Nanakmatta: Significance, History and How to Reach

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Introduction of Nanakmatta

Nanakmatta, an extremely breathtaking town of significance for Sikhs is settled on the banks of a Deoha Stream. It comes under the Udham Singh Nagar of Kumaon, Uttarakhand State. The Deoha river stream present there now has been diverted into a Nanak Sagar Reservoir. This reservoir itself is a tourist attraction. 

Besides that, this ancient town, Nanakmatta is named after one of the sacred voyage sites of Sikhs, Gurdwara Nanak Matta Sahib. Mainly, the town has tourism significance because of this famous Gurudwara only. If you are imagining Nanakmatta Gurudwara as an ordinary one, then it’s not like that. Because this Gurudwara is spread over a large area and has been architectured in a magnificent way. In addition, there are several small spots, which make this place even more special. 

Many devotees are pilgrimaging this famous Gurudwara, a revered Shrine in the town throughout the year. 

On the other hand, sometimes, we all want to go to some nearby peaceful place, where we can relax and refresh ourselves. This is one of those places, that will infuse you with the much-needed mental peace and spirituality on expanding very less. So let’s read this article to learn more about this short trip place. 

Nanakmatta History: 

Earlier, the town was home to Siddha Yogis. They used to live here and practice their way of meditation. We can say that it was previously known as Gorakhnath or Gorakh Matta. But later around the 16th Century A.D., when the first Guru of Sikhs, Guru Nanak Ji visited the site for meditation in his Udasi period. It was renamed Nanakmatta to keep alive the memory of his visit. 

The legends say that an intellectual and philosophical discourse happened at this place between Guru Nanak Ji and Siddha Yogis. The various deep concepts of life have been discussed and debated. At present time, this might be one of the reasons why this place Nanakmatta Sahib Gurudwara has too powerful spiritual energies. 

About the Nanakmatta Gurudwara: 

About 15 km west of Khatima, this popular Gurudwara of Nanakmatta is located on the route of Rudrapur that connects with Tanakpur.  It is in the surroundings of Sitaraganj town. 

The Gurdwara is highly visited because it is one of the three holy and pious sites of the Sikh community in Uttarakhand. The other two sites are Gurudwara Reetha Sahib and Gurudwara Hemkunt Sahib. Gurudwara Hemkunt Sahib is situated near the Badrinath route and very close to the Valley of Flowers.

The lore of Sikhs says that this eponymous shrine of the town is primarily associated with the Guru Nanak Dev Ji. However, this exact place was visited by Baba Almast Sahib and Baba Hargobind Sahib also in the later periods. Somewhere, they both also contributed to making this place close to God. 

The people also mention that Guru Nanak Ji was on his way to Kailash Parvat when he visited here in 1515 AD. 

Religious significance of Nanakmatta:

With the association of Guru Nanak Ji and also Guru Hargobind Ji, this place carries a lot of religious significance in the Sikh religion. According to the Sikhs’ beliefs, during the 3rd Udasi in 1515 AD, Guru Nanak Ji visited here himself and turned this place into a divine sanctum. 

In the complex of the Gurudwara, there still exists a peepal tree, known as Panja Sahib. Under this tree, Guru Nanak Ji had meditated. And there’s a well where he had stored the milk called Doodh Wala Kuan in present times. 

Similar to all other Gurudwaraa, a Sarovar also exists on the premises. The Sarovar is built on a large area and consists of pure transparent water. We must say that this Sarovar enhances the beauty of the entire Nanakmatta Sahib Gurudwara ji. 

There is also a huge dam built on the banks of the Saryu River that attracts a lot of devotees, offers scenic views, and serves as a fair spot for picnics and other water activities. This dam adds to the natural beauty of the district. 

Why should you visit Nanakmatta?

