LAHORE, Sept 20: Sikh devotees from around the world arrived at Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur on Friday to participate in the rituals to mark the 485th death anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh faith.
A large number of local and foreign Sikh pilgrims are participating in the three-day rituals that began on Friday.
Indian Sikhs will attend the rituals through the Kartarpur Corridor. According to Kartarpur Project Management Unit Deputy Secretary Saifullah Khokhar, some 500 Sikh pilgrims have arrived here from different countries including Canada, America, Australia Europe, Canada, and Australia.
Over 1,500 Sikhs are expected to come here from India to attend the rituals via Kartarpur Corridor.
“A life-size bronze statue of Baba Guru Nanak’s first Muslim disciple and servant — Bhai Mardana — will be installed near Gurdwara Darbar Sahib,” Khokhar said and added the visiting Sikh pilgrims will be offered prasad (blessed food) made from dates and other fruits from Guru Nanak’s Garden.
The three-day ritual begins with the recitation of “Arambh Sri Akhand Path Sahib,” and on Saturday “Nagar Kirtan” (religious procession) will take place.
Pakistan’s first Sikh Minister for Minority Affairs, Ramesh Singh Arora from Punjab province, will also take part in the rituals.
Guru Nanak Ji, the founder of Sikhism, was born to Baba Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta in Nankana Sahib and died on September 22, 1539, at the age of 70.
Kartarpur Sahib is the final resting place of Guru Nanak.
In June, the restored statue of the first ruler of the Sikh Empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, which was earlier damaged by religious extremists, was unveiled at Kartarpur Sahib in the presence of over 450 visiting Indian Sikhs.
“We have installed Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s statue at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, primarily that Indian Sikhs visiting here across the border using the corridor could also see it. Besides, at Kartarpur better security will also be ensured about the statue of the Sikh leader that was vandalised earlier at Lahore Fort,” Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora who is also president (pardhan) of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) had told PTI.
Kartarpur Sahib is located in Pakistan’s Narowal district across the Ravi River, about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine. (PTI)
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