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International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Volume 9 Issue 2 Sacred Journeys 7: Pilgrimage and Article 5 Beyond: Going Places, Far and Away

2021

The Kartarpur Pilgrimage Corridor: Negotiating the ‘Line of Mutual Hatred’

Anna V. Bochkovskaya Lomonosov Moscow State University, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Bochkovskaya, Anna V. (2021) "The Kartarpur Pilgrimage Corridor: Negotiating the ‘Line of Mutual Hatred’," International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage: Vol. 9: Iss. 2, Article 5. doi:https://doi.org/10.21427/2qad-kw05 Available at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijrtp/vol9/iss2/5

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. © International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage ISSN : 2009-7379 Available at: http://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijrtp/ Volume 9(ii) 2021

The Kartarpur Pilgrimage Corridor: Negotiating the ‘Line of Mutual Hatred’

Anna Bochkovskaya Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia [email protected] After the partition of British in 1947, many pilgrimage sites important for the – followers of a medieval poet-mystic and philosopher (1469-1539) – turned out to be at different sides of the Indian-Pakistani border. The towns of and Kartarpur (Guru Nanak’s birthplace, and residence for the last 18 years of his life, respectively) remained within Pakistani territory. Gurdwaras located there represent utmost pilgrimage destinations, the Sikhs’ ‘Mecca and Medina’. Owing to Indian-Pakistani relations that have deteriorated throughout seven decades, pilgrimage to Kartarpur has been extremely difficult for India’s citizens. Nevertheless, in the late 1990s, official negotiations were launched concerning the possibility of setting up a visa-free pilgrimage corridor that would allow Indian Sikhs to easily reach the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara. The potential corridor was perceived by many as a channel for cultural cooperation and the embodiment of a zone of peace at the ‘line of mutual hatred’ – as the India- border has often been referred to. Negotiations received a new impetus when the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) party headed by came to power in 2018. On November 9, 2019, three days before Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary, the Kartarpur corridor was inaugurated by the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan. This paper discusses the history of and the potential perspectives concerning the Kartarpur pilgrimage corridor drawing upon the concepts of borders as processes, sets of sociocultural practices, symbols, institutions, and networks that permanently adopt new meanings and functions. Key Words: Sikhs, Guru Nanak, Punjab, pilgrimage, borders, India-Pakistan relations

After the partition of British India in 1947, many faith that incorporated a variety of ideas from medieval pilgrimage sites important for the Sikhs – followers of Bhakti (sometimes called ‘mystical Hinduism’)2 and a medieval poet-mystic and philosopher Guru Nanak Sufism (a mystical belief in Islam). It was in Kartarpur (1469-1539) – turned out to be at different sides of the that he worked in the fields together with his two sons Indian-Pakistani border. Radcliff’s line cut the Punjab implementing the idea that worldly duties and gṛhastha province, home region for the majority of Sikhs in South (householder) dharma inseparably associated with Asia, into two parts. As a result, the towns of Nankana individual spiritual quest should be the core of human Sahib, Guru Nanak’s birthplace, and Kartarpur, his life. In Kartarpur, Guru Nanak established his first free residence for the last 18 years of life, remained within kitchen or langar where any traveller or a person in need Pakistani territory. Gurdwaras (places where Sikhs come was provided food and shelter irrespective of faith, caste, together for congregational worship) located in those age, sex, or social status. Guru Nanak’s disciples – Sikhs towns represent the ultimate pilgrimage destinations for – have been doing their best to follow these principles Sikhs, over 21 million1 of whom currently live in India. ever since.3

Kartarpur boasts a special place in the history of 2 Bhakti (love, devotion, dedication) represented a blend ; it was the place where Guru Nanak took up his of medieval religious reform ideas popular in North India, residence after long pilgrimages to different destinations which focused on private relationship between an adept in India and elsewhere, and continued to preach his and a deity. 3 The history of Sikhism and its current specifics is 1 India’s state of Punjab is home to 16 million Sikhs (77% discussed in Jacobsen et al., 2017; Uspenskaya, Kotin, of India’s Sikh community) who in turn account for 58% 2007. For details of langar’s role in Sikhism see of the population of the state (Census of India 2011). Bochkovskaya, 2018:300-312; Khokhlova, 2018:313-322.

