Sikhs consider sending jathas to Bangladesh

[kaykay]

So they want to replace Pakistan with BD? Fine. There choice.

120 RS is still a very small amount and asking for two photographs and two visa forms 35 days prior to visit isn't a crime either.

man It was pakistan govt who denied visas to 1400 sikhs yesterday......what will they do?? Your govt is denying visas to them and at the same time you are saying that they should visit Pakistan.

 

[Areesh]

man It was pakistan govt who denied visas to 1400 sikhs yesterday......what will they do?? Your govt is denying visas to them and at the same time you are saying that they should visit Pakistan.

Pakistan just changed a few rules for the visas. We didn't deny visas to them.

 

[third eye]

Pakistan just changed a few rules for the visas. We didn't deny visas to them.

When were the rules changed ?

Baisakhi is on the 14th , if they have been changed recently how does one expect the Jathas to apply in time ?

 

[Areesh]

When were the rules changed ?

Baisakhi is on the 14th , if they have been changed recently how does one expect the Jathas to apply in time ?

I think they were changed a few weeks back and Jathas had enough time to apply. They are not applying in protest. Like most of the pilgrims can afford fee of 120RS which is very reasonable imo.

 

[RazPaK]

Being a Punjabi, I don't want Sikhs from India visiting Pakistan.

 

[Android]

Sikhs made a big blunder during partition by letting their holy sites becoming part of Pakistan fortunately for Hindus our Amarnath and Vaishno devi shrine in Kashmir was prevented from falling into Pakistan's hands otherwise imagine the headache I would have had to seek yearly visa for Pakistan

 

[Rusty]

As mentioned in post No 1 they are switching to BD as a protest against the visa issues in Pak.

Besides , these Jathas do visit places the world ( Asia) over wherever the Sikh Gurus travelled and Gurudwaras were made.

Example Iraq:

Guru Nanak Dev Ji is said to have visited the place on his way back from Mecca where he stopped to speak with religious leaders including the caretaker of the mausoleums of Abdul Qadir gilani and Bahlol the Wise, who were greatly impressed by his views on God and religion. A monument, in the form of a platform, was raised where Guru Nanak had sat and provided these discourses. It is documented that Sikh soldiers who went to Iraq during the First World War, 1914-18, raised a Gurdwara here, but now only a room exists which is visited by Sikh and non-Sikh Punjabis who work in Iraq. In addition, it is noted that since the gurdwara is located within a graveyard, visitors are banned from staying overnight, cooking meals or holding Langar and Kirtan.

Recently spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who is on a peace mission to Iraq, met with Iraqi Vice President Adil Abd-al-Mahdi about rebuilding the over 500-year-old Sikh shrine.

For those of you who are interested, the inscription on the shrine reads:

“Lo! The Great God hath fulfilled the wish. A new building for Baba Nanak Darvesh has been constructed. Seven holy men extended their help in the construction. Its date as reckoned comes to 927. The lucky disciple caused a new current of water from the earth.”

And when you take the squares of the sides, add them and root the answer you get the hypotenuse <<< just as relevant to the topic as what you said.

Being a Punjabi, I don't want Sikhs from India visiting Pakistan.

no bro, we want the Sikhs, just as long as they pay for transportation, hotels, meals and buy lots of stuff Personally I think we should give Sikhs in the west the most attention since they have the most money.

 

[RazPaK]

And when you take the squares of the sides, add them and root the answer you get the hypotenuse <<< just as relevant to the topic as what you said.



no bro, we want the Sikhs, just as long as they pay for transportation, hotels, meals and buy lots of stuff Personally I think we should give Sikhs in the west the most attention since they have the most money.

It's not about money nor keeping them from their holy sites.

I have no respect for Sikhs.

 

[Moander]

AMRITSAR: Contrary to the claims of a relaxed visa regime, Pakistan government has toughened the formalities especially for pilgrims intending to visit Pakistan, prompting various organizations in Punjab to consider Bangladesh-based gurdwaras for pilgrimage.

A few Sikh organizations have either suspended their scheduled pilgrimage to Pakistan on Baisakhi or have warned to send jathas to Bangladesh to pay obeisance at Sikh historical gurdwaras.

Sai Mian Mir Foundation, an Amritsar-based organization, which has been sending jathas to Pakistan on various religious occasions for the past 12 years, has dropped its Baisakhi pilgrimage to Pakistan scheduled for April 10. "We are not sending a jatha to Pakistan in protest against the new restrictions they have imposed. These are also against the spirit of simplifying the visa regime between the two nations," foundation president HS Brar said on Sunday.

Under the new formalities, pilgrims intending to visit Pakistan will have to deposit their passports along with two photographs and two visa forms 35 days prior to the visit. The visa fee has also been hiked from Rs 15 to Rs 120.

"We are not tour operators who have the infrastructure to fulfill visa formalities for commercial interests but religious people expecting the least bit of formalities," said Brar.

Nankana Sahib Sikh Teerath Yatri Jatha president Swaran Singh said that the toughened visa norms would discourage pilgrimage to Pakistan. "They are now charging Rs 120 visa fee irrespective of issuance of visa or not, which is not acceptable. If Pakistan keeps on adding formalities, we might consider sending our jathas to Bangladesh's Sikh historical gurdwaras," said Singh.

