Gurdwara Panja Sahib sits in Hasan Abdal, about 45 km northwest of Islamabad on the old Grand Trunk Road, and it is one of the holiest sites in Sikhism. A boulder inside the complex carries what is venerated as the handprint of Guru Nanak, the faith's founder, and a spring said to have been opened by him still runs beneath it. Pakistanis of any background can visit on an ordinary day; the crowds arrive each spring for Vaisakhi, when thousands of Sikh pilgrims travel from India.
This guide covers the handprint legend, the gurdwara's history, what happens during the Vaisakhi gathering, and what a non-Sikh visitor should know before going in.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Location | Hasan Abdal, Attock district, on the GT Road |
| From Islamabad | About 45 km, under an hour by car |
| Entry | Free, open to visitors of any faith |
| Dress | Cover your head and remove your shoes before entering |
| Busiest time | Vaisakhi, mid-April, when Sikh pilgrims arrive from India |
The legend of the handprint
The story told at Panja Sahib dates to 1521, when Guru Nanak and his companion Bhai Mardana are said to have stopped in Hasan Abdal on a long preaching journey. Mardana was thirsty, but the only water in the area came from a spring controlled by a hermit on the hill above, Wali Qandhari, who refused to share it. In the version told at the gurdwara, Guru Nanak caused a spring to open at his feet instead, and Wali Qandhari, angered, rolled a boulder down the hill at him. Guru Nanak stopped it with his hand, leaving a handprint (panja) pressed into the stone, which gives the site its name.
The boulder, with a pool of spring water running beneath it, stands inside the gurdwara's main hall and is the object every pilgrim comes to see and touch.
From shrine to gurdwara
Hasan Abdal already had a reputation as a place of springs and holy men before Guru Nanak's visit; the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang recorded a sacred spring here in the 7th century. The structure that became Gurdwara Panja Sahib was built up over the following centuries and, according to Sikh tradition, was substantially developed by Hari Singh Nalwa, the Sikh Empire's most prominent general, who is credited with naming it Panja Sahib.
Today the gurdwara is administered by the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee under the federal government, alongside Nankana Sahib and other Sikh shrines in Punjab.
Vaisakhi: when the pilgrims arrive
Every April, Pakistan issues visas to Sikh pilgrims from India under a decades-old bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines, and thousands travel by road from the Wagah border to Punjab's Sikh sites. In 2026 more than 2,800 pilgrims from India crossed for the Vaisakhi season, joining pilgrims from elsewhere for a total of more than 26,000 people at the festival's peak, with the main ceremony held at Panja Sahib. If you are visiting Hasan Abdal for a quiet look at the site, avoid the festival week: the gurdwara and the town around it are at their most crowded, and access for casual sightseers is limited while the pilgrimage is under way.
Outside the festival, the gurdwara receives a steady trickle of Pakistani and foreign visitors and is far calmer.
Visiting as a non-Sikh
Anyone can enter, and the welcome is generally warm, but a few customs matter:
- Cover your head. A scarf, cap or handkerchief is enough; the gurdwara can usually provide one if you don't have your own.
- Remove your shoes before entering the main hall, and leave them at the racks provided.
- Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, as you would at any shrine in Pakistan.
- You are not expected to bow or make an offering. You can walk through respectfully and watch the ceremonies without taking part in them.
- Photography of the sanctum is often restricted during prayers; ask before pointing a camera at people or the boulder itself.
If you time it right, you may be offered langar, the free communal meal served at every gurdwara to anyone present, Sikh or not.
Getting there and combining the visit
Hasan Abdal is a short detour off the GT Road between Islamabad and Peshawar, and most visitors combine it with a day that also takes in the ruins at Taxila, which lie roughly 15 km away on the same road. If you have your own car, the drive from Islamabad or Rawalpindi is straightforward; if not, wagons and buses running the GT Road route from Rawalpindi's terminals pass through Hasan Abdal and can drop you close to the gurdwara. Our trip planning page can help if you want to build a longer Punjab heritage day around it.
Frequently asked questions
Can non-Sikhs visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib?
Yes. It is open to visitors of any faith on ordinary days, free of charge. Cover your head, remove your shoes at the entrance, and dress modestly.
What is the handprint at Panja Sahib?
A mark on a boulder inside the gurdwara that Sikh tradition holds was left by Guru Nanak's hand when he stopped a boulder rolled at him by a hostile hermit, in a story dated to 1521.
When do Sikh pilgrims visit Panja Sahib?
The main pilgrimage season is Vaisakhi in mid-April, when Sikh pilgrims from India cross at Wagah under a bilateral visa protocol to attend ceremonies at Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and other shrines.
How far is Hasan Abdal from Islamabad?
About 45 km, under an hour's drive on the GT Road, and easily combined with a visit to Taxila, which is on the same route.
Is there an entry fee?
No. Entry to the gurdwara is free for all visitors.
