Pakistan issues over 2,000 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi celebrations
The pilgrims would go to Dera Sahib, Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib during their visit.
Baisakhi celebrations: Pakistan High Commission has issued more than 2,000 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in Baisakhi celebrations. During their visit, the pilgrims would go to Dera Sahib, Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib. The visas are for celebrations from April 9 to 18.
“On the occasion of Baisakhi celebrations, the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi has issued 2,856 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the annual festival scheduled to be held in Pakistan from April 9 to 18,” the Pakistan mission said in a release.
Under the provision of a bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines, Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India visit Pakistan every year. Pakistani pilgrims also visit India every year under the protocol.
The issuance of visas to religious pilgrims by the High Commission is in line with the Government of Pakistan's commitment to fully implement the bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines between the two countries, the Pakistan Embassy in New Delhi said in a statement.
Sikh pilgrims to reach Pakistan via Wagah border
The Indian Sikh pilgrims will reach Pakistan via the Wagah border on Sunday where they will be welcomed. After immigration and customs clearance, the pilgrims will be sent to Panja Sahib Hasan Abdal by a special train, news agency ANI reported citing The Express Tribune.
Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires Salman Sharif wished pilgrims a “fulfilling journey”. He said Pakistan remains committed to preserving sacred religious places and providing necessary facilities to visiting pilgrims, the statement said.
1974 Pakistan-India Protocol
The issuance of visas is covered under the framework of the 'Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974'.Every year, a large number of Sikh pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals and occasions. The visas issued from New Delhi are in addition to the visas granted to Sikh pilgrims participating in these events from other countries.
As per the protocol, these devotees, who are given visitor visas, can only travel in groups and the number of these groups is fixed annually.
This protocol covers five Indian shrines including Ajmer’s Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Hazrat Amir Khusro in Delhi, Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani in Sirhind Sharif, Punjab and Hazrat Khwaja Alauddin Ali Ahmed Sabir in Kaliyar Sharif.
While the 15 shrines in Pakistan which come under the protocols are Gurudwara Shri Nankana Sahib and Gurudwara Shri Panja Sahib in Rawalpindi; Samadhi of Maharaj Ranjit Singh, Shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, Gurudwara Shri Dera Sahib, Gurudwara Janam Asthan, Gurudwara Deewan Khana, Gurudwara Shaheed Ganj, Singhanian, Gurudwara Bhai Tara Singh, Gurudwara of Sixth Guru, Mozang, Birthplace of Shri Guru Ram Das, Gurudwara Cheveen Padshahi, Mozang and Shrine at Sree Katasraj in Lahore; Shadani Darbar in Sindh’s Hyat Pitafi as well as Sadhu Bela in Khanpur and Mirpur Mathelo (Sindh).
Baisakhi- festivals of the Sikhs
Counted as one of the most popular festivals of the Sikhs, Baisakhi is also known as Vaisakhi or Vasakhi in different parts of the country. It is celebrated every year on the 13th or 14th of April in Punjab and Haryana. Celebrated with much fervour, the festival marks the beginning of the new year. It is a harvest festival since Rabi crops are collected.
People on this day prepare festive cuisines and carry out processions, satsang and nagar kirtan. Everyone visits the Gurudwara and offers prayer to the Almighty.
Apart from this, Baisakhi also marks the foundation day of the Khalsa community. It is the day when the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh called a special assembly to ask people to lay down their lives for God. After that five people came forward who were later recognized as the 'Panj Pyaare.'
For those unversed, Khalsa happens to be the way of life and the followers of the same were given the surname 'Singh' who believe that all human beings are equal. They had to wear 5Ks all the time- kesh (unshorn hair and beard), kangha (comb), kada (steel bracelet), kachcha (cotton undergarment) and kirpan (sword).
Apart from this, the festival of Baisakhi is celebrated in a number of different ways in different parts of India. It is said that Gautam Buddha attained Nirvana in Gaya, Bihar on Baisakhi. In Assam, people celebrate Bihu, in Tamil Nadu, it is known as Puthandu, in Kerala Vishu is celebrated on this day while Bengalis celebrate Pohela Boisakh.
(With agencies input)