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Figure 1: Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, Pakistan

(Photo by PTI, Hindustan Times, Nov. 09, 2019) In the 16th century, Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib (Figure Pakistan, the political border has become an important 1) was set up at Guru Nanak’s death place; it was rebuilt tool used for ‘othering’ (Paasi, 2020:1-8; Houtum & in the 1920s by the Sikh ruler of Patiala. Today it is Naerssen, 2002:126). considered the largest gurdwara in the world covering a territory of some 6 square kilometres. Located at the west Such a role for the border is enhanced through its bank of the Ravi River at a distance of 4 km from the performance at the few sites and crossings that currently international border, the Kartarpur Sahib is clearly visible exist at the ‘line of mutual hatred’ – a common definition from the east – India’s – bank. However, from August of the Indian-Pakistani frontier (The Economist, July 1947 until November 2019, when a special pilgrimage 24, 2017). Along the entire 3,300km border line there passage to Kartarpur was established, it had remained are only two passages: the -Wagah crossing in virtually out of reach for Sikhs residing in India. That Punjab located 32km from , India and 24 km is why in India’s town of Dera Nanak Sahib across the border, a special site had been set up allowing darshan Figure 2: Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, Pakistan, as (viewing) of the inaccessible Kartarpur Sahib (Figure 2). seen from darshan place (viewpoint) at Dera Nanak Sahib, India Contextualizing the Kartarpur Corridor

The Indian-Pakistani border is typical in the so-called traditional understanding of boundaries as fixed lines, or physical or material entities (Paasi, 2011:11-31; Houtum, 2005:672-679). It is a line that can be interpreted as a ‘fact on the ground’ (Agnew, 2008:175) that is absolutely visible and strictly guarded for its entire length. In 1947, it split the historical and cultural community of Punjab that featured a mix of religions and cultures; an overwhelming majority of Muslims shifted to West Punjab while Hindus and Sikhs had to migrate to the eastern part of the region. Since then for both India and (Photo by Bishwanath Ghosh, The Hindu, Nov. 22, 2018)

29 Bochkovskaya The Kartarpur Pilgrimage Corridor: Negotiating the ‘Line of Mutual Hatred’

Figure 3: Lowering the Flags at the Attari-Wagah Crossing

Author’s Images from , Pakistan, and the Munabao-Khokhrapar intentions, but to an extent also as a symbol of goodwill railway crossing between India’s state of Rajasthan and and cooperation between the two countries. A similar, but Pakistan’s Sindh province. smaller-scale and less pompous performance, takes place at the – checkpoint, also One of the most famous manifestations of the border is a in Punjab. The border crossing there was closed several large-scale and colourful ceremony of lowering the flags decades ago, but the lowering of flags ceremony has been (Beating Retreat) held almost every evening since the late held at the site every day since 1970 (Jeychandran 2016: 1950s at the Attari-Wagah crossing in Punjab: tall officers 181–202). wearing red (India) and black (Pakistan) turbans with fan-shape decorations march, menacingly gesticulate, These performances are generally supposed to visually and roll their eyes, as if trying to scare their counterparts confirm a separating role of the sealed border. They aim at across the border. Even so, when closing up at the border physical demonstration of a boundary between ‘Us’ and line, they show utmost uniformity of movements and ‘Them’, which reflects the specificity of relations between gestures, a result of joint drills. The pompous 45-minute India and Pakistan. At the same time, such performances show ends at sunset by opening the massive iron gates and practices make the border an ideological entity (the border per se) and synchronised lowering of the (Paasi, 1998:74) verifying the argument that never being flags Figures 3 & 4). With perfect coordination, the two neutral lines, flags are carefully taken off the ropes, neatly folded and borders are often pools of emotions, fears, and carried away. Indian and Pakistani officers shake hands, memories that can be mobilized space for both after which the iron gates remain closed until the next progressive and regressive purposes (Johnson et evening. The dramatic and spectacular show at the border al., 2011:61-69). draws thousands of visitors at each side, with foreign tourists among them. To this end, borders are both symbols and institutions that ‘simultaneously produce distinctions between social Performed jointly by the Indian Border Security Force groups and are produced by them’ (Paasi, 1998:80). and , the emotional ritual is generally Notably, as institutions, they construct a continuity for perceived as a mutual demonstration of aggressive social interaction by linking the past, present, and future

