Gurdwara Darbar Sahib In Pakistan Receives A Footfall Of Over 240 Indian Sikh Devotees To Mark The Auspicious Occasion Of Guru Nanak's 552nd Birth Anniversary

With Indian government's reopening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from its side on Wednesday, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib received a healthy footfall of devotees on the eve of Gurupurab.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 19 November 2021 1:12 pm

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, recorded a footfall of more than 240 Sikh Pilgrims arriving from India to take part in the 552nd birth anniversary celebrations of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev.

The pilgrims used the Kartarpur Corridor on the third day of the reopening of the route which was suspended for some 20 months following the COVID-19 outbreak in March. Over 2,500 Sikhs from India, who arrived here through the Wagah border, and a large number of local pilgrims participated in the ceremony.Celebrations also included the ‘Nagar Kirtan’ procession and a ‘Palki’ procession was taken out from Janamasthan which was moved to the other eight gurdwaras in Nankana Sahib. Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Noorul Haq Qadri was the chief guest at the ceremony in Nankana Sahib. Langar (community feast) was arranged for all pilgrims, as dozens of Sikh women chopped vegetables, kneaded flour, and made bread in the gurdwara kitchens. Kar Seva is considered a religious duty in the Sikh faith.

At Kartarpur, Bibi Jagir Kaur, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), along with a delegation visited the temple. “A total of 242 Indians, including deputy chief minister of Punjab and Jagir Kaur, visited Kartarpur Sahab today,” Kartarpur Corridor Project Management Unit chief executive officer Muhammad Latif told reporters.
Opposition Pakistan People’s Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said in a statement that it was the late Benazir Bhutto who had first given the proposal of building a visa-free Kartarpur Corridor. “Today we need more interfaith harmony,” Bilawal said and welcomed Sikhs in Pakistan on this occasion.

“Wishing 552nd Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jayanti to all Sikhs around the world. On this auspicious occasion, we welcome thousands of Sikhs to visit their religious sites in Pakistan. I reiterate my govt’s commitment to continue facilitating them to perform their religious rituals,” Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet.

In November 2019, Prime Minister Imran Khan had formally inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor as part of the commemoration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak in a colorful ceremonial celebration, paving the way for Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit one of their religion's holiest sites in Pakistan without needing a visa.

With PTI Inputs