Photo: Express News
Lahore: About 200 Indian pilgrims have arrived in Pakistan to celebrate the 417th birth anniversary of Arjun Devji, the fifth Guru of Sikhs.
The main anniversary event will be held on June 16 at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore. On the other hand, a 90-member delegation of Pakistani Hindus has gone to India for a religious pilgrimage.
The Indian pilgrims were received at the Wagah border by Additional Secretary Shrines of the Abandoned Waqf Estate Board, Rana Shahid Saleem and Sardar Amir Singh, Chairman of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
On this occasion, Sardar Gurbachan Singh, the leader of the group of Sikh pilgrims coming from India, said that the land of Pakistan is very sacred for Sikhs all over the world. Pakistan is their second home, the love and respect they get here cannot be described in words. He also thanked the Government of Pakistan for the excellent arrangements.
Rana Shahid Saleem, Additional Secretary of Matukah Waqf Property Board, said that it is our responsibility to protect and maintain the sacred religious places of all religions including Sikhs in Pakistan, minorities have full religious freedom in Pakistan. Pakistan has issued a 10-day visa to Indian pilgrims.
In response to a question, he said that the doors of Pakistan are always open for Indian pilgrims. Pakistan has made an agreement for the arrival of 5,000 pilgrims daily through the Kartarpur Corridor. If 10,000 pilgrims want to come daily, we will welcome them. Indian pilgrims should ask their government why it prevents them from coming to Pakistan or why pilgrims don’t want to come.
Sardar Amir Singh while explaining the schedule of engagements of Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan said that the main anniversary ceremony will be held on June 16 in Gurudwara Dera Sahib Lahore. Pilgrims were taken to Gurdwara Panja Sahib Hasan Abdal from Wagah border. On June 10, the Indian guests will visit Nankana Sahib, on June 13, they will visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, and after a one-night stay, they will visit Gurdwara Ruri Sahib Aminabad on June 15. After attending the main anniversary ceremony at Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore on June 16, the pilgrims will return to India on June 17.
Gurvarjan Dev died in 1606, Gurdwara Dera Sahib of Lahore is attributed to him. Gurvarjan Dev was the son of Guru Ram Das Ji, the fourth Sikh. He began compiling the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book known as the Adi Granth.
He completed the construction of Harmandarsahib (Golden Temple) while laying the foundations of the cities of Tarn Taran, Jalandhar and Kartarpur. He made it mandatory for Sikhs to give one-tenth of their income to Gurudwaras and started a series of langarkhanas.
On the other hand, 90 Hindu citizens, including women and children, from interior Sindh have gone to India for religious pilgrimage. Mohan Kuru, head of the delegation of Hindu pilgrims, said that they have a 25-day visa and are going to perform religious rituals at Haridwar, which is the holiest place for Hindus.
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