TAXILA: The Sikh temple at Gurdwara Punja Sahib on Friday echoed with slogans by Indian devotees as they crossed into Pakistan for the first time since deadly May clashes had closed the land border between the two countries.

Over 2, 000 Indian Sikh pilgrims arrived here to offer their rituals in connection with the 556 birth celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak - the founder of the Sikh religion.

Thousands of devotees, barefoot in reverence for sanctity of the land that is the birthplace of the founder of their religion, poured into the temple. Men dressed in orange robes and swords in their belts along with women and children dressed in colourful attire came to offer their religious rituals, including Akhand Paath (uninterrupted recitation of scriptures), Matha Tekna (bowing before the shrine), sacred bathing and Shabad Kirtan (devotional singing).

The rituals began early in the morning on Friday when hundreds of pilgrims bathed in the gurdwara’s holy pond. The gurdwara was lit up and decorated with flowers, banners, flags and posters depicting Sikh rituals. Several congregations were held to recall Baba Guru Nanak’s message of peace, love and brotherhood. Special prayers were offered, and hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib were sung. Pilgrims pledged to comply with the teachings of the guru.

Free sweets and langar, community lunches were also offered. Men, women and children participated in the karseva as service to the community in which they prepared food and distributed it in the Guru ka Langar.

Prominent Sikh leaders, including Jathedar Akal Takht Kuldip Singh Gurgaj, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee leader Bibi Gurinder Kaur and Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee leader Ravinder Singh Sweeta were among those who arrived from India to attend the celebrations. A significant number of Sikh pilgrims from around the world, including United States, Canada and Australia, as well as different parts of Pakistan, are participating in the religious festivities.

Tarnjeet Kaur, 62, from Amritsar termed her visit to the Sikh temple in Hassanabdal a turning point in her life as it was her last wish to touch the stone imprint with the founder of her religion.

“It seems I am in my dreams as a few weeks ago it seemed impossible for us to visit Pakistan as deadly clashes in May had closed the land border between two countries suspending previous two important pilgrimages in the month of June.”

Bibi Gurinder Kaur, leader of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, expressed deep reverence for the sacred sites in Pakistan. “This land holds the spirit of our Guru. For us, it is as holy as Makkah and Madina are to Muslims,” she said.

Kuldeep Singh Gurgaj, group leader of Akal Takht, praised Pakistan’s efforts in preserving Sikh religious sites.

“We are always received with respect and love. The care shown to our holy places is deeply appreciated,” he noted. “We are grateful to the Pakistani government, particularly the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) for making arrangements for the protection of Gurdwaras in Pakistan,” he said.

Dr Sardar Balvinder Singh urged for the opening of Kartarpur corridor as now pilgrimage relations between two countries normalised. “Pakistan is the only country where the government spends millions annually on Sikh gurdwaras’ decoration,” said Permeet Kaur from Ludhiana. She said she was overjoyed to see the upkeep of their worship places and facilities provided to the Sikh community in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2025