Telescopic darshan,till corridor to Pak gurdwara becomes a reality

DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna claimed the necessary permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for installing such a facility at the sensitive border had been taken.

Dera Baba Nanak is situated 3 kilometres away from the border,inside Pakistan. Separated from India after Partition,the gurdwara,where Guru Nanak spent his last days,attracts hundreds of pilgrims daily to the border from where the shrine is visible on a clear day.

“But we want the devotees to have a better ‘darshan’ of the shrine with the help of telescopes. While one telescope will be placed tomorrow,more will come up later,” said Sarna.

He added that with the corridor issue pending for bilateral talks,this was a good option to serve the purpose. “All arrangements have been made and the project will take off on Thursday,” said Sarna,adding that the initiative had been taken on the demand of devotees.

He sought support to the project and the corridor issue from the Sikh community all over the world. Due to security concerns,any construction or installation of equipment on the border requires necessary permission from the Centre. The Border Security Force (BSF) had already constructed a raised platform and put up a small telescope,but that is not in use at present.

“Hundreds of pilgrims,many of them from far-away places,arrive here for a spiritual experience. We want that a facility is created. We do not want to come in the way of this religious cause. It is a matter of faith,” said IG,BSF Frontier,Himmat Singh Gill,adding that they had already created the facility,which needed to be strengthened further and modernised.

Apart from high-powered telescopes,a gate,an inn for the devotees to stay and a community hall for langar will also come up at the spot through ‘kar sewa’.

“There will be proper drinking water arrangement,toilets and other facilities for a comfortable stay of the pilgrims. Maps will be installed with instructions written on them and transport will be made available,” said Narinderpal Singh,a spokesperson for the DSGMC. He said services of Baba Sewa Singh were being taken for the huge task.

Khalsa Action Committee convenor Bhai Mohkam Singh and Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh have also pledged help. “The initiative will not only facilitate devotees to have a darshan but also give a fillip to voices for the corridor,” said Mohkam Singh.

A proposal to build a corridor for the devotees to venture into Pakistan territory to pay obeisance at the gurdwara has been pending for long.

Former minister for external affairs Parnab Mukherjee had visited Dera Baba Nanak in 2008 along with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and promised that the government was serious to undertake the project and talks were on with the Pakistan government on this.