Partition memories resurface as 3 Sikh pilgrims revisit Pakistan after decades for Baisakhi festival

LAHORE:

Hundreds of Sikh pilgrims arriving from India at the Wagah border on Friday included three elderly men whose journey carried memories spanning more than eight decades, as they returned to their birthplace in Pakistan for the first time since the 1947 partition.

Baba Karnail Singh, Baba Sardar Shobaik Singh and Sardar Harbans Singh were among the pilgrims who crossed into Pakistan to attend the Baisakhi festival. For them, the visit was not merely a religious pilgrimage but a deeply personal return to their ancestral village after a lifetime of separation.

The three were born in Dogej Wahgariyan, a village on the outskirts of Lahore, but were displaced during Partition and later settled in Shahura, a border area in India’s Amritsar district. Despite the passage of time, they said memories of their village remained vivid.

Although Pakistan issued 2,840 visas, only 2,238 pilgrims arrived, with more than 600 not travelling despite receiving visas.PHOTO: ASIF MEHMOOD

During immigration at Wagah, the elderly pilgrims appeared emotional. Baba Karnail Singh recalled village streets, trees and a well where he spent his childhood. Baba Sardar Shobaik Singh said he still remembered the names of his Muslim friends but did not know where they were now, adding that not being able to return earlier had remained a lifelong regret.

For Sardar Harbans Singh, the visit fulfilled a long-held wish. He said his only desire in life had been to see his birthplace once again.

Their story stood out among a larger group of 2,238 Indian Sikh pilgrims who arrived in Pakistan to participate in Baisakhi and the 327th birth anniversary of the Khalsa.

The pilgrims were received at Wagah by officials, including Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President and Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq and Lahore Commissioner Maryam Khan.

Mushtaq said comprehensive arrangements had been made for the pilgrims, including accommodation, langar, transport and medical facilities. He added that the main Baisakhi ceremony would be held on Tuesday at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal.

Arora said Pakistan was "not a second but the first home" for Sikhs, adding that the issuance of thousands of visas despite strained bilateral relations reflected the country’s commitment to peace. He said the doors of Pakistan would remain open for Sikh pilgrims.

Read More: Baisakhi celebrations set to begin

He further stated that 17 gurdwaras in Pakistan would become functional this year, while restoration work on 34 more sites would be completed within the next two years. He also urged India to fully open the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate religious travel.

Arora said Pakistan ensured complete religious freedom for minorities and highlighted the country’s efforts for regional peace, referring to diplomatic initiatives led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

During their 10-day stay, pilgrims will visit key sites including Nankana Sahib and Panja Sahib.

Leaders of various Indian groups also appreciated the arrangements. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee group leader Sardar Surjit Singh said Pakistan had consistently extended hospitality to Sikh pilgrims. Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee representatives Sardar Paramjit Singh Chandok and Sardar Harjit Singh also thanked the Pakistani authorities for visa issuance and facilities.

Although Pakistan issued 2,840 visas, only 2,238 pilgrims arrived, with more than 600 not travelling despite receiving visas.

Pilgrims expressed similar sentiments. Manpreet Kaur from Amritsar said she never felt like a stranger in Pakistan and felt as if she had returned home. Harpal Singh from Delhi said ties between the two countries should improve to allow people to share in each other’s joys and sorrows.

Another pilgrim, Jaspreet Kaur, said she would take back clothes and gifts for relatives, but the greatest takeaway was the love and respect she received in Pakistan.

Many pilgrims expressed hope for improved Pakistan-India relations and easier access for religious visits in the future.

Pilgrims were later transported under strict security in buses to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, where they will perform religious rituals.

Amid the larger gathering, the quiet smiles and tearful eyes of the three elderly men reflected a rare reunion with their past, as they briefly reconnected with the land they had left behind decades ago.