Indian Sikhs Travel to Pakistan to Mark Anniversary of Guru Nanak’s Birth
Hundreds of Sikh pilgrims from India started arriving by train in Pakistan this week.They disembarked, amid heavy security, in the city of Nankana Sahib where Guru Nanak, the founder of the religion was born over 500 years ago, to celebrate the anniversary of his birth.India and Pakistan share a disputed boundary and have fought three wars since independence from the British when Pakistan was formed in 1947.
A Pakistani police commando stands guard, as Indian Sikh pilgrims arrive at the Wagah railway station near Lahore, Pakistan on Nov. 20.K.M. Chaudhary/Associated PressSikhs the world over will celebrate “Guru Nayak Jayanti” or “Gurpurab” on Wednesday. The day is considered one of the most sacred in Sikhism, which is practiced by around 8% of Indians, according to the 2011 census figures, the latest available.In the lead up to the guru’s birthday, devotees mark the occasion with street processions where they sing, dance and demonstrate Gatka, the Sikh martial art. Sikh temples also offer free food from theircommunity kitchens, as they do throughout the year.The day is a public holiday in India