KARTARPUR: The 485th death anniversary (Joti Jot) of Guru Nanak Dev Ji was commemorated at Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, with large-scale participation from Sikh pilgrims from both Pakistan and India.
The ceremonies concluded with the Bhog Akhand Path and various events celebrating Guru Nanak’s legacy, according to a press release. On the final day, a statue of Bhai Mardana, Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Muslim companion, was unveiled at the “Bhai Ajita Ji Bazaar” by Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Syed Ata-ul-Rahman and Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora. The statue was praised as a powerful symbol of Sikh-Muslim friendship.
As part of the celebrations, vegetable seeds and fruit-bearing plants were sown at “Kheti Sahib.” Organic vegetable cultivation on 3 acres of Guru Nanak’s farmland was inaugurated, with the produce planned for use in the Gurdwara’s langar (community kitchen). Dates from the Kartarpur plantation were distributed as Prasad to pilgrims.
ETPB Chairman Dr. Ata-ur-Rahman lauded the Kartarpur Corridor as a gift to the global Sikh community and highlighted the statue of Bhai Mardana as a symbol of interfaith unity. The event was attended by government officials, including PSGPC members and ETPB Secretary Fareed Iqbal.
