For the first time since Partition, the parkash purb (birth anniversary) of the 10th Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh, will be celebrated at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, the last resting place of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak, on January 5 as per the original Nanakshahi calendar.
The decision was taken by the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) as the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor to the historic gurdwara for Indian pilgrims and facelift given by the Pakistan government to the complex has made it the most visited Sikh shrine in the neighbouring country.
The PSGPC member from Kartarpur, Inderjit Singh, said over phone on Saturday: “Due to fewer devotees visiting the gurdwara earlier, only the joti jot diwas (death anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev was observed in September. Nearly 2,000 members of the sangat (community) would gather at the shrine from all over Pakistan. Besides this occasion, the gurdwara would see a sizeable gathering only when Sikh pilgrims from India would come for darshan or to pay obeisance at the historic gurdwaras as part of jathas four times in a year.”
“Now when the sangat visits this holy place in a larger number daily because of the changed situation, the PSGPC has planned three-day-long celebrations on the parkash gurpurb for the first time after Partition. Akhand path (48-hour recitation of Guru Granth Sahib) will begin on January 3. A nagar kirtan (religious procession) will be taken out within the gurdwara complex that is spread over 10 acres,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Now when the sangat visits this holy place in a larger number daily because of the changed situation, the PSGPC has planned three-day-long celebrations on the parkash gurpurb for the first time after Partition. Akhand path (48-hour recitation of Guru Granth Sahib) will begin on January 3. A nagar kirtan (religious procession) will be taken out within the gurdwara complex that is spread over 10 acres,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}FOOTFALL GOES UP
The Pakistan gurdwara body hopes to see increase in the number of devotees on Gurpurb as this time it falls on a Sunday, a weekly off in India.
“Last Sunday, about 2,000 Indian pilgrims visited the gurdwara using the corridor, which is the largest ever number so far. From Pakistan, about 8,000 devotees, who are predominantly Muslim, visit the gurdwara on Sunday. So we are hoping there will be an impressive gathering on Gurpurb,” Inderjit Singh said.
The corridor, which provides visa-free access to Indian devotees to Kartarpur Sahib, was opened on November 9. With this corridor, the gurdwara is connected to Dera Baba Nanak, a border town in Gurdaspur district.