CHANDIGARH, Punjab—This year, the Pakistani High Commission has granted visas to 463 Indian Sikh devotees to attend the 180th death anniversary of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It is learnt that the Sikh devotees have been granted a 10 days visa from June 27 to July 6.
It is learnt that the SGPC had applied on behalf of 282 pilgrims, but 224 applications were accepted. The reason of rejection of others was not known. The devotees can collect their passports on June 26 from the SGPC’s head office.
The Sikh pilgrims will depart for Pakistan in a special train via Attari-Wagah border station on June 27.
It is pertinent to note here that the Pakistani High Commission grants visas to thousands of Sikh devotees to mark various historic religious eves in Pakistan.
The death anniversary of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh is observed every year by the Sikh masses in Lahore.
Samadhi (memorial) of Maharaja Ranjit Singh situated in Lahore, Pakistan, marks the place where his mortal remains were cremated. The central hall has a marble chhatri that once had carved marble knobs commemorating the Maharaja’s funeral pyre. These knobs were recently removed and are now locked in a storeroom.
