Amritsar, April 10 A group of nearly 2,700 Sikh pilgrims crossed the border into Pakistan from the Attari border on Friday to participate in a religious gathering to be held on the occasion of Khalsa Sajna Diwas (Baisakhi) at the Gurdwara Panja Sahib in the Punjab province of the neighboring country.
The journey of the 2,700 pilgrims was facilitated by three Sikh organizations – the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Amritsar, the Haryana Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HGPC), and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Board (DSGMB) – with the SGPC Amritsar sponsoring approximately 1,695 pilgrims.
The group crossed the border into Pakistan through the Joint Check Post at the Attari border.
An SGPC official said that the group has departed to participate in the main gathering of Khalsa Sajna Diwas to be held at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasanabdal.
He also said that the group will pay their respects at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib (the birthplace of Guru Nanak) and Gurdwara Sacha Sauda Sahib in the Punjab province of Pakistan. For most of their visit, the group will stay at Gurdwara Panja Sahib, where they will participate in the main gathering.
Afterwards, the group will visit Gurdwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore, Gurdwara Rori Sahib in Eminabad, and Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib.
Following their stay at Gurdwara Dehra Sahib on April 17, the Sikh group will return to India on April 19, the official said.
The official also said that the SGPC has provided the group with copies of holy Gurbani scriptures, combs, iron bracelets, daggers, shawls, and tea.
He also said that on the day of the main gathering on the occasion of Baisakhi, an "Amrit Sanchar" (initiation ceremony) will be held at Gurdwara Panja Sahib.
The official also said that to facilitate the pilgrims, the SGPC has arranged for the filling of entry forms and other necessary documentation at the Attari border, and special buses have been arranged for the transportation of pilgrims.
The SGPC has also arranged for "langar" (community meal), tea, and water for the pilgrims at the Attari border, he added.