Places to Visit in Sheikhupura: Hiran Minar and Beyond

The main places to visit in Sheikhupura are Hiran Minar, Jahangir's deer tower and water tank; the walls of the Mughal fort in the city; Waris Shah's tomb at Jandiala Sher Khan; and Gurdwara Sacha Sauda near Farooqabad. The city is about 38 km north-west of Lahore, so the district works best as a day trip from Lahore or a stop on the M2 between Lahore and Islamabad.

Sheikhupura is an industrial city of almost 600,000 people rather than a tourist town, and it does not try to be one. What it has is a cluster of Mughal, Sikh and Sufi sites within half an hour of each other. This guide goes through them in order of how much they reward a visit, then covers getting there and a simple day plan.

Why visit Sheikhupura?

The city began as a Mughal hunting ground. The emperor Jahangir hunted here, built a fort around 1607 and gave the place its name: Shekhu was the pet name his mother used for him. Two of his buildings survive, and they are the reason most people come.

The wider district also holds the birthplace and tomb of Waris Shah, the poet of Heer Ranjha, and one of the Sikh shrines linked to the young Guru Nanak. Until 2005 the district also included Nankana Sahib, which is now its own district but remains a short drive away.

Hiran Minar

If you see one thing in Sheikhupura, make it Hiran Minar. It is a brick tower about 30 metres high, raised by Jahangir in memory of his pet antelope Mansraj, beside a huge rectangular water tank roughly 229 by 273 metres. In the middle of the tank is an octagonal two-storey pavilion reached by a causeway of 21 arches, added later under Shah Jahan.

It has been a protected monument since 1916 and is on Pakistan's tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status. Unlike the fort, it is open, maintained and popular with families, who come for the tank and the space as much as the history. It is just off the M2, which even has a Hiran Minar interchange.

For the full story, what is on site and how to plan a visit, see our Hiran Minar guide.

Sheikhupura Fort

The fort Jahangir ordered in the south-east of the city still stands as a square of high brick walls with octagonal corner bastions and a Mughal gateway. Inside is the haveli of Datar Kaur, a wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, once covered in Kangra-style paintings, and the British later held Maharani Jind Kaur here under house arrest.

The catch is that the fort has been closed to the public for years because parts are unsafe, and the interior is badly damaged. Plan to see it from outside unless you have arranged a supervised visit with the archaeology department. Our Sheikhupura Fort guide covers its history, condition and how to ask for access.

Waris Shah's tomb, Jandiala Sher Khan

Jandiala Sher Khan, a small town about 13 km north of Sheikhupura, is where Waris Shah was born and where he is buried. He wrote the best-known version of Heer Ranjha in the eighteenth century, and his tomb draws people who know the poem, especially during his annual urs, when singers perform passages from Heer.

The town has a second, less-visited sight: a Mughal-era baoli (step-well) attributed to Sher Khan, who settled here in Akbar's time, built around a central domed chamber with eight smaller rooms. Ask locally for directions; it is not signposted as a visitor attraction.

Our guide to Waris Shah's tomb covers the shrine and its urs in detail.

Gurdwara Sacha Sauda, Farooqabad

Farooqabad, called Chuharkana until 1983, is about 55 km west of Lahore on the Sargodha road along the M2. Its gurdwara marks the place where the young Guru Nanak is said to have spent the money his father gave him for trade on feeding holy men, the "true bargain" of its name. Sikh pilgrims from around the world still come here.

It is a working place of worship, quiet and rural. Cover your head, remove your shoes and follow the instructions of the staff. See our Gurdwara Sacha Sauda guide for the story and how to visit respectfully.

Other places in the district

• Sharaqpur Sharif. A town on the eastern bank of the Ravi, close to Lahore, known for the shrine of the Sufi saint Mian Sher Muhammad Sharaqpuri. It is busiest during the annual urs.
• Maryamabad. A village in the district that hosts the National Marian Shrine, the focus of Pakistan's largest Catholic pilgrimage every September. It is a religious event rather than a sightseeing stop, so go only if you intend to take part respectfully.
• Nankana Sahib. No longer part of Sheikhupura district, but close by and the most important Sikh pilgrimage town in Pakistan, as the birthplace of Guru Nanak. See our Nankana Sahib guide.

How to get to Sheikhupura

• From Lahore: about 38 km, either on the Lahore to Sheikhupura road or on the M2 motorway to the Sheikhupura interchange. Allow about an hour, more at rush hour.
• From Islamabad: take the M2 towards Lahore and leave at the Sheikhupura or Hiran Minar interchange. It is too far for a relaxed day trip from the capital, so it works best as a break on the drive to Lahore.
• By public transport: buses and vans run between Lahore and Sheikhupura. In the city, rickshaws are the easiest way between the fort and Hiran Minar. For Jandiala Sher Khan and Farooqabad, a hired car is far more practical.

A day in Sheikhupura from Lahore

1. Leave Lahore by 8 or 9 am and drive to Sheikhupura.
2. Hiran Minar first, while it is cool and quiet. Allow one to two hours.
3. Sheikhupura Fort, a short look at the walls and gateway from outside, 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Lunch in the city.
5. Jandiala Sher Khan in the early afternoon for Waris Shah's tomb.
6. Gurdwara Sacha Sauda at Farooqabad if time allows, or save it for a separate trip combined with Nankana Sahib.
7. Back in Lahore by evening, avoiding the drive after dark if you are not used to the roads.

When is the best time to go?

October to March is the comfortable season, with mild days for walking around Hiran Minar's tank. Winter mornings can be foggy in central Punjab, and motorway sections are sometimes closed in dense fog, so check before setting out on December and January mornings.

April to September is hot, and the open ground at Hiran Minar has little shade in the middle of the day. If you go in summer, arrive early or come for the late afternoon.

Is Sheikhupura worth visiting?

Yes, as a day trip, if you enjoy Mughal history or Punjabi poetry. Hiran Minar alone justifies the drive from Lahore, and the fort walls and Waris Shah's tomb add depth without adding much distance. Families who mainly want a picnic will be happy at Hiran Minar and can skip the rest.

It is not a place to stay overnight for sightseeing; Lahore has far better hotels and is only an hour away. If you have only one free day in Lahore and have not yet seen Lahore Fort and the Walled City, see those first. For more trip ideas, see our destinations page.

Frequently asked questions