Gurdwara Babe di Ber sits in the Hamza Ghaus locality of Sialkot city, built around a ber (jujube) tree under which Guru Nanak is said to have rested. It is open daily, free to enter, and welcomes Pakistani visitors as well as the Sikh pilgrims for whom it remains a place of pilgrimage.
This guide covers the story behind the site, what happened to it after Partition, and what to expect if you visit.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Location | Hamza Ghaus locality, Sialkot city |
| Also known as | Gurdwara Beri Sahib, Gurdwara Babe Ki Ber |
| Entry | Free, open daily |
| Dress | Modest clothing; head covering and bare feet inside the prayer hall |
| Best time | Guru Nanak's birthday (Gurpurab) and Baisakhi, when it is decorated and busiest |
| Nearest city centre | A short drive from central Sialkot |
The story of the ber tree
Sikh tradition holds that Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, arrived in Sialkot in the early 16th century and sat for several days under a ber tree in the city. According to the story, he met Hamza Ghaus, a Sufi saint of Sialkot who was angered by a broken promise from one of the city's residents and intended to see the whole city destroyed. Guru Nanak is said to have persuaded him against punishing everyone for one man's fault, and the two are remembered as having reconciled at this spot.
The tree itself, now well over 500 years old, still stands inside the gurdwara grounds and is the reason for the name: "babe di ber" means, roughly, "the old man's ber tree," referring to Guru Nanak.
From an early gurdwara to a ruin, and back
A gurdwara was built at the site by Natha Singh, with a garden, a pool and rooms for pilgrims, and Sikhs worshipped there regularly until Partition in 1947, after which most of Sialkot's Sikh community left for India. With no community left to maintain it, the building fell into disrepair over the following decades, and by the early 2000s it was in poor condition.
Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which manages properties left behind by minorities after Partition, carried out a significant renovation, restoring the structure in its original design and reinstalling the Guru Granth Sahib, Sikhism's holy scripture, inside. Sikh community leaders from Nankana Sahib, Lahore and Hasan Abdal were involved in reopening it for worship, and a caretaker was appointed to look after daily prayers. Access for Sikh pilgrims travelling from India was formally restored in November 2012, and the gurdwara has since become a regular stop on Sikh heritage tours of Pakistan alongside sites such as Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur.
When Sikh pilgrims visit
Foreign Sikh pilgrims come as part of organised jathas (pilgrim groups) that travel to Pakistan on pilgrim visas for specific religious calendar dates, arranged through the Evacuee Trust Property Board and Sikh community bodies rather than as independent tourists. The busiest times at Babe di Ber are Guru Nanak's birthday (Gurpurab, usually in November) and Baisakhi in April, when the gurdwara holds an Akhand Path (a continuous reading of the scripture) and kirtan (devotional singing), and pilgrim groups from India, the UK and Canada visit alongside the local community.
If you want to see the gurdwara at its most active, plan around one of these dates, though exact pilgrim visa arrangements and travel dates are set year to year and are worth checking with local Sikh community contacts before you build a trip around them.
Visiting as a Pakistani or local visitor
For Pakistani visitors, this is simply a heritage and religious site you can visit like any other in the city, with no visa or special permission needed. A few points of etiquette apply, as at any gurdwara:
- Dress modestly and cover your head before entering the main prayer hall.
- Remove your shoes at the entrance to the hall.
- Photography is generally fine in the grounds; ask before photographing inside the prayer hall itself.
- If langar (the free communal meal served at gurdwaras) is being served, it is open to everyone, and sitting down to eat with other visitors is part of the tradition rather than something reserved for Sikhs only.
Getting there
Gurdwara Babe di Ber is inside Sialkot city, a short drive from the main bazaar area, and is easy to combine with other stops if you are visiting on a Punjab road trip or day out from Lahore. Our travel guide has more on planning short trips across Punjab's historic and religious sites.
Is it worth visiting?
If you are in Sialkot for the sports goods industry, the leather market or a wedding, the gurdwara is a worthwhile half-hour stop: a genuinely old and now well-restored building, with a tree that has stood through five centuries of the city's history. For most Pakistani travellers it will not be the reason to plan a trip to Sialkot on its own, but it is one of the more interesting places to combine with a visit to the city's markets or its more famous shrines.
Frequently asked questions
Who can visit Gurdwara Babe di Ber?
Anyone. It is open daily and free to enter for Pakistani visitors, and Sikh pilgrims from abroad visit through organised pilgrim groups on specific religious dates.
What is the significance of the ber tree?
It is the tree under which Sikh tradition says Guru Nanak sat during his stay in Sialkot in the early 16th century, and it is said to be more than 500 years old.
Do I need a permit to visit?
No, Pakistani visitors need no permit. Foreign Sikh pilgrims travel on pilgrim visas arranged through the Evacuee Trust Property Board and Sikh community organisations, not as independent tourists.
When is the gurdwara busiest?
Around Guru Nanak's birthday (Gurpurab) in November and Baisakhi in April, when pilgrim groups from India and abroad visit alongside the local community for Akhand Path and kirtan.
Is there a dress code?
Cover your head and remove your shoes before entering the prayer hall, and dress modestly, as you would at any place of worship.