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Figure 4: Soldiers on Duty at the Attari-Wagah Crossing

Author’s Images together (Paasi, 1998:80). This is an absolutely different A Thorny Way to Separated Shrines approach to borders which holds that borders are artefacts of dominant discursive processes that Owing to the specifics of Indian-Pakistan relations that have led to the fencing of chunks of territory and developed from bad to worse during seven decades of people from one another (Agnew, 2008:176). independent history of both countries, visiting significant Naturally, such processes can vary, so the meaning of the gurdwaras remained extremely difficult for Indian Sikhs. borders can also change with the course of time. This The procedure for pilgrimage was determined by a number reflects the ‘Janus-faced’ character of the borders that of bilateral documents, first of all by the 1950 Agreement reveals ‘both their conserving and expansive potential’ signed by India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and (Houtum et al., 2005:4). Pakistan’s Prime Minister Liakat Ali Khan (Agreement 1950) followed by other arrangements, particularly the The same applies to the border crossings / passages 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines that limited – parts of the border that represent contestation and the annual number of pilgrimage teams from one country transcendence (Kolossov & Scott, 2013:32) being to the other to 20 parties. By 2017, India and Pakistan communication points or portals to the world of ‘the opened five shrines from each side for trans-border Other’. Being an integral part of boundary-producing pilgrimage: the list included five Muslim shrines in India practices and discourses, in the same way as borders they (two in Delhi, and one each in Rajasthan, Punjab, and ‘can be materialized and symbolized to greater or lesser Uttarakhand), and two Hindu and three Sikh shrines in extents’ (Paasi, 1996). It is in the latter context that this Pakistan (one in Sindh, four in Pakistani Punjab) (Pant- paper focuses on the role of the Kartarpur pilgrimage Mirza Agreement 2017). crossing / corridor inaugurated in November 2019 at the Indian-Pakistani border. 4 In compliance with these agreements, Sikh (pilgrimage groups) headed to Pakistan several times a year to visit three historical gurdwaras, namely, the Nankana Sahib and Panja Sabib in the Rawalpindi 4 Perspectives of the Kartarpur corridor conceptualised district, and the Dera Sahib in Lahore. Such visits were through faith-based diplomacy theory are discussed in usually timed to coincide with Guru Nanak’s jayanti Bochkovskaya, 2020:20-25.

31 Bochkovskaya The Kartarpur Pilgrimage Corridor: Negotiating the ‘Line of Mutual Hatred’

Map 1: Location map of the Kartarpur Corridor

Google image

(birthday), to Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s5 memorial day, Officially, the Kartarpur corridor topic was first touched and to the Baisakhi spring festival, which is extremely upon in February 1999, during India’s Prime Minister important in the Sikh tradition. visit to Lahore (Dawn Wire Service February 20, 1999), where he had talks with Pakistani To get into the Pakistani Punjab, pilgrims had to travel Prime Minister . Albeit the negotiations on bypass roads filled with checkpoints. Obtaining the focused on nuclear security in South Asia, the final Pakistani visa usually took a long time; visa fees were statement (Joint Statement, 1999) noted that the parties also a problem for potential visitors, and in many cases would continue the dialogue on the liberalisation of the Indian Sikhs were denied visas. However, Pakistani visa regime and border crossing rules. Additionally, pilgrims willing to visit Muslim shrines at the Indian Nawaz Sharif agreed in principle to start the corridor territory faced similar difficulties. construction.

