Kartarpur Sahib and its holy significance for Sikhs
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib also known as Kartarpur Sahib, is a holy shrine for the Sikhs. Situated in Kartarpur, Narowal District of Pakistan, the historic Sikh pilgrimage is 120 km from Lahore and lies only 3 kilometers from the border with India.
The shrine is among the holiest of holy sites for followers of Sikhism and is believed to be the final resting place for Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh religion.
According to the traditional Nanakshahi calendar, Guru Nanak was born on Poornima Tithi (full moon day) in the month of Katak. This year, the day falls on November 12.
A unique corridor will be inaugurated ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev from the Indian side of the border by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 9 from the Dera Baba Nanak site in Gurdaspur, Punjab.
This corridor will facilitate visa-free movement of Sikh pilgrims from India to the other side of the border.
The long awaited Kartarpur Corridor is taking shape and has been termed a “Corridor of Peace”.
Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib: The historic significance of the holy shrine
- Gurdwara Darbar Sahib was the place where Guru Nanak is believed to have assembled the Sikh community and lived there for 18 years until his death in 1539.
- It is also the place where the Sikh community's second Guru, Bhai Lehna, later named Angad, hailed from.
- Guru Nanak is one the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus, who all collectively wrote the holy book Guru Granth Sahib, which is the principal scripture of Sikhism.
- The shrine is also believed to have a few copies of the original Guru Granth Sahib.
- The original structure of the Kartarpur Sahib was once destroyed by floods.
- It is the second holiest site of the Sikh religion after Gurdwara Janam Asthan- the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev Ji located at Nankana Sahib, Pakistan.
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