Kartarpur Sahib

Why in news?

• Pakistan Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) recently took away the full control of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Punjab's Narowal District from the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and gave it to Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), in a controversial move.

About Kartarpur Sahib:

• Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, also called Kartarpur Sahib, is a gurdwara in Kartarpur, located in Shakargarh, Narowal District, in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
• It is built on the banks of river Jhelum and is considered the first Gurudwara ever built.
• It is built on the historic site where the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, settled and assembled the Sikh community after his missionary travels and lived for 18 years until his death in 1539.
• It is one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Golden Temple in Amritsar and Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib.
• The gurdwara is also notable for its location near the border between Pakistan and India. The shrine is visible from the Indian side of the border.
• Indian Sikhs gather in large numbers on bluffs to perform darshan, or sacred viewing of the site, from the Indian side of the border.

Kartarpur corridor

• The Kartarpur Corridor was opened by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on 9 November 2019, just days before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
• This historic moment officially allowed Indian Sikh pilgrims rare visa-free access to the site in Pakistan.
•  It is also claimed to be the largest gurdwara in the world.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding Sikhism: 
1.Nankana Sahib Gurudwara is located in Maharashtra.
2.Akal Takht is located in  Punjab, India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question