Some 7,000 Indians visited Pakistan-based gurdwaras One argument in favour of building the corridor was that per year ( August 22, 2018), but for in theory it could be used not only by Indian Sikhs, but an overwhelming majority of India’s 21-million Sikh also by some Pakistani Sikhs,6 to access the Dera Nanak community the path to these guardwaras remained closed. Sahib gurdwara (Hindustan Times, November 09, 2019). The Kartarpur Sahib also remained inaccessible; despite From a distant and most hypothetical perspective, it could its historic significance and near-the-border location, this also be used by Pakistani Muslims to visit several small gurdwara was not on the list of religious shrines defined dargahs – shrines of Muslim pirs / saints – that remained by bilateral agreements. This explains the Indian Sikhs’ at the Indian side of the border after the 1947 partition preoccupation with the idea of establishing a dedicated (Snehi, 2019:106–138). From this perspective, getting pilgrimage corridor (Map 1) that would allow Indian access to religious shrines would be of mutual interest. followers of Guru Nanak to get quick and easy access The Kartarpur corridor was also perceived by the two to Kartarpur. However, government-level discussions of sides as a channel of peace and cultural cooperation at this issue began only in the late 1990s. the troubled border. 5 Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780–1839) established the Sikh 6 According to various sources, the number of Sikhs in Empire, which existed until the annexation of Punjab by Pakistan is rather small, with estimates ranging from the British in 1849. 20,000 to 40,000.

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However, the emerging positive trends in the negotiations 2009). Nevertheless, in 2000, Pakistani authorities came to naught with the beginning of border conflict formally gave consent to build a bridge leading to the () in May 1999, with the result that all Kartarpur Sahib over the Ravi River (The Tribune, discussion items concerning humanitarian cooperation, November 16, 2000) and announced several tenders, but the Kartarpur corridor included, were taken off the construction works were not launched at that time. agenda. The talks received a new impetus in 2004 after the general Phases of the Kartarpur Dialogue election victory of the United Progressive Alliance led by the ; India’s new Prime The Kartarpur dialogue developed in fits and starts in Minister , a Sikh, supported the idea the years that followed, being largely determined by of the Kartarpur Corridor (Sethi 2020). Also in 2004, the personal interests of discussion participants. The the Pakistani side had the gurdwara fully repaired and viewpoint of India’s Sikhs remained central in the rebuilt, possibly using funds allotted by the negotiations together with – directly and indirectly – (The Times of India, May 05, 2017), as the condition of the stand of influential Sikh communities in the USA, the shrine remained in a state of disrepair from 1947 until Canada, and Great Britain, especially of the descendants then. An unpaved road was also constructed to provide from the western parts of colonial India that became West easier access to the shrine. Pakistan in 1947.7 In 2010, the Punjab Legislative Assembly adopted India’s authorities often expressed concern about security a resolution urging India’s central government to issues. In particular, they noted that Pakistan could facilitate the setting up of the corridor (Resolution potentially operate the Kartarpur corridor to undermine 2010), while in 2012, the same request was addressed stability in India by using the gurdwara for tacit support to India’s Foreign Minister by the Shiromani Gurdwara of pro-Khalistani forces, and for recruiting radical Sikhs, Parbandhak Committee – an authoritative and influential especially young people (India Today, November 27, Sikh organisation responsible for the management 2018; Hindustan Times, November 07, 2018).8 of gurdwaras in three states (Punjab, Haryana, and ) and the union territory of Chandigarh. The Pakistani side was largely concerned over logistics Following the 2014 general elections victory of the and infrastructure because Pakistan was to bear a greater Hindu-focused Bharatiya Janata Party led by Narendra part of the construction costs owing to the location of Modi, Sikhs persisted in lobbying for top-level Kartarpur the Kartarpur Sahib. According to the American non- dialogue. On multiple occasions, Sikh leaders brought governmental organisation - Institute for Multi-Track up this issue in the Indian parliament, but in 2017, the Diplomacy - the infrastructure expenditure including parliamentary standing committee on external affairs a highway with pedestrian and bicycle lanes, and ruled out the construction of the corridor noting that ‘the checkpoints, was estimated at $2.2 million for India and current political climate was not at all conducive’ for $14.8 million for Pakistan (Kartarpur Project Report, setting up the passage (The Tribune, May 02, 2017). 7 Over 2 million Sikhs reside outside India. For details on Nevertheless, negotiations were activated in 2018 when the Sikh diaspora refer to Jacobsen et al., 2017; Hawley, the Tehrik-e-Insaf party (PTI) headed by a prominent 2013. politician Imran Khan, a former cricket player, came to 8 The separatist movement aimed at the secession of Punjab power in Pakistan. At the inauguration ceremony, India and the establishment of the Sikh state of Khalistan got underway in India from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. was represented by , Minister of It was widely supported by extremists from outside Tourism of Punjab, formerly also a professional cricketer India. Groups such as the Khalistan Liberation Force and Imran Khan’s friend since the 1980s. The ‘cricket and , among others remain active in the diplomacy’ brought results, enhanced by upcoming USA, Canada, and Great Britain, among other countries; festivities – Guru Nanak’s 550th prakash purab (birthday India lists them as terrorist groups. India’s media often celebrations) in November 2019. Soon after Imran Khan’s report subversive activities carried out by Pakistan- based pro-Khalistani forces, but it is difficult to evaluate inauguration, the Pakistani side announced its intention the accuracy and reliability of such information. The to construct and activate the Kartarpur corridor on the Khalistan factor in the Kartarpur dialogue is not discussed eve of an important date, which is to say by November in this paper.