President of Bhai Mardana Yadgari Kirtan Darbar Society, HS Bhullar said that poor people save every penny for their life-time pilgrimage and instead of simplifying travel norms Pak government has made them worse. "We are feeling helpless. Indian government should step in to ease visa formalities," said Bhullar.

Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar issued an appeal to Pakistan government to issue maximum visas to devotees.

Sikhs consider sending jathas to Bangladesh as Pak toughens norms - The Times of India

There is chance that police would confuse Sikhs with huzur because of the beard and we all know rest of the story .

 

[eastwatch]

Sikhs are most welcome in Bangladesh. Only problem is east Punjab is far away from BD. However, there must be many of them also in Kolkata, Bihar and UP. The tour operators can arrange for Sikh Jathas from these places to come to BD and celebrate. So, within a few years the Guruduwara surroundings will be joyous with their activities. Their arrival will enrich BD culture, too. No one will disturb them or their religious activities, for sure.

 

[ExtraOdinary]

Sikhs are most welcome in Bangladesh. Only problem is east Punjab is far away from BD. However, there must be many of them also in Kolkata, Bihar and UP. The tour operators can arrange for Sikh Jathas from these places to come to BD and celebrate. So, within a few years the Guruduwara surroundings will be joyous with their activities. Their arrival will enrich BD culture, too. No one will disturb them or their religious activities, for sure.

I never knew there was a Sikh minority in BD. Have you ever interacted with any of them?

 

[Spring Onion]

Under the new formalities, pilgrims intending to visit Pakistan will have to deposit their passports along with two photographs and two visa forms 35 days prior to the visit. The visa fee has also been hiked from Rs 15 to Rs 120.

Sikhs consider sending jathas to Bangladesh as Pak toughens norms - The Times of India

protesting for the above??

whats wrong in the above conditions? these are normal procedural things. and Sikhs In India are among the wealthiest ones so howcome they cant pay Rs125 as visa fee.


seems this foundation is just trying to stire tention nothing else.

by the way good wherever they can go for their holy pilgrim we have no issue.

Nanka sahab will remains to be center of Sikh devotees from all around the world.

Sikhs made a big blunder during partition by letting their holy sites becoming part of Pakistan fortunately for Hindus our Amarnath and Vaishno devi shrine in Kashmir was prevented from falling into Pakistan's hands otherwise imagine the headache I would have had to seek yearly visa for Pakistan

Sikhs paid the price for being in India in 84. Golden temple still rings a bell.

as far as Pakistani Sikh shrines are concerned they are one of the best kept, maintained and best facilities to Sikhs are privided from all around the world when they visit Nankana/Punja sahab.

 

[United]

For those of you who are interested, the inscription on the shrine reads:

&#8220;Lo! The Great God hath fulfilled the wish. A new building for Baba Nanak Darvesh has been constructed. Seven holy men extended their help in the construction. Its date as reckoned comes to 927. The lucky disciple caused a new current of water from the earth.&#8221;

with all due respect but funny thing is every sikh temple i visited this was the same story "The lucky disciple caused a new current of water from the earth&#8221;............what is with these guys taking water out.......could we use this tech to solve water problem in south asia?

 

[A1Kaid]

man It was pakistan govt who denied visas to 1400 sikhs yesterday......what will they do?? Your govt is denying visas to them and at the same time you are saying that they should visit Pakistan.

Apparently many of them had failed to provide adequate paper work and failed to comply with new visa requirements.

 

[Spring Onion]

TAXILA, April 9: Almost 3,000 Sikh pilgrims from India are expected to arrive at Gurdwara Punja Sahib, Hassanabdal on Wednesday to celebrate the Sikh baptism ceremony, Baisakhi, also known as the harvest festival.
Baisakhi marks the New Year in Sikhism, and corresponds to April 11 of the Georgian Calendar.

Talking to newsmen here on Tuesday, Deputy Secretary Shrines Syed Faraz Abbas said the yatrees (pilgrims) would reach Wagha Border on April 10 and then proceed to Punja Sahib.

He added that the yatrees would visit the Gurdwaras (shrines) in Hassanabdal, Nankana Sahib and Lahore during their 10-day stay in Pakistan.

The pilgrims would remain in Hassanabdal till April 13, from where they would go to Sacha Soda, Farooqabad and then leave for Lahore on April 16.

Mr Abbas said a total of six thousand Sikh pilgrims would participate in the three-day festival, and adequate arrangements for the boarding and lodging of all participants would be ensured.

The Sikh pilgrims coming from India and other countries would be provided accommodation within the premises of the temples, while the Pakistani Sikh and Hindu pilgrims would stay in the government schools located near the temple.

He said the renovation of the temples had been completed and security would be provided to the yatrees.

Hindu yatrees living in various parts of country have already started arriving at Hassanabdal, including from Peshawar, Swat, Larkana, Sukkur, Karachi and Lahore. —Correspondent


Sikh pilgrims arriving today for Baisakhi | Newspaper | DAWN.COM