The Kartarpur Corridor has been mentioned frequently for a very long time. India and Pakistan, two neighbours, are connected through the historic corridor on a religious and spiritual level. How many of you, though, are genuinely aware with the background and significance of this historic site?

Learn more about the Kartarpur Corridor and its significance in India-Pakistan history by exploring its why, when, and how.

The Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan and the border with India are connected via the Kartarpur Corridor, which is essentially a visa-free border crossing. The corridor was built so that Indian devotees can travel without a visa to the Gurdwara in Kartarpur, which is located nearly 4.7 kilometres from the Pakistani side of the India-Pakistan border.

The Kartarpur Corridor’s development timeline is shown below:

• According to legend, Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru, founded the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib around 1522.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Indian Prime Minister at the time, and Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, suggested this corridor as part of the Delhi-Lahore bus diplomacy in 1999.
• In 2018, the Government of Pakistan approved the construction of the corridor
• On November 26, 2018, Indian Vice President, Venkaiah Naidu laid the foundation stone of the corridor from the Indian side, and two days after, on November 28, 2018, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the fountain from the other side of the border
• On the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the Kartarpur Corridor was completed and the first batch of Indian pilgrims was sent to visit their holy pilgrim place

Kartarpur Corridor’s significance

Dera Baba Nanak Gurudwara is a place of great religious significance to Sikhs from all over the world. Kartarpur was established in 1504 and this is where Guru Nanak, the founding guru of Sikhism, passed away in 1539. On the banks of the Ravi River, Dera Baba Nanak Gurdwara was afterwards built in his honour.

As the Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev, gave sermons there for the final eighteen years of his life, Kartarpur is regarded as one of their holiest locations. As a result, following the terms and limitations set by both governments, Indian citizens could only visit the Gurdwara after the division.

Documents required to visit Kartarpur Corridor:

One must have to carry their Covid-19 negative test reports, and Vaccine certificates along with the passport to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara. Visa is not required for this visit, but it is mandatory for people visiting the Gurudwara to register at least a month in advance. Apart from your passport, you will also be asked for Aadhaar and PAN card information at the time of online registration and application. You will also have to give information about any kind of police case or case and you will be allowed to travel only after police verification.

How to register for Kartarpur sahib corridor

• Only Indian residents or overseas citizens can travel by corridor; Pakistanis are not allowed.

• One can register for a second visit after 15 days of travel by corridor.
• Registration can only be done online at https://prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in/ (Indian Government website).
• Each pilgrim must pay $20 to get the necessary permission

How to go to Kartarpur Sahib from Amritsar

Amritsar is the major city nearest to the Passenger Terminal Building. Its Google Map’s location is “Shri Kartarpur Saheb Corridor start.”

From Amritsar, you will need to reach the town of Dera Baba Nanak where the Passenger Terminal Building is located. It’s about 48.3 km from Amritsar and will take you about 70 minutes to reach.

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The Wagah Border, which separates India and Pakistan along the Grand Trunk Road, is situated 22 kilometres from Lahore, Pakistan, and 28 kilometres from Amritsar, India. The main draw is the daily Beating Retreat Ceremony, also known as the Wagah Border Ceremony. At this border checkpoint, the Indian and Pakistani militaries gather every evening just before dusk for a 45-minute performance of military comradery and showmanship.

In addition to closing the international gates, this ritual also involves lowering the flags of both nations. Since 1959, the Pakistan Rangers and the Indian Border Security Force have jointly handled the flag ceremony.

For the tens of thousands of visitors who come here every day, people also participate in entertainment as a show of pride in their country. The Indian national anthem is chanted, rounds of applause are given, and Bollywood-style dancing to Hindi music are performed by the crowd prior to the ceremony.

Wagah-Attari Border Retreat Ceremony Timings

Get the best seat available at the location if you want to have the best views of the retreat ceremony. And you must be an early riser for that. Therefore, it is best to arrive at the Wagah-Attari Border a little before 3 PM so that you have enough time to walk through the security checks, drop off your bags, and find the perfect seat in the amphitheatre. The retreat ceremony begins at 4:15 PM in the winter and 5:15 PM in the summer. The ceremony will take 45 minutes to complete. The venue’s entry is open from 10 AM to 4 PM.

How to reach Wagah-Attari Border?

You would need to travel to Amritsar first in order to get to the Wagah-Attari Border. There are three options: by road, by train, and by air. The closest airport to Amritsar is Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport. To get to the main city from the airport, taxis are fairly accessible.

As an alternative, travellers can take a train from several locations in India, including Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, and others, to the railway junction in Amritsar. Additionally, the city has good road connections to nearby cities including Jammu, Chandigarh, Delhi, Shimla, and Jaipur.

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