Pakistan's Sikh Body Invites Indian Sikhs for Three-day 'Gurupurab' Prayers at Darbar Sahib from Sept 20

Lahore: Pakistan's Sikh religious body has invited Sikh pilgrims from India to offer 'Jyoti Jyot Gurpurab' prayers at the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in the country's Punjab province next month. The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) has urged the Indian government to allow Sikh 'yatris' to attend the three-day prayers from September 20 to 22. The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which is the caretaker of religious sites of minorities in Pakistan, has endorsed the PSGPC's request.

"On August 26, a PSGPC meeting was held at Lahore. Arrangements for Jyoti Jyot Gurpurab at Kartarpur Sahib from September 20, 2020 were reviewed. The PSGPC urged the Indian government to allow Sikh 'yatris' to participate in the first 'Jyoti Jyot Gurpurab' after opening of Kartarpur Corridor," the ETPB said in a tweet. The Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across Ravi river about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India. The Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara is the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, who had spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur. The Sikh founder died on September 22, 1539. 'Jyoti Jyot' is the commemoration of his death anniversary.

In November last year, India and Pakistan opened the corridor linking Dera Baba Sahib in Gurdaspur, India to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, in a historic people-to-people initiative as part of Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary celebrations. At the time, it was decided that Indian pilgrims of all faiths would be allowed to undertake round-the-year, visa-free travel to the historic gurdwara. However, India temporarily suspended the pilgrimage on March 16 in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

"The PSGPC along with the Pakistan government is going to observe Gurpurab with religious fervour and devotion. We make an appeal to the Indian government to allow the Indian pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib on this pious occasion. We will be very happy if the Indian government allows the Sikhs to take part,” said PSGPC president Satwant Singh. He said adequate safety measures would be taken in view of the coronavirus outbreak. “We also want 'hazoori ragis' of Sri Harmandar Sahib, Amritsar, to perform kirtan at Kartarpur Sahib. We expect a minimum of 5,000 pilgrims to attend these functions daily,” Singh said.

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