Guru Nanak Anniversary: Pilgrims Visit Pakistan, Hindus Not Barred

On 4 Nov, on the 556^th birth anniversary of the first Sikh Sovereign Guru Nanak, more than 2K Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan marking the first major border crossing between the two countries since the brief war in May 2025. Pakistani officials welcomed pilgrims by showering rose petals and giving them flowers. Still, Indian media falsely reported that some Hindu pilgrims were not allowed to enter Pakistan. Head of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Pilgrimage branch Palwinder Singh clarified non‑Sikhs are allowed to join a Sikh jatha (group) as long as they profess faith in Guru Nanak and his teachings. 'There is no restriction on non‑Sikhs to be part of a Sikh jatha,' he said, noting that this year the number of Hindus in the jatha was unusually high, making their presence more visible than in previous years. Spokesperson for the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Sudeep Singh called the news a 'deliberate attempt to drive a wedge between the two communities.' He added that the DSGMC’s quota of 170 pilgrims had been dispatched and that none of the 14 turned‑back pilgrims were part of the DSGMC‑approved jatha. Pilgrim testimonies corroborate that Pakistan did not turn anyone back on religious lines. Entries were stopped—including 50 Sikhs—due to inadequate paperwork. People celebrated the occasion all across the world. Sindhis joined Sikhs in Mumbai while hundreds of thousands gathered in Yuba City, US Nagar Kirtan (religious procession) where the event has been celebrated since the 1980s. Meanwhile, as the Panjab government prepares to celebrate the 350^th martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Sikh Sovereign Guru Teghbahadar at Anandpur Sahib later in November, political undertones threaten to overshadow the sacred occasion. SGPC has denied the government permission to hold a Kirtan Darbar (devotional-singing at the Court) at the revered Gurdwara Sisganj Sahib and to use its inns and accommodation facilities. Manager of Takht (throne) Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib Gurdeep Singh Kang said the requests have been turned down because 'political events sometimes lead to violations of maryada (religious code of conduct).' The SGPC has announced its own programs from 21–27 Nov in Anandpur Sahib to mark the Guru’s martyrdom (earlier coverage).