Nankana Sahib (Punjab)

 

Nankana Sahib district is located on the right bank of the Ravi River at a distance of 75 km from Lahore via Lahore-Sheikhupura-Faisalabad Road. Its name is derived after Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikh region. It was the bird place of Guru Nanak and is considered a religious and famous pilgrimage site for Sikhs.

Nankana Sahib has boundaries with Lahore, Sheikhupura, Hafizabad, Faisalabad, Kasur, and Okara districts. The most quick way to access the district is via Lahore-Abdul Hakeem Motorway M-3 that runs through the center of the district. It can also connected with Lahore-Islamabad Motorway M-1 with Khanqah Dogran. It is also connect with railway on the Lahore-Faisalabad track.

Nankana Sahib is also a fertile land that is irrigated with canals as well as from the Ravi River water. It produces various cash crops such as rice, wheat, and sugarcane. It is also famous for the production of guava and strawberries. Along the Ravi River, there is dense forest as well as marshy area with tall grasses and various herbal plants. In these forest area, the various animals such as fox, rabbit, wild car, wild boar are normally seen. The wild bird such as quail, dove, nightingale, and parrot are common around the area. Due to the Ravi River, the area is also famous for fish farming. People also visit the site to satisfy their fishing hobby.

The area was founded by Rai Bhoi and known as Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi, then his grand son Rai Bular Bhatti renamed it as Nankana Sahib due to the birth place of Guru nank.

The Gurdwar Nankana Sahib, also known as Gurdwara Janam Asthan, was constructed in 1600 by his grand-son Baba Dharam Chand, then it was renovated by Manaraja Ranjit Singh in 1820. It is most holiest site for the Sikhs due to the birth place of Guru Nanak. The site is frequently visited by Sikhs as part of a pilgrimage route in Pakistan. White building of gurdwara has also great attractions for tourists. Everyone can visit the site to look the beautifully designed building of gurdwara. It is a large complex with a water pond in its center. Around the water pound, a passage with beautiful arches can be used to visit various rooms and halls in the building. In the center of the front side, there is main site of Guru Nanak birth place. The Sikh visitors must visit that site to honour the founder of their religion.

Sangla Hill is located at a distance of 68 km from the Nankana Sahib city on the Lahore-Sheikhupura road. A beautiful hill is located in the lush green plains of Sangla Hill town. There is a park around the hill and a beautiful lake just besides the hill. A stepped trek is available to access the top of the hill. From the hill top, you can see the magnificent view of the city. It is the best place for one-day tour, where you can enjoy boating in lake, hiking on top of the hill, as well as enjoy the lunch in lush green park.

Darbar Baba Nu Lakh Hazari is a Sufi shrine located in the town of Shahkot in the Nankana Sahib district. It can be accessed after crossing the Shahkot graveyard. It was built in the twelfth century in the honour of Abu Alkhair Syed Murad Ali Shah Bukhari, also known as Noulakha. He spread Islam in various areas of India. He was called Noulakha due to recitation of Quran nine hundred thousand times by him. There is also a mountain near the tomb and the annual celebarations are held year on 23 March.

Near the Darbar Baba Nu Lakh Hazari, there is a Hill Park around the mountain in the area. Lake is also located near the mountain. It is also a good place to visit after visiting the Darbar. People also perform the trek on the mountain to access its top, from where you can get an overall view of the Shahkot town.

Nankana Lake Resort is situated near Nankana Sahib city. It is good place for one-day picnic in a peaceful environment. There are various activities to be performed by the visitors in the resort. There is also a big lake where people enjoy boating and various other water fun activities.

Rana Resort, also known as Rana Hunting and Luxury Resort, is an attractive picnic spot in the Nankana Sahib district. It is located at a distance of 30 km from Nankana Sahib city. It can also accessed through Head Balloki by crossing the bridge over the Ravi River. It is a famous tourist attraction due to its unique passages covered with bamboo trees, surrounded by a wildlife sanctuary on 200 acres of bamboo forest. It is a family park, so includes number of fun activities for families such as boating, wild safari visit, outdoor and indoor games, etc. There is also an option of hunting for adventure seekers.

The climate of the Nankana Sahib district is extreme hot in the summer season, in the same way the winter season is also much cold. In the month of July to September, it receives much quantity of rain in due to monsoon system.