33 Bochkovskaya The Kartarpur Pilgrimage Corridor: Negotiating the ‘Line of Mutual Hatred’

Figure 5: India’s Prime Minister Figure 6: Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurating praying during the launch of the Kartarpur Corridor the Kartarpur Corridor at the Pakistani side on on November 9, 2019 November 9, 2019

(Photo by AP, Livemint, Nov. 09, 2019)

(Photo by ANI, The Hindu, Nov. 09, 2019)

12, 2019. At that point India’s parliament took a similar the altruism preached by the Sikh faith. Some Indian decision, and in November 2018 both countries launched politicians called it jizya – a tax historically levied the construction of the corridor infrastructure. in Islamic countries on non-Muslims (India Today, September 14, 2019). The negotiations continued until In 2018-2019, the issue of peaceful transborder both sides signed a final agreement on the Kartarpur cooperation was seemingly removed from the agenda corridor on October 24, 2019 (Kartarpur Sahib in a number of cases. This happened during the border Agreement, 2019). conflict in February 2019 after the Pulwama (Kashmir) attack that saw 40 Indian security personnel killed by The document defined the five-year working schedule a suicide bomber, with the Indian response being an for the corridor, stating that it would be operational airstrike across the line of control. Also, in August 2019, every day from dawn to dusk, and all pilgrims from when India’s government repealed the special status of India would return to their country on the same day. Jammu and Kashmir as per Article 370 of the Indian Travelling was permitted for pilgrims with valid Indian constitution, Indian-Pakistani relations again suffered passports, and for people of Indian origin (PIO) carrying a setback with the escalation of military presence in Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards along with their border areas, primarily in Kashmir. The future of the passports. Pilgrims also had to register two weeks in Kartarpur corridor remained at risk, but the construction advance at a special website of India’s Ministry of works continued without fail and were to a large extent Home Affairs (www.prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in/). The completed by October 2019. maximum number of visitors was limited to 5,000 per day with additional provisions for more pilgrims coming Simultaneously, negotiations concerning the details on special days like gurpurabs or Baisakhi. In spite of of visa-free visits of Indian Sikhs to Kartarpur Sahib India’s objections concerning the 20-dollar fee, Pakistan continued. Firstly, it was necessary to come to an retained the USD20 service charge. agreement concerning the definition of what constitutes an official document (passport or other ID) for purposes The Kartarpur corridor was inaugurated on November of checkpoints at both sides, and preliminary registration 9, three days before Guru Nanak’s 550th prakash for visiting the gurdwara. Secondly, Pakistan announced purab celebrated in 2019 on November 12. Imran Khan its decision to introduce a USD20 fee for all pilgrims as inaugurated the Pakistani part, while Narendra Modi did a service charge or partial compensation for expenditures the same for the Indian part of the passage (Figures 5 & relating to the corridor infrastructure’s upkeep. India 6). The first pilgrimage group that departed to Kartarpur insisted on fee-free entry, noting that the proposed comprised prominent Sikh leaders and politicians sum was prohibitive for many Sikh families; besides, including India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan the compulsory pilgrimage fee did not comply with Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab , and

