Khalsa Saajna Diwas: 6,600 Sikh Devotees Travel to Pakistan, All Granted Visas After 50 Years

Amritsar (The Uttam Hindu):  On the occasion of Khalsa Sajna Diwas (Vaisakhi), on Thursday (April 10), about 6,600 Sikh devotees from all over India left for the darshan of Gurudwaras in Pakistan. This group will reach Pakistan via Attari-Wagah border. A special group of 1,942 pilgrims was prepared by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which left from the Shiromani Committee office with the chants of "Bole So Nihal". This group is led by SGPC member Jang Bahadur and deputy leader Bibi Joginder Kaur. These pilgrims will stay in Pakistan for 10 days and will return to India on April 19.

SGPC said that this is the first time after 50 years that all the devotees who applied have received visas. This time Shiromani Committee had sent the names of 1,942 devotees to the Pakistan Embassy in Delhi, and visas were issued to all of them. For this achievement, SGPC thanked the Indian and Pakistani governments as well as the embassy officials. Committee managers Satnam Singh and Pratap Singh said that earlier many times some devotees did not get visas, but this time there is a wave of happiness in the Sangat as everyone has received visas.

This group will visit Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib, Lahore Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib and other gurudwaras in Pakistan. The main celebration of Khalsa Sajana Diwas will be held at Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal. Satnam Singh said that on the instructions of Shiromani Committee President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, a delegation had recently met the officials of the Pakistan Embassy in Delhi. In this meeting, a demand was made to grant visa to all the devotees, which was accepted. The devotees expressed their happiness and thanked the government.

Talking to IANS, devotee Ghanshyam Singh said, "We are very happy that we are going to Baba's land. This Punjab is ours and that Punjab is also ours. The government should open the borders so that people can come and go easily. I am going alone and will visit all the gurdwaras. It is a matter of good fortune for me."

Another devotee Tanwant Singh said, "I am going to Pakistan for the first time and I am very excited. We have got a 10-day visa. We will visit the Gurudwaras of Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib and Lahore. Thanks to both the governments that we got this opportunity. It should remain like this in the future as well." Gurudev Singh, who came from Hoshiarpur, also expressed happiness. He said, "It feels very good. Three people from my family are going. We will visit the Gurudwaras of Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib and Lahore. Thanks to both the governments that this time the entire Sangat got the visa."

Devotee Fateh Das Satnam Singh Banjar said, "It has happened after 50 years that everyone got visas. I thank both the governments. We will visit holy places like Nankana Sahib and Panja Sahib. This is a very happy occasion for us." SGPC officials expressed hope that in future also devotees will continue to get such facilities. This pilgrimage is very important for the Sikh community religiously and emotionally, as it connects them to the holy places associated with their gurus.