Amid cold response, Indian pilgrims reach Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan to kickstart Guru Nanak’s birthday celebrations

The Indian delegation included Silk organisations like SGPC (Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee), DSGMC, Management Committee Takht Sri Patna Sahib and Sri Hazur Sahib.

The SGPC delegation arrived in Pakistan two days ago but initially they were denied permission to begin Akhand Path. Later after various meetings it was permitted.

Some 500 Indian Sikh pilgrims reached Pakistan side to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak at his birthplace, Nankana Sahib, on Aug 1.

This followed after India and Pakistan agreed to  a new border access for Sikh pilgrims of India to visit a holy Sikh site at Katarpur in Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Sikhism founder Guru Nanak was born in 1469 in a  village near the Pakistani city of Lahore. But pilgrims had to procure visa and travel to Lahore and then reach the holy place by road.  The direct and visa-free access to the holy site is now possible with the opening of the Katarpur corridor since the place is actually only  4 km away from the Indian border.

"The joint Delegation of Sikh Bodies from India is comprised of people from SGPC, DSGMC, Management Committee Takht Sri Patna Sahib and Sri Hazur Sahib. The Joint delegation reached Sri Nankana Sahib on Tuesday and hence, they will begin the journey with the International Nagar Kirtan from August 1, 2019," reported PTC News.

According to some reports, none from the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) was present  at Nankana Sahib during the initiation of Akhand Path. 

The SGPC delegation from India received a cold response from Pakistan, reports said.

The Indian group reached Pakistan by crossing Attari-Wagah border.

This is the first time such an event is taking place in Pakistan since the partition of India and Pakistan took place in 1947.

"The SGPC has initiated ‘akhand path’ at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib at 7.30 am today in the presence of SGPC chief secretary Dr Roop Singh, SGPC member Rajinder Singh Mehta and Golden Temple additional manager Ravinder Singh Rubi. The opening ardas was performed by Gurdwara Nankana Sahib priest Bhai Daya Singh and the ‘hukumnama’ was delivered by head granthi Bhai Prem Singh," reported The Tribune yesterday.

According to the newspaper, the ‘bhog’ of ‘akhand path’ will be performed two days later on Thursday upon which as the tradition goes, the Panj Pyaras would lead the nagar kirtan.

Kartarpur Sahib Corridor:

Earlier this month,  the second round of talks between India and Pakistan on the modalities for operationalisation of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for facilitating Sikh pilgrimage was held at Wagah in Pakistan.

The Indian delegation was led by S.C.L. Das, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Government of Punjab and the National Highway Authorities of India.

The meeting discussed the modalities and draft Agreement for the facilitation of pilgrims on the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, as also the infrastructure being developed for the corridor.

It reviewed the progress reached in the three rounds of technical meeting that were held in March, April and May 2019.

Displaying commitment for the Kartarpur corridor, India on June 29 offered fresh dates for talks seeking to break the deadlock.

The first round of parleys were held on March 14 on the Indian side of Attari-Wagah border.

The second round of talks originally scheduled to be held on April 2 was deferred by New Delhi after Pakistan government had appointed pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Singh Chawla in a panel associated with the Kartarpur corridor.

The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district in India and facilitate movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims.