LAHORE: Around 2,200 Sikh pilgrims crossed over to Pakistan by train on Friday to take part in 10-day Baisakhi celebrations from April 12 to 21. The day falls on April 14 (Sunday) this year.

The pilgrims left Lahore for Panja Sabih (Hassan Abdal), one of the holiest shrines for the community, in the afternoon. Officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Gurduwara Parbadhak Committee received the pilgrims at Wagah railways station.

Leader of the pilgrims Sardar Rawinder Singh Khalsa thanked the ETPB and the government of Pakistan for making elaborate arrangements to welcome and host the visitors. He took the occasion to request for additional visas for 550 birthday celebrations of the founder of the Sikh religion Baba Guru Nanak. He also urged Pakistan to quickly complete the Kartarpur corridor for permanently facilitating the visitors and sought permission for building community guest houses at Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib to further facilitate the pilgrimage.

Sardar Ranjeet Singh, who heads the Dehli Gurdawara Management Committee, told reporters that such visits not only helped the community perform religious rites but also helped strengthen social contact between both sides of the border, which was necessary for peace and cooperation.

Sardar Tara Singh of the Pakistan Sikh Gurduwara Parbadhak Committee said that all arrangements for pilgrimage were complete and over 25,000 are expected to take part in the celebrations at Panja Sahib on Sunday.

The government is expecting 20,000 local Sikhs and another 1,500 from other parts of the world to join celebrations that would take place Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib, and Kartarpur Sahib.

ETPB chief Tahir Ehsan welcomed the pilgrims at Wahga Railways station and also promised same hospitality and visa facilitation for the birthday celebration of Baba Guru Nanak.

According to ETPB officials, after Sunday celebrations, pilgrims will reach Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib on April 15. They will later depart for Gurdwara Sacha Sauda in Farooqabad on April 17. After reaching Lahore on April 18, they will stay at Gurdwara Dehra Sahib. On April 19, pilgrims will return to Lahore after a one-day visit to Gurdwara Kartarpur in Narowal. After participating in the Baisakhi Mela seminar in Lahore, pilgrims will return to India on April 21 after a one-day stay in Lahore.

The day has religious significance for the Sikh community on two accounts: it marks formation of the Khalsa Panth of warriors by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 and beginning of the New Year (harvesting season).

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2019