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23rd October 2024 (10 Topics)

Kartarpur Sahib Corridor

Context

In a rare move of cooperation, India and Pakistan have agreed to extend the visa-free Kartarpur Corridor for another five years.

About Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur

  • Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, often called just Kartarpur Sahib, is one of the holiest shrines for Sikhs.
  • That is because Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev (the founder of Sikhism) preached there during the last eighteen years of his life.
  • In Kartarpur Sahib, Guru Nanak passed away in 1539.
  • After Partition of India in 1947, Kartarpur Sahib fell on the Pakistan side of the International Border. It is located in Shakargarh Tehsil, Narowal District, in Pakistan's Punjab Province.
  • With India being the home for more than 95 per cent of all Sikhs globally, pilgrims from all over India always demanded access to go to Kartarpur Sahib.
  • The Kartarpur Corridor was opened in 2019.
  • The Corridor facilitates Indian Sikhs' access to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.
  • The corridor allows pilgrims to make the journey without a visa, crossing from India to Pakistan in a symbolic act of religious freedom and cooperation.

Fact Box: Guru Nanak (1469–1539 CE)

  • Guru Nanak was born in a village called Talwandi ((modern times Nankana Sahib in Pakistan). 
  • He was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
  • When he was 30 years old, Guru Nanak disappeared for three days during a river bath and many people thought that he had drowned.
  • Upon returning, Guru Nanak declared that "There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim" and that humankind should be unified, not divided, by religious labels.
  • This, in fact, marked the beginning of his life as a spiritual leader, solemnly affirming the unity of God and, equally so, the brotherhood of man.
  • Large-scale travels (Udasis):  He traveled across India, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Afghanistan, and the Arabian Peninsula. 
  • He wrote many hymns, which Guru Arjan Dev compiled in the Adi Granth.
  • Ten Sikh Gurus: Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan, Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Rai, Guru Har Krishan, Guru Teg Bahadur, and Guru Gobind Singh.
  • Sikh scripture, called the Guru Granth Sahib, is referred to as the Final Guru.
  • The concept of Sikhism includes:
    • Universal acceptance of all humanity
    • Belief in one God
    • The name of God is Truth, “Sat Nam”
    • Equality of all persons irrespective of their caste, colour, gender, nationality and religion
    • Equality of the sexes is emphasised
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