Saturday, March 29, 2025
Devotee Numbers Drop by Over 50%
The recent terror attack in Pahalgam has had a significant impact on religious pilgrimages through the Kartarpur Corridor, with the number of devotees visiting Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib falling by more than half.
Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib, located in Pakistan’s Narowal district in Punjab, is built at the site where Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, spent the last years of his life and attained eternal rest. However, after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam—where militants reportedly asked for the religion of tourists before killing 26 of them—pilgrim footfall through the corridor has drastically declined.
In response to the attack, the Indian government took several strong measures, including the unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty the very next day. Diplomatic ties were also downgraded, with India reducing the number of Pakistani diplomats posted in the country.
No Closure, But Sharp Drop in Numbers
Although both India and Pakistan have not initiated any steps to suspend or close the Kartarpur Corridor, the number of visitors to the historic gurdwara has significantly decreased. The corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak town in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district to the gurdwara, just 4.5 kilometers across the border in Pakistan.
On the day following the attack, around 408 pilgrims crossed the border. However, from April 24 onwards, the number began to decline. That day, although permission was granted for 493 pilgrims, only 333 made the trip. The number dropped to 308 on April 25, followed by 208 on April 26, 239 on April 27, and only 133 on April 28.
Appeals for Calm and Continuity of Pilgrimage
Despite tensions, Sikh leaders are urging the community not to abandon the pilgrimage. Baba Sukhdeep Singh Bedi from Dera Baba Nanak stated, “This is a common reaction during tensions. People get scared and avoid travel. But the fact that some are still going shows that not everyone is deterred.”
He added that the protocol for using the corridor remains intact and is being followed by both nations. SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) Secretary Pratap Singh also appealed to devotees not to cancel their visits. “There is no need to fear. The pilgrimage must continue. Full security arrangements are in place on both sides of the border,” he assured.
It’s worth noting that the Kartarpur Corridor was inaugurated on November 9, 2019, to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Since then, it has served as a crucial religious link for Sikh pilgrims.
