Festivities commemorating the 485th death anniversary of Sikh spiritual leader Guru Nanak have begun at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.
Hundreds of Sikh pilgrims from around the globe, including those from India, the United States, Canada, and Europe, have gathered to partake in the ceremonies. The event commenced with the recitation of the Arambh Sri Akhand Path Sahib, with additional ceremonies planned, including the Nishan Sahib service and an Ardas (prayer) later in the day.
On September 21, the celebrations will culminate in a Nagar Kirtan procession, during which the statue of Guru Nanak’s first Muslim disciple, Bhai Mardana, will be unveiled. This bronze statue, crafted by Lahore’s Faqir Khana Museum, will be installed in the central Bhai Ajita Ji Bazaar area near Gurdwara Sahib.
Deputy Secretary Saifullah Khokhar from the Kartarpur Project Management Unit reported that approximately 500 Sikh pilgrims from countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia have arrived for the festivities, while around 1,500 devotees from India are expected to cross the Kartarpur Corridor.
The statue of Bhai Mardana will be prominently displayed, and devotees will also receive prasad from the garden planted by Guru Nanak, featuring dates and other fruits.
Notable attendees include Sardar Ramesh Singh, head of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, along with other committee members. Security measures and accommodations, including communal meals (langar), have been arranged for the pilgrims.
This year, however, Sikh pilgrims from India were unable to travel via the Wagah border for the anniversary. There have been longstanding requests from Sikh communities in both Pakistan and India to recognize the anniversary of the 1974 religious pilgrimage agreement between the two countries, but this request remains unaddressed.
Guru Nanak spent the final 17 years of his life in Kartarpur before his death in 1539. Following his passing, a dispute arose between his Muslim and Hindu followers regarding the handling of his remains. Sikh tradition holds that his body miraculously vanished, leaving behind only a sheet and two flowers, leading to the construction of both a grave by his Muslim devotees and a samadhi by his Hindu followers. Eventually, Gurdwara was built during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
