For the first time since the suspension of cross-border pilgrimages in the wake of “Operation Sindoor,” a contingent of Indian Sikh devotees crossed the Attari-Wagah border into Pakistan on Tuesday (November 4). The pilgrimage marks the beginning of celebrations for Parkash Purab, the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, which is on November 5.
The jatha (group) comprises nearly 1,800 pilgrims, coordinated by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), out of the 2,100 Indian citizens granted visas by the Pakistan High Commission for the 10-day religious journey. The devotees will visit several sacred sites, including Gurdwara Janamsthan in Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, before returning to India on November 13.
The resumption comes weeks after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) initially withheld permission for the pilgrimage, citing heightened security concerns following Operation Sindoor, a limited cross-border military response after the April Pahalgam terror attack.
The decision had sparked strong reactions from Sikh religious bodies, with SGPC and other organisations appealing to the Centre to allow the traditional annual visit. Following deliberations and security reviews, the Indian government approved the travel, permitting only Indian citizens to participate this year, excluding Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who had been part of previous delegations.
“This marks a hopeful step towards normalising religious exchanges even amid complex bilateral circumstances,” said an SGPC official at Attari, expressing gratitude to both governments for facilitating the jatha.
Confirming the arrangements, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi posted on X (formerly Twitter): “The Pakistan High Commission has issued over 2,100 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the Birth Celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji, to be held in Pakistan from November 4 to 13, 2025.”
The pilgrims’ travel is being facilitated under the 1974 bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines, which allows limited religious tourism between India and Pakistan despite the often-tense diplomatic relationship.
According to officials, SGPC arranged buses from Amritsar to Attari to transport devotees to the international border, where they were received by Pakistan’s Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) before proceeding to Nankana Sahib.
At Gurdwara Janamsthan, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, preparations are underway for grand celebrations including kirtans, langar seva, and interfaith gatherings.
The pilgrims’ visit is expected to last until November 13, after which the group will return via the same route. With both governments signalling cautious optimism, the successful completion of this jatha could pave the way for more such religious exchanges under the 1974 protocol in the coming months.
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