The 486th death anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, continued at Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan with thousands of Sikh pilgrims from Pakistan and overseas offering prayers and performing religious rituals. The three-day observance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, where Guru Nanak spent his final years, began on 20 September and entered its final day with global participation despite travel restrictions for Indian Sikh pilgrims.
Kartarpur Corridor Celebrations and Nagar Kirtan
Events at the Kartarpur Corridor included daily prayers, religious rituals, and the traditional Nagar Kirtan procession. Pakistan Sikh pilgrims and visitors from the UK, Canada, and other countries joined in devotional hymns and collective prayers inside the Darbar Sahib complex.
Indian Sikh Pilgrims Blocked by Travel Ban
Officials confirmed that thousands of Indian Sikh pilgrims could not cross into Pakistan for the Kartarpur Sahib anniversary after New Delhi maintained restrictions on corridor travel and denied visas. The closure of the Attari-Wagah land route and suspension of the Kartarpur Corridor from the Indian side prevented participation despite Pakistan’s readiness to facilitate entry for pilgrims.
According to the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Pakistan Sikh pilgrims and international visitors continued to arrive through regular visa channels. Pakistan authorities reopened the Darbar Sahib after flood-related repairs and provided facilities for safe access to the Kartarpur Corridor. Gurdwara officials confirmed that the site remained open to pilgrims from Europe, North America, and other regions.
Heavy monsoon rains earlier caused waterlogging at Kartarpur Sahib, but restoration work was completed before the anniversary began. Pakistan’s Evacuee Trust Property Board ensured cleaning, structural checks, and arrangements for continuous religious activities so that Sikh pilgrims could observe the rituals without interruption.
Although the number of Indian Sikh pilgrims was low, the Kartarpur Sahib conferences reestablished the global significance of the teachings of Baba Guru Nanak on equality, peace, and service. The continued attendance by the Pakistan Sikh pilgrims and foreign followers underlines the key position of the Kartarpur Corridor as a point of Sikh heritage and religious practices.
