Pakistan (Commonwealth Union)_ The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has granted more than 3,000 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims, allowing them to travel to Pakistan and attend the celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The 10-day festival, which runs from November 14 to November 23, 2024, will see the pilgrims visiting some of the holiest Sikh sites in Pakistan. Accordingly, in an official statement shared on X, the Pakistan High Commission confirmed the issuance of the visas and extended a warm invitation to the pilgrims. The statement read, “The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued over 3,000 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the Birthday Celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji, to be held in Pakistan from 14-23 November 2024”.
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Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires, Saad Ahmad Warraich, also extended his best wishes to the Indian pilgrims. In a message, Warraich extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Sikh community and wished the pilgrims a fulfilling yatra (journey). He stated, “We are pleased to facilitate this important pilgrimage and look forward to welcoming Sikh devotees to Pakistan”. The Indian pilgrims will visit several significant sites associated with Guru Nanak Dev Ji, including Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib, the place of Guru Nanak’s birth, as well as Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Gurdwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore, and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. These Gurdwaras are key destinations for Sikhs and hold immense religious and cultural significance.
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Guru Nanak Jayanti, also known as Gurpurab, is one of the most important religious celebrations for Sikhs worldwide. The festival is the celebration of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He is the founder of Sikhism and was born in 1469 in Nankana Sahib, located in present-day Pakistan. Guru Nanak’s teachings of equality, tolerance, and devotion to the Divine continue to guide millions of Sikhs around the world. The Gurpurab celebrations feature fervent devotion, prayers, and spiritual gatherings in Gurdwaras. Sikhs gather to recite hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism, and partake in the sacred langar, a community meal that embodies the spirit of selfless service. The recitation of prayers, devotional music, and the offering of ‘kada prasad’, a sweet offering considered a blessing, also mark the day.
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The pilgrimage to Pakistan is particularly significant this year, as it offers an opportunity for Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit some of the holiest sites linked to their faith that lie in Pakistan. One of the most prominent of these is the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, where Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent the last years of his life and passed away in 1539. The Kartarpur Sahib corridor, which opened in 2019, has made it easier for Indian Sikhs to visit the site, as it allows pilgrims to cross into Pakistan without requiring a visa, a historic development that has been hailed as a “Corridor of Hope.” Furthermore, the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor was a major diplomatic initiative by Pakistan, designed to promote goodwill and boost the bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. It has been widely appreciated both in India and abroad, including by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who called the corridor a “Corridor of Hope.” This initiative has allowed millions of Sikhs to visit their sacred sites in Pakistan, which had previously been difficult to access due to border restrictions.
As the Indian Sikh pilgrims prepare to cross into Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border on November 14, they are expected to participate in the Gurpurab celebrations at Nankana Sahib on November 15. The pilgrimage will be a spiritual journey for the devotees, many of whom will be marking the occasion with deep reverence and devotion. For many Sikhs, visiting these sacred sites in Pakistan is a lifelong dream and an opportunity to connect with their faith’s rich history. Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings continue to inspire people across the world, and the annual Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations serve as a reminder of his message of peace, unity, and equality. This year’s celebrations in Pakistan promise to be a momentous occasion for the Sikh community and an important step in fostering religious and cultural ties between India and Pakistan.
