the spot where the young Nanak, sent by his father with twenty rupees to strike a business deal, instead fed a group of hungry holy men — the “sacha sauda”, the true bargain. The story captures the heart of the Sikh teaching of vand chhako, sharing with others.

Gurdwara Rohri Sahib, Eminabad — in Eminabad near Gujranwala, associated with Guru Nanak's stay during Babur's invasion of 1521 — the events that inspired his Babur Bani hymns on the suffering of the innocent in war.

Other notable gurdwaras

The list goes on: Gurdwara Chowa Sahib at Jhelum, Gurdwara Beri Sahib at Sialkot, Gurdwara Janam Asthan Guru Ram Das in Lahore (the birthplace of the fourth Guru), Gurdwara Shahid Ganj Bhai Taru Singh in Lahore. We are documenting each of these in detail — this guide will keep growing.

All Gurdwaras in Pakistan

• Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib — Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birthplace
• Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur — where Guru Nanak spent his final years
• Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal — the sacred handprint rock
• Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore — site of Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s martyrdom
• Gurdwara Sacha Sauda — the true bargain of Guru Nanak
• Gurdwara Rohri Sahib, Eminabad — the pebble shrine of Bhai Lalo’s village
• Gurdwara Beri Sahib, Sialkot — the historic Sialkot shrine
• Gurdwara Thara Sahib, Multan — Guru Nanak’s thara at Multan

The Kartarpur Corridor

For decades the shrine at Kartarpur stood just 3 kilometres from the Indian border — visible, but unreachable for most Indian pilgrims. That changed on 9 November 2019, days before Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary, when the Kartarpur Corridor was opened: a visa-free passage letting Indian pilgrims cross to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur and return the same day. Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated their respective sides, and the corridor has since carried hundreds of thousands of pilgrims.

Visiting as a pilgrim

The great Sikh festivals draw the largest yatras: Guru Nanak Gurpurab in November, Vaisakhi in April, and the Saka Nankana Sahib commemoration in February. The most comfortable months for travel are October through March. Pilgrim groups usually enter at the Wagah border, where the PSGPC and the Evacuee Trust Property Board receive them and arrange the shrine visits. The Kartarpur Corridor runs separately as a day-visit, visa-free route for Indian passport holders.

Which is the most important gurdwara in Pakistan?

Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and Kartarpur Sahib, where he spent his final 18 years, are the two holiest — among the most sacred sites in all of Sikhism.

Can Indian citizens visit gurdwaras in Pakistan?

Yes. Indian pilgrims travel in organised jathas with visas arranged for festivals like Gurpurab and Vaisakhi, and the Kartarpur Corridor allows visa-free day visits to Kartarpur Sahib.

Do I need a visa for the Kartarpur Corridor?

No visa is needed for the corridor itself — Indian pilgrims register online, carry their passport, and cross to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur and back the same day.

Who looks after the gurdwaras in Pakistan?

The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC), working under the federal Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), maintains the historic shrines.

How many gurdwaras are there in Pakistan?

More than 150 historic gurdwaras stand across Pakistan, concentrated in Punjab province, with others in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and beyond.