Gurdwara Beri Sahib

About

Set in the historic city of Sialkot in Punjab, Pakistan, Gurdwara Beri Sahib, also known as Baba Beri or Gurdwara Babe Di Ber, takes its name from the venerable beri or berry tree under which Guru Nanak is said to have stayed during his travels. The tree, still standing within the shrine grounds, is honoured as a living witness to the Guru's presence.

It was here that Guru Nanak met Hamza Ghaus, a Sufi saint of Sialkot, in an encounter that Sikh memory cherishes as one of the many conversations the founder of Sikhi held with seekers from every tradition. The shrine was later raised by Natha Singh and grew into a complex with a garden, a pool, and rooms for visiting pilgrims.

The gurdwara suffered damage in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid dispute of 1992, when a high tower attached to the complex was demolished by an angry crowd. It has since been carefully restored and reopened to pilgrims during the 2010s, and access for Indian Sikh pilgrims was restored in November 2012, reconnecting the shrine to the wider sangat across the border.

Significance

The beri tree at the heart of the gurdwara stands as a quiet sign of Guru Nanak's vision of universal brotherhood, where Sikh and Sufi met in mutual respect. For pilgrims from across India, Pakistan, and the diaspora, a visit to Beri Sahib is part of the long path of yatra to the places of the Guru's travels in the western Punjab.