BUS TO PAKISTAN - KARTARPUR VISIT

It was really a pleasant surprise when I got the SMS and mail at the same time wherein my request for a visit to Kartarpur Sahib was granted from the issuing authority.

As a retired person with fewer responsibilities, I was a regular visitor of youtube, especially travel channels. While going through the travelogues, I suddenly came across a few YouTubes with a description of a visit to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan. Having seen the link I applied for permission through prakashpurab550.mha.gov.in on 27 December 2019 with the hope that Pakistan could be my twenty-eighth country to visit. The visit slot was available on 24 January 2020 with a cushion of around one month.

After around a week of my application, there was an enquiry from Intelligence Branch officials on behalf of Government of India followed by another enquiry by the local police station to ascertain genuineness about my residential status, antecedents and criminal records, if any. It was a marathon enquiry for around half an hour and I had to submit documentary evidence as per their requirement.

As all might be aware, Kartarpur Sahib was the place in Noriwal district of Punjab province of Pakistan where Guru Nanak Dev had spent last eighteen years of his life. The gurdwara had been opened to Indian citizens for a limited period on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. It was a rare opportunity for an Indian to touch the soil of Pakistan as no tourist visa was granted for citizens of both the countries at present for a visit to either country. The permission was in form of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) valid for only the day itself from 07.30 hrs to 17.00 hrs.

The place was located at around 72 km from Amritsar via Dera Nanak Sahib in Gurudaspur district of Punjab in India. Since the permission was generally received four days before the date of the visit, the railway booking was made well in advance to avoid last-minute tension of availability of tickets.

On receipt of permission, I started my journey from Kolkata on 21 January 2020 and reached Amritsar on 22 January 2020 in the evening. As usual, our first visit was to Golden Temple or Harmandir Sahib followed by Jalianwalabagh, Durgiana Temple and Wagha Border on the following day.

I started my journey from Amritsar to Dera Nanak Sahib by public bus at around 06.00 hrs on 24 January 2020. It was biting cold with the temperature hovering around 5 degrees along with the gusty wind. Initially, it was pitch dark as sunrise was late in comparison to eastern India. I reached Dera Nanak Sahib bus stand at around 08.10 hrs and proceeded to Dera Nanak Sahib Gurdwara where from a free bus service has been arranged by the committee to carry the passengers to the integrated immigration check post. However, I marginally missed the bus and I had to go around 2 kms by cycle ricksaw.

The immigration process was like any other foreign visit immigration with scanning of bag and passport and stamping on ETA in lieu of a passport.

On completion of the immigration process of India, a battery-operated vehicle took the passengers to the gate dividing political territory of India and Pakistan. Having crossed the gate of both the countries, a similar battery-operated vehicle carried us to the immigration check post of Pakistan. As per stipulation, each passenger has to pay USD-20 to Government of Pakistan through extension counter of National Bank of Pakistan and then proceed for immigration. There were not many formalities and after completion of immigration, a yellow coloured identity card was handed over to the passengers depicting “Yatree” and that too from India. Later on, we could see similar red coloured identity cards were also provided for visitors from Pakistan.

A bus with a capacity of around 30 passengers was provided by Government of Pakistan for carrying us from immigration point to Kartarpur Sahib which was around 05 km through a dedicated corridor crossing Ravi river. There was no habitation within visible range barring check-post of army and barren fields.

Having reached Kartarpur Sahib at around 09.30 hrs,  ETA duly stamped by both governments and passport were checked and the passengers were briefed by the authorities about the visitors' site as also dos and don'ts.

It was a very big gurdwara made of white marble with all relevant facilities on each side of the boundary including langar and dormitory. One one side of the gurdwara there was the tomb of Guru Nanak Dev, where he was laid in his eternity. The space and arrangement of gurdwara could house around 5000 pilgrims but the footfall never exceeded 2000. 

Just like any other Gurdwara, there was a tiny Sarovar where the pilgrims were found to be taking a holy dip. There was a huge langar hall where all the pilgrims were being provided with food totally free of cost and devoted Sikhs were serving food, cleaning utensils and continuously mopping the floor.  

On the other boundary, a large replica of “Kripan” has been constructed, dedicated to Sikhism. The place was known as Kripan Sthal. Likewise, the symbol of Sikhism was curved out of grass and bush which has been nominated as Nisan Sthal.

A mini-market has been temporarily constructed to cater to the requirements of passengers with snacks, beverages and handicrafts of Pakistan. The speciality of the market is that anything could be purchased paying Indian currency directly.

I visited the gurdwara, tomb of Guru Nanak dev, Kripan Sthal, Nisan Sthal, Langar, Meditation Room and the mini market and tasted Dahi Bhalla and Akhrot ki Halwa. I started for the return journey to India at around 15.30 hrs through the same route and the same process of immigration.

As per my experience, it was much more than a mere visit to a tourist location of historical importance. I experienced the warmth of humanity and friendship where there was no hard feeling of enmity which proved that we both were once a part of the same nation.

Backlink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VRoxi7giY0