Kartarpur Sahib, Pakistan - the corridor which opened on Guru Nanak Dev Ji 550th Prakash Purab by governments of both India and Pakistan
The Gurudwara sahib is in Pakistan which is now a visa-free border crossing. The border allows devotees from India to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur sahib which is around 5 kms from India Pakistan border
A beautifully made within a short span is a place where Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent almost 16 years of his life and did farming also
I planned a solo trip to Kartarpur Sahib on the 1st day of year 2020. What could be much better than visiting a place at the end of one decade and starting of another.
First of all i did my online registration to visit Kartarpur sahib and booked the slot for 1st Jan 2020. After registering you will get your confirmation 3-4 days prior your visit. I got mine 3 days prior.
I got my confirmation so mine was a 2 day trip from Delhi - Amritsar - Kartarpur Sahib - Delhi. I left for Amritsar on 31st morning by DLI-ASR Shatabdi and reached by 1:45pm. Checked into hotel near Golden temple and got fresh and had lunch at famous Kulwant Singh Kulche wale and slept for while. In evening i went to Harmandir Sahib for darshan and spent around 3-4 hrs there post that had langer and went to my room to sleep
Next day morning i took a taxi at 8am which i booked as I reached Amritsar and left for Kartarpur Sahib. To Visit Gurudwara sahib you cannot go directly. You have to first reach Dera Baba Nanak which is around 50kms from Amritsar (Nearest Station to Dera Baba Nanak). After reaching you can go through the immigration counters. You need to carry a hard copy of ETA (confirmation which you got 3-4 prior) along with your passport.
Please note that passports are only for verification, no visa or stamping will be done on that. There is a $20 fee which is kept by Pakistan to visit Gurudwara sahib. All you need to do is to get your immigration done at Dera Baba Nanak and from there battery rickshaws will take you to the border gates of India and Pakistan. You need to get down at gate and cross the border yourself and need to take another rickshaw in Pakistan which will take you to Pakistan immigration center.
There you need to submit $20 fee and they will give you a receipt which you need to take care of, as all the stamping will be done on that receipt itself
Once you are done with immigration at Pakistan side you need to board the bus which will be waiting to pick you up and will take you to Gurudwara sahib which is almost 4-5 kms from there. All this process will take you around 1 hr of time to reach Gurudwara sahib
Once you reach, you are greeted at the gates (Darshan deodi) and they will explain you about Gurudwara Sahib. Once you enter you can be there till evening and can enjoy the peaceful and beautifully made Gurudwara.
People there are really very good. Everyone greets you very well whether you are in India or Pakistan. Locals at Pakistan also interacts and greets you.
You can go to darbar sahib and can enjoy the kirtan and can sit there for while. The place is so huge that you will take atleast 2 hrs to visit every corner and also do not miss amazing langer which is been served hot.
The langer hall is huge, all utensils are new, you can have langer and do seva also at your will.
You can also visit the khet saab where Guru Nanak Dev Ji did farming
In the evening i took the bus back to dera baba nanak and follow the same procedure. I came back and my taxi was waiting to take me back to station from where I took ASR-DLI Shatabdi.
It was one of my amazing trip i visited. The feeling was totally different and i do not have words to express when you cross the borders of India and Pakistan. The place is totally safe and under the army as the Gurudwara is in the border area of Pakistan
It was one of the amazing start to the year 2020 and I felt really blessed by visiting Kartarpur Sahib, Pakistan.