The place in itself holds a very important event in the life of Guru Nanak Ji. So to understand the chronology of his life events, one must come here. If you belong to the Sikh community, then it’s an important pilgrimage for you. And whenever your soul feels disturbed, you must visit here. The positive energies of this place will shower you with blessings and optimism. 

Apart from the said factor, devotees and people with a secular approach should visit the place. And they should experience the serenity which blends in the atmosphere here and provides your soul a great purification from any chaos of life. 

Interestingly, the college students of nearby cities like Bareilly, Haldwani, Rudrapur, Pilibhit, and others prefer this place Nanakmatta Sahib Gurudwara to visit. In simple words, Nanakmatta is considered a one-day tour site by a lot of people residing in nearby towns of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Nanakmatta Location: 

Here’s a glimpse of the Nanakmatta location, so that you can plan your visit accordingly. Firstly, you should know that some of the closest small towns around Nanakmatta are Kishanpur, Bhikampur, Nabadiya, and Mohammadganj. 

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Distance of Nanakmatta from: 

Here, we shall share the distance between Nanakmatta and other nearby cities. Additionally, we shall share some of the routes to reach there from these locations. 

1. The distance of Nanakmatta from Khatima is 16 Km. 
2. While it’s 13 Km away from Sitarganj. 
3. Pilibhit, a city of Uttar Pradesh which is famous for the Tiger Reserve is 45 Km away from here. 
4. If you go to Nanakmatta from Pilibhit by road, then you’ll see Neoria Husainpur and Majhola on the way. 
5. Rudrapur, a nearby town is 54 Km distant from here. 
6. Bareilly, a famous city of Uttar Pradesh known for Nath Temples is 96 Km away from here. 
7. When you go to Nanakmatta from Bareilly then you’ll pass through Bhojipura, Baheri, Kichha and Sitarganj sequentially. Another route also goes to Nanakmatta via Nawabganj. So you must get the right route information from any local people residing on Bareilly corners. 
8. The distance of Nanakmatta from Tanakpur is 38 Km. Tanakpur has also a few good spots that deserve your visit. So if you have 5-6 hours more, then you can spend your time in Tanakpur as well. 
9. The distance between Purnagiri and this place is about 57 Km. Therefore, if you are coming to this part of Uttarakhand from a distant location, then you must consider visiting Purnagiri also. 
10. Nainital, the land of lakes is 98 Km away from here. Nainital is a typical Hill Station, so you should take off there if you want to enjoy perfect trip vibes. 
11. Champawat, a small town with lots of good temples is 111 Km away from here. 

How to reach Nanakmatta? 

Many motorable roads are connected well to the district and will not be any trouble for you to reach here. But for more convenience, we are here to tell you some easy and affordable routes and ways to travel to the destination. 

By Flight:

The Closest airport to the town is in Pantnagar which is 58 km away. Daily flights from the major city of India, Delhi have at least four round trips per week to Pantnagar. From the exit point of the airport, there is available local transportation that will make you reach the destination. 

By Rail: 

The railway station of Khatima is the nearest rail junction. It is also very well connected to the major destinations of the nation and frequent trains run to Khatima. Once you arrive at Khatima, various buses, vans, and taxis are available there to Nanakmatta. At a distance of 24 km this railway station is situated. 

By Road: 

Both local Buses and private buses run from ISBT Anand Vihar, Delhi to Khatima and Rudrapur which are the two nearest towns to Nanakmatta from where the town is easily accessible. With vehicles like taxis, and buses you can even book yourself a private cab which without any difficulty drops you at the site. 

Final Words on Nanakmatta:

We hope you will now have complete crisp information about Nanakmatta. All the basic and advanced information you need before planning the tour to this spiritual cum natural site is elaborated above. If you live in nearby cities, then you can come here on weekends with your kids and family. No matter, when you come here, don’t forget to eat in Langar here. It’s one of the tastiest Prasad you have ever eaten in your life. And yes, you should cover your head, before entering into the Holy Gurudwara. 

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