he Kartarpur Corridor is a border passage set to link the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India, with Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan, located 2.5 miles from the international border. The Kartapur Gurudwara, spans 42 acres and is among the largest in the world. Officials say the corridor can handle up to 5,000 pilgrims as a daily routine. A maximum of 10,000 visitors are permitted to visit the Gurudwara on a single day. Kartarpur is significant in Sikhism. It is revered as one of the holiest sites as it was here that Guru Nanak spent the final 18 years of his life.

The opening of the corridor was a gesture of respect to the minority Sikh religion in both states.

Post-partition, Indian individuals could only visit the Gurdwaras listed by the two nations subject to certain conditions. Now the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor has emerged as a pathway for peace, acknowledging religious and cultural acceptance between the two countries. Its significance is multifold.

Pilgrims, who previously had to undertake lengthy journeys and arrange various documents and visas to visit the Gurdwara, can now apply online. The agreement between the two nations can foster religious tolerance.

Kartarpur lies between the Rivers Ravi and Beas. Guru Nanak is also said to have founded the village.

Guru Nanak was born on April 15, 1469, to Hindu Khatri parents in the Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi village, present-day Nankana Sahib. From childhood, he displayed remarkable devotion to spirituality. He astounded his teachers on the inaugural day of alphabet instruction by spelling out the first letter as an homage to the supreme deity and Creator of the universe.

There are numerous apocryphal stories about his early years, hinting at signs of divine blessing. At the age of eighteen, he married in Batala and became a father to two children, Srichand and Lakhmichand. Srichand later established a divergent sect of Sikhism, recognised as the Udasi, which had syncretic teachings that played a pivotal role in Sikhism until the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, introduced the Khalsa doctrine.

Guru Nanak’s message represented a social revolution against the Hindu caste system in the 15th century. His teachings emerged from the Indus Valley plains of the Punjab. This area has maintained a unique social identity. Inclusiveness and equality were important elements that shaped Guru Nanak’s religious ideals. He emphasised a social code based on human dignity and equality.

The religion that emerged from his teachings rejected the caste system and celebrated human agency through virtuous deeds. Guru Nanak’s message, as recorded in the Sikh religious scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal living Guru, emphasises sharing one’s possessions with the poor, living honestly and avoiding the five vices of lust, anger, greed, attachment and privilege. It calls for invoking God’s name to ward off evils.

The Sikh faith was unique in challenging the prejudices and superstitions that oppressed the poor under the control of Hindu priests. It was a belief system that opposed inequality in favour of religious equality, posing a threat to the entrenched “ancient regime” of Brahmin supremacy. Consequently, it was viewed with suspicion by the beneficiaries of the old system. Thus began a narrative of heroic resistance against the critics’ efforts to undermine the social impact of the new message.

The corridor underscores the role of the Sikh faith, not only as a bridge-builder but also as an active facilitator for peace in South Asia.

The Sikh faith faced significant challenges during the tumultuous period of Ranjit Singh’s reign and following the collapse of his kingdom and the resulting anarchy, leading to a brief crisis of identity within the community. In the 1920s, the Akali movement emerged, aiming to purify Sikhism from heretical influences and impurities. This movement soon gained control of the Gurdwaras, reclaiming them from the ritualistic priests and re-establishing the traditional purity of the Sikh faith by eliminating various superstitions and complexities, thus ending certain rituals.

Darbar Sahib, initially constructed as the Kartarpura Gurdwara in 1925 by the Maharaja of Patiala, was erected where Guru Nanak had spent his final moments before passing away on September 22, 1539. His last rites were conducted by both Sikhs and Muslims, following their respective customs. The cremation site was maintained for generations, exemplifying a perfect illustration of interfaith harmony.

That both Sikhs and Muslims revered him is living proof of his pro-people teachings and the healing touch of humanism. The partition upheaval may have sown seeds of hatred between the two communities.

For many years, devotees of the Sikh faith beheld the radiant beauty of the Gurdwara atop a hill a few miles across the border. The dream of opening the shrine for pilgrims after governments of Pakistan and India agreed to collaborate on the project. Kartarpur is a metaphor for interfaith harmony in a land known for its religious pluralism and tolerance.

The expansion of the Gurdwara Complex was completed by harmonising the character of the surrounding environment, delivering a world-class facility: the Kartarpur Corridor-cum-Gurdwara Complex.

Former prime minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone for the corridor project in 2018.

I had the opportunity in December 2020 to visit the Kartarpur Corridor with some friends. We set out for Kartarpur at around 10am from Baduki Gosain, a small town in Gujranwala. The journey took us approximately four hours. It was barely six months after the opening of Kartarpur Corridor.

The Rangers were restricting entry into Kartarpur as the number of tourists exceeded the limit and the allotted time had elapsed. Fortunately, we managed to gain entry with the help of some referrals. Upon entering, we boarded one of the buses provided by the Kartarpur administration. It took us to Darshan Durri. Following an identity check, the officials permitted us to enter the main building. We observed a significant influx of Sikh pilgrims from India and had the chance to meet and interact with some of them. They appeared happy. Among them were Sikhs who had travelled from Canada specifically for the pilgrimage to Kartarpur.

The large square courtyard was adorned with beautifully designed arches. Construction work was ongoing at a building during our visit. We explored all four sides of Kartarpur and were impressed by the marvel. We also encountered numerous Pakistanis who had travelled from various cities to visit the Kartarpur Corridor. Surrounding this masterpiece were several shops for tourists. Our visit lasted nearly three hours.

The Kartarpur Corridor holds great religious significance for the Sikh community. It also has the potential to alleviate political tensions in South Asia and fostering greater friendship and economic integration between the two Punjabs. Additionally, it could open doors for people-to-people initiatives and trade between India and Pakistan. The corridor is poised to underscore the role of the Sikh faith not only as a bridge-builder but also as an active facilitator for peace in South Asia. As a component of Sikh soft power, the corridor reinforces the relevance of faith-related diplomacy.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Gujranwala. He mostly writes on travel, history and heritage. He can be reached at waseemshabbir78@gmail.com.