Nankana Sahib (Urdu: ننكانہ صاحِب), (Punjabi: Shahmukhi: ننکانہ صاحب Gurumukhi: ਨਨਕਾਣਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ), 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 Dev Ji. Guru Nanak Dev Jispread the light of the universal message to this world so it is a city of high historic and religious value and is a popular pilgrimage site for Sikhs from all over the world.[1] It is located about 80 kilometers south west of Lahore and about 75 kilometres east ofFaisalabad,[2]History[edit]
Previously the township was known as Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi and was renamed after the birth of Guru Nanak. The Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, originally constructed in around 1600 CE was renovated in the years 1819–20 CE by Gian-Punjab Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia The Sikh Conference of Panjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Peshawar, Kangra and Hazara.
During the Akali movement, on 20 February 1921, Narain Das, the Udasi mahant (clergy) of the gurdwara at Nankana Sahib, ordered his men to fire on Akali protesters, leading to the Nankana massacre. The firing was widely condemned, and an agitation was launched until the control of this historic Janam Asthan Gurdwara was restored to the Sikhs.[3] Again in the 1930s and 40's the Sikhs added more buildings and more architectural design.
The area around Nankana Sahib was formerly a tehsil of Sheikhupura District. In May 2005, the provincial government decided to raise the status of Nankana Sahib to that of a district [4] as a way of promoting development in the area.
The development of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev in Pakistan is one of the numerous projects by Punjab Government. The work of development of Nankana Sahib Resort to host and entertain local and international visitors is almost complete. According to reports, there are plans to construct a 100 Acre University as well as hospitals and health care facilities by the descendents of Rai Bular. [5]
In 2007, the Pakistan government announced a plan to set up a university on Sikh religion and culture at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak. "The international Guru Nanak University planned at Nankana Sahib would have the best architecture, curricula and research centre on Sikh religion and culture", Chairman of Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), Gen (Retd) Zulfikar Ali Khan, said.[6]
Language and Demography[edit]
Further information: Punjabi dialects
As per the 1998 census of Pakistan, Punjabi language is spoken by 98%. Shahmukhi script is mostly used, but Nankana Sahib is one of the few places in the Pakistani Punjab where Gurmukhi script is also understood by some.Punjabi dialects spoken in the district are
- Majhi or Standard (Majority)
- Malwi dialect (Migrated people from Indian Punjab speak this dialect)
Other Languages include:
- Urdu being national language is spoken and understood.
- English is also understood and spoken by the sizable educated people.
City has a population of approximately 70,000.[7] It is also the cap
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