Kartarpur Corridor

Vaid's ICS, Lucknow
17, Nov 2021

G.S. I

Topics Covered: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Context:

The government is considering reopening the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara corridor to Pakistan this week to allow Sikh pilgrims to cross over, more than 20 months after it was shut down due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The plan is to open on November 19, the birth anniversary of the Sikh founder Guru Nanak, known as Gurpurab or “Prakash Parv”.

The Kartarpur corridor agreement:

Please note that the Kartarpur corridoragreement allows pilgrims to travel visa free through the corridor.
Indian pilgrims of all faiths and persons of Indian origin can use the corridor.
Pilgrims need to carry only a valid passport;
Persons of Indian Origin need to carry OCI card along with the passport of their country.
The Corridor is open from dawn to dusk. Pilgrims travelling in the morning will have to return on the same day.

What is the “Kartarpur Corridor” project?

The corridor – often dubbed as the “Road to Peace” – will connect Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district.

The shrine and its significance:

The gurdwara in Kartarpur stands on the bank of the Ravi, about 120 km northeast of Lahore.
It was here that Guru Nanakassembled a Sikh community and lived for 18 years until his death in 1539.
The shrine is visible from the Indian side, as Pakistani authorities generally trim the elephant grass that would otherwise obstruct the view.
Indian Sikhs gather in large numbers for darshan from the Indian side, and binoculars are installed at Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak.

Facts for Prelims

Hazaras of Afghanistan

Hazara is an ethnic group from Afghanistan.
They are believed to be descendants of the founder of the Mongol empire, Genghis Khan, and his army that overran the entire region during the 13th century.
Their distinct Asiatic features and use of a Persian dialect called Hazaragi also sets them apart from the rest of the country.

Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana

Launced by Odisha government.
It promises cashless healthcare coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh for nearly 96 lakh families in the state. The expense limit for women beneficiaries under BSKY is Rs 10 lakh.
The smart card holders will get cashless health coverage in more than 200 empaneled hospitals in the state.

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