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Figure 7: The Kartarpur pilgrimage website

Available at https://prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in/kpr/ the abovementioned Navjot Singh Sidhu, among others. life of the founder of Sikhism is neutral: Guru Nanak is For the first time in 70 years, Guru Nanak’s followers neither Hindu nor Muslim. In a sense, the Sikh religion could follow the shortest route to the historical gurdwara; that historically absorbed elements of both Hinduism and thus, the way to Kartarpur was open. Islam stands ‘above’ these religious systems. To this end, the bridge over the Ravi river that pilgrims have to cross on Perspectives of the Kartarpur Corridor their way to Kartarpur and back acquires a metaphorical meaning. So it is almost impossible to suspect those in Constant tensions in Indian-Pakistani relations seemed to favour of developing trans-border contacts as taking negate all efforts aimed at the Kartarpur dialogue. For this either a pro-Indian or pro-Pakistani stand. reason, prospects remained dim until the inauguration in November 2019. When the passage became operational, Furthermore, the Kartarpur corridor is commercially several experts remained sceptical. This scepticism has feasible for both sides. Already at the initial stage been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic restrictions of setting up the requisite infrastructure at the huge and sealing of the borders since mid-March 2020. premises, a substantial number of contractors from the Nevertheless, my argument is that this project has good Pakistani side took part in constructing a 4.5-km highway chances for further development. including the 900-m bridge across the Ravi River. Being interested in developing its tourism industry, Pakistan Negotiations on the present state and prospects of the gets an opportunity to host more foreigners – not only pilgrimage corridor, as well as trans-border cooperation Sikhs – interested in religious tourism. in general, are to both countries’ interest; the Kartarpur issue is ideologically advantageous for both Pakistan India (especially the state of Punjab) also stands to and India to demonstrate respect to their religious benefit from the project. By November 9, 2019, a 3.5 km minorities.9 Ideologically, the place connected with the modern highway in Punjab became operational to bring pilgrims to the huge passenger terminal building with a 9 In Pakistan, religious minorities (Ahmadias, Sikhs, Christians, and Hindus) account for less than 2% of the waiting hall, and prayer and medical rooms at the border. country’s 200-million population. Of India’s 1.3-billion The airport-like building is supposed to demonstrate population 79.8 percent are Hindus while the rest include India’s glory, prosperity and – by default – dominance. Muslims (14.2 percent), Christians (2.3), Sikhs (1.7), as By setting up international checkpoints and hoisting well as Buddhists, Jains, Parsees and others.

