Historic Gurudwara at the Site Where Guru Nanak Dev Ji Made a Bitter Reetha Tree Bear Sweet Fruit
Reetha Sahib is a revered Sikh pilgrimage gurudwara located about 45 km from Champawat in Uttarakhand, at the confluence of the Lohawati and Ratia rivers. It is associated with a celebrated miracle of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, who visited this site during his travels through the Himalayas. According to Sikh tradition, Guru Nanak used a reetha (soapnut) from the local tree as soap for ablutions, and thereafter the fruits of the tree — which are naturally bitter and inedible — began to grow sweet and fragrant. The tree is said to have borne sweet reetha fruits ever since, and devotees carry these sacred fruits home as prasad.
The gurudwara is set in a beautiful forested valley and the original reetha tree is preserved within its precincts. A large langar (community kitchen) serves free meals to pilgrims daily. The shrine draws devotees from across India and the Sikh diaspora, particularly during Baisakhi (April) and on Gurpurabs (Guru Nanak Jayanti in November) when a major annual fair is held. The peaceful surroundings, the river confluence and the sacred tree make Reetha Sahib a spiritually significant and naturally beautiful destination.
October to November (Guru Nanak Jayanti) for the main annual fair. April (Baisakhi) for festive celebrations. The gurudwara is open and welcoming year-round.
Nearest railway: Tanakpur (65 km). Taxi via Champawat to Reetha Sahib.
Buses from Tanakpur and Pithoragarh to Champawat; taxi 45 km onward.
45 km from Champawat; 72 km from Pithoragarh; 65 km from Tanakpur.