Now, devotees can take along 'langar ration' to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib
GS Paul
Amritsar, November 2
Now, the devotees going to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan will be able to take ration and other goods for langar (community food) from the Indian side.
Christened as “Langar Rasad Guru Nanak Dev Ji Hut”, an exclusive store for ration has been opened at the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur.
On the first day today, the devotees purchased vegetables, pulses and handkerchiefs from this store. The Kartarpur corridor was constructed by India and Pakistan for visa-free access to Indian pilgrims from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur in Pakistan’s Narowal district where Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, had spent the last leg of his life.
Since the inauguration of the corridor in November 2019, the devotees, during the initial months, used to carry ration for langar along with them, but this practice was discouraged after the Pakistan Rangers raised objections over it with their Indian counterparts.
As the new store has opened after the intervention of the Centre, the devotees can now “officially” contribute in the langar of Gurdwara Kartarpur shrine kitchen.
Officials of the Land Ports Authority of India and manager of Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak were present on the occasion. Around 300 pilgrims visit Kartarpur shrine daily through the dedicated corridor.
Rajinder Singh and Sukhwinder Singh, who jointly started this store after qualifying the tendering process, said they provide tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, garlic, onions, pulses, oil, desi ghee, flour, rice, nutri and other goods, besides handkerchiefs, combs, bracelets, kirpans, kachhira and other such items.
According to the norms laid down by the government, each devotee can carry only 7 kg of luggage from here.
Rajinder said earlier, after entering the corridor, the devotees could not find anything to take to the Guru ghar, but now with the opening of this store, the devotees can get the langar supplies.
