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Pakistan issues commemorative coin & Stamps to mark Guru Nanak's 550th anniversary
11-02-2019
Pakistan’s government on Tuesday October 29th announced Rs50 commemorative coins simultaneously with Rs8 stamp depicting the birthplace of Sri Guru Nanak Dev to mark his 550th birth anniversary.
The coin will be available for Sikh devotees visiting Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara after the inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor by Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 9.
 One side of the coin reads “550th Birthday Celebrations Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji 1469-2019”, with a gurdwara carved on it, whereas on the other side it reads Islamic Republic Pakistan and Rs50 with Pakistan’s symbol – a moon and a star.
Baba Guru Nanak Devji was the first of the ten Sikh gurus. His birth anniversary is celebrated all across the world as Guru Nanak Gurpurab on Kartik Pooranmashi as the full moon day in the month of Katak between October-November.
Pakistan has been the epi center of the celebrations this year since one of the holiest sites of Sikhism is situated just 4.7 kilometres from the Indian border in Pakistan. To commemorate the 550th year Pakistan had earlier announced the Kartarpur Corridor connecting the Sikh shrines of Dera Baba Nanak Sahib (located in Punjab, India) and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib (in Punjab, Pakistan). On 26 November 2018, the foundation stone for the Kartarpur corridor was laid down on the Indian side. Two days later, the foundation stone was laid down on the Pakistani side.
Guru Nanak, (15th April 1469 – 22nd September 1539) the founder of Sikhism, settled after his missionary work in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan. He assembled a Sikh community there, and lived for 18 years until his death in 1539. Kartarpur Gurdwara is built where Guru Nanak is said to have died. It is therefore the second holiest site of the Sikh religion after Gurdwara Janam Asthan- the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev Ji located at Nankana Sahib, Pakistan.
The first batch of 1,100 Sikhs from India arrived in Pakistan on Thursday October 31st.
The visiting Sikhs will also be the part of the historic opening of the Kartarpur Corridor on November 9, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) spokesperson Amir Hashmi told PTI.
 "The first batch of 1,100 Sikhs crossed over in Pakistan from Wagah Border to attend celebrations of 550 birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak in Nankana Sahib," Amir Hashmi said.
The Kartarpur Corridor – as it is called – has been built in record time and is expected to build bridges Between India and Pakistan.
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