35 Bochkovskaya The Kartarpur Pilgrimage Corridor: Negotiating the ‘Line of Mutual Hatred’ national flags, India and Pakistan received another References occasion for ‘patriotic’ competition at the border: India Agnew, J. (2008) Borders on the Mind: Re-framing Border installed a 300-feet-high pole carrying a huge tricolor, Thinking. Ethics & Global Politics 1 (4): 175–191. noting that it was one of the biggest national flags in the country (The Economic Times, August 31, 2019). At Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India the same time, Pakistan had to solve the problem of the and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the Facilitation of Pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar pole’s height: since the Kartarpur corridor was meant for Sahib Kartarpur, Norwal, Pakistan. (2019) Available pilgrimage, the Pakistani national flag was not supposed at: https://dnanews.com.pk/full-text-kartarpur-corridor- to visually dominate over the Sikh nishan sahib – a flag agreement-signed-pakistan-india/ (accessed 03.09.2020) that is hoisted at every gurdwara, but making it lower than the Indian flag meant giving India ‘the first win in Agreement between the Governments of India and Pakistan Regarding Security and Rights of Minorities (Nehru- the “Attari-Wagah-like macho contest”’ (Dawn, July 16, Liaquat Agreement). (1950) Available at: http://www. 2019). commonlii.org/in/other/treaties/INTSer/1950/9.html (accessed 03.09.2020) Phase 2 of the Kartarpur project covering over 50 acres, Bochkovskaya, A.V. (2018) Miloserdije langara: ritual’noje is supposed to be completed by 2022; it will include služenije v ‘trapeznyh guru’. In: Karachkova, Y.Y. and building hotels and hospitals, VIP lounges, watchtowers, Prokofieva, I.T. (eds) Vkus Vostoka. Gastronomičeskije and vast lawns (The Economic Times, August 31, 2019). tradicii v istorii, culture i religijah narodov Azii i Afriki. In recent years, the Indian town of Dera Nanak Sahib Moscow: MGIMO-Universitet, 300–312 (in Russian). has been evolving into an important transportation and Bochkovskaya, A.V. (2020) Put’ v Kartarpur: Diplomatija commerce node. Considering the plans for 5,000 visitors very v indijsko-pakistanskih otnošeniyah. Aziya i Afrika travelling to the Kartarpur Sahib every day, the financial segodnya 3: 20–25 (in Russian). benefits to the town and the entire are Census of India (2011) Sikh Religion Census. Available at: unquestionable. https://www.census2011.co.in/data/religion/4-sikhism. html (accessed 02.09.2020) Conclusion Dawn Wire Service (1999) South Asia. 20 February. Available at: https://asianstudies.github.io/area-studies/SouthAsia/ The Kartarpur pilgrimage corridor can thus be SAserials/Dawn/1999/%2020Feb99.html#vajp (accessed understood through the concept of borders as ‘processes, 01.06.2020) sets of sociocultural practices, symbols, institutions, and networks’ (Paasi, 2012:2304) that permanently adopt Flint, C. and Taylor, P.J. (2007) Political Geography. World- Economy, Nation-State and Locality. Edinburgh, Harlow, new meanings and functions. Being part of the Indian- Essex: Pearson Education Ltd. Pakistani border, the Kartarpur pilgrimage corridor is an important symbolic and ideological entity, and a Hawley, M. (ed) (2013) Sikh Diaspora. Theory, Agency, and ‘site at and through which socio-spatial differences are Experience. Leiden: Brill. communicated’ (Houtum, 2005:672). At the same time, Houtum, H. (2005) The Geopolitics of Borders and Boundaries. the Kartarpur project is largely pragmatic, an aspect well Geopolitics 10: 672–679. understood by both sides. Despite their most complicated Houtum, H. and Naerssen, T. (2002) Bordering, Ordering character, the talks and actions in negotiating the ‘line and Othering, Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale of mutual hatred’ open vast possibilities for trans-border Geografie / Journal of Economic and Social Geography cooperation between India and Pakistan. The near and 93(2): 125–136. medium-term future will show whether the parties are Houtum, H., Kramsch, O. and Zierhofer, W. (2005) able to successfully harness the potential of the Kartarpur Prologue. Bordering Space, in Houtum, H., Kramsch, pilgrimage corridor. O. and Zierhofer, W. (eds) B/ordering Space, Aldershot, Burlington: Ashgate, 1–5.

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