Kartarpur!
Kartarpur means a “place of God”. It is located in Narowal District, Punjab, Pakistan on the right bank of Ravi River. All the people, irrespective of their religion and caste are living there together.
History
Kartarpuur is the place where Guru Nanak; said to be the first guru of Sikhism, established the first Sikh community.
He traveled for about 20 years and settled in Kartarpuur along with his family. After his death in 1539, Hindus and Muslims both claimed him as their own, therefore they raised mausoleums in his memory with a common wall between them.
Let God’s grace be the mosque, and devotion the prayer mat. Let the Quran be the good conduct.
Guru Nanak
The changing course of the Ravi River eventually washed away the mausoleums. But Guru Nanak’s son saved the urn containing his ashes and reburied it on the left bank of the river.
During the 1947 partition, the region got divided across India and Pakistan. The Shakargarh tehsil on the right bank of the Ravi River, including Kartarpur, was awarded to Pakistan. And the Gurdaspur tehsil on the left bank of Ravi River to India.
Kartarpur Gurdwara
At the location Guru Nanak; the founder of Sikhism, is believed to have died, the Kartarpur Gurdwara was built. Kartarpur Gurdwara is like the Mecca of Sikhs and it’s the second holiest place for the Sikhs.
Indians of any religion can use the Corridor and can visit Gurudwara. As well as Pakistanis can visit Kartarpur Gurdwara and they do not need to use the Corridor. In short, it’s not for Sikhs only.
Kartarpur corridor
So what’s the new chapter of peace in kartarpuur? It’s the Kartarpuur Corridor!
Pakistan reimagines its relationship with its Sikh heritage by opening a key corridor and restoring sites of worship.
The Kartarpuur corridor is a visa-free border crossing and is a secure pathway connecting the Gurdwara Darbar in Pakistan to the border with India. This pathway allows Sikhs from India to visit the Gurdwara in Kartarpur.
The Kartarpuur corridor was first proposed in early 1999 by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Nawaz Sharif; the prime ministers of India and Pakistan respectively.
On 9th November 2019, Imran Khan; the Prime Minister of Pakistan inaugurated the opening of a Kartarpuur Corridor. On the other hand, Narendra Modi; the Prime Minister of India inaugurated the Kartarpur corridor at Gurdaspur, India.
Now it’s very easy and cheap to travel to the Gurdwara from India, but those who are traveling to Kartarpuur can’t visit any other place in Pakistan. Before that Indian Sikhs were observed to use Pakistani visas and travel via Lahore.
Conclusion
In conclusion to that, I would say that it’s a peaceful message for both the nations. India and Pakistan have never really been in good relations; hence, facilitating Sikh communities could become the first step towards breaking the ice by laying the foundation of peace.
Therefore we are hoping that India will perceive the message of peace and collaborate with Pakistan in the same manner.
Here are a few trips for Kartarpur you might be interested in after reading the article!
Have you ever visited Kartarpuur Gurdwara, how was it! Comment below to share your experience with us! 🙂