E-Paper
Indian Sikh delegation to visit Pak for Gurpurab
An Indian Sikh delegation left for Pakistan on Friday for celebrating the festival of Gurpurab, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, their first Guru, on Sunday.
An Indian Sikh delegation left for Pakistan on Friday for celebrating the festival of Gurpurab, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, their first Guru, on Sunday.
The 'jatha', or group of pilgrims would visit Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev.
"We are going to Pakistan for the birthday of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev. We are very happy that we got the opportunity to visit Pakistan with this group of devotees," said Surjeet Kaur.
Guru Nanak Dev was born in 1469 in the then-undivided Punjab. Troubled by frequent conflicts between Hindu and Muslim communities, he tried to work out a synthesis of the two religions. His mission gained popularity among the masses and eventually evolved into the Sikh religion.
After his death in 1539, he was succeeded by his disciples who became Gurus or teachers in their turn.
However, there were some devotees who were left stranded in India's northern Amritsar city as they did not get the visa to visit Pakistan.
"We are going to the Nankana Sahib in Pakistan for the Sikh festival of Gurpurab. We are very happy. But some of our brothers who did not get the visa are heartbroken. They came here with lot of hope but now they are going back dejected. The government should give visa to all those who apply for it," said another devotee, Harsol Singh.
The Sikh population forms two percent of India's more than one billion population.
