Kartarpur Corridor

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    In Context

    • The government is considering reopening the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara corridor to Pakistan to allow Sikh pilgrims to cross over, more than 20 months after it was shut down due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

    About Kartarpur Corridor

    • Often dubbed as the “Road to Peace”, it connects the Darbar Sahib Gurdwara in the Narowal district of Pakistan with the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in the Gurdaspur district in India’s Punjab province.
    • The corridor was built to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, founder of Sikhism on 12th November 2019.
    • Location: On the bank of river Ravi in Pakistan. It is about four km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine, and about 120 km northeast of Lahore. 
    • It is one of the holiest places for Sikhs where Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji settled and preached for the last 18 years of his life until his death in 1539.
    • Significance: 
      • The Kartarpur corridor agreement allows pilgrims to travel visa-free through the corridor which has been refurbished on both sides.
      • The Kartarpur shrine has one of the last copies of the original Guru Granth Sahib.
        • It is believed that the Guru Granth Sahib contains not only the wisdom of the 10 Gurus but is itself the 11th and last Guru.

    About Guru Nanak Dev:

    • Early Life– He was born on April 15, 1469, at Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi, near Lahore, which is in the Sheikhpura district of modern-day Pakistan.
    • He was born into a middle-class Hindu family and raised by his parents, Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta. 
    • Founder of Sikhism- He was the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus and the founder of Sikhism in the 15th century.
    • He started writing the Guru Granth Sahib and completed 974 hymns.
    • His Teachings– He advocated the ‘Nirguna’ (devotion to and worship of formless divine) form of bhakti.
      • Advocated the existence of one God and taught to reach out to God through meditation and other pious practices.
      • He set up rules for congregational worship (Sangat) involving collective recitation. 
      • His verses also preach selfless service to humanity, prosperity and social justice for all, irrespective of differences. 
        • Guru Nanak travelled across South Asia and the Middle East to spread his teachings. 
    • A Gurdwara was built at his birthplace in the city now known as Nankana Sahib which is located in the Punjab province of Pakistan. 
    • Guru Nanak Jayanti-It is also known as Gurpurab, is the most important festival for the followers of the religion of Sikhism.
      • The festival is celebrated on the day of Kartik Poornima, which is the fifteenth lunar day in the month of Kartik according to the Hindu calendar, and usually falls in the month of November by the Gregorian calendar.

    Image Courtsey: TOI

    Source: TH

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