Sikh Jatha visiting Pakistan on 474th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Ram
Das
By Ravinder Singh Robin
Amritsar, October 6, 2008 :: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), the
premiere governing body of Sikhs, has today sent a delegation of nearly 100 Sikh pilgrims
to Pakistan to attend the 474th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Ram Das, the 4th
great Guru of Sikhs.
This is for the first time since partition of India that a delegation of Sikhs is
visiting Pakistan especially for birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Ram Das. The
devotees will mark the occasion at Gurdwara Chuna Mandi, the birthplace of Guru Ram Dass,
situated in Lahore on October 9.
"We are very happy this time. The pilgrims are going on the occasion of Gurupurab. We
request that we should be given enough freedom so that maximum number of people are able
to visit the Gurudwaras," said Harbeant Singh, Secretary of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak
Committee
Devotees have urged the Governments of India and Pakistan to abolish provisions for
visas for pilgrims.
"We are going to visit the Gurudwaras in Pakistan. We will visit Nankana Sahib, Chuna
Mandi and other Gurudwaras in Pakistan. I am going there for the first time. We request
the Governments of India and Pakistan to send more and more Sikh pilgrims for religious
visits," said Attal Singh, one Devotee
As per Nehru-Liakat pact between India and Pakistan, both the governments were to allow
the Indian Sikh devotees to visit their historical shrines situated in Pakistan four times
in a year.
However, after the recent confidence building measure (CBMs) have enabled various
delegations from both sides to visit each others' country on more occasions for religious
purposes. People on both sides of the divide have appreciated this lenient gesture, which
started this year.
Besides SGPC , the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has also sent a
Jatha of 100 Sikh devotees to Pakistan on the occasion through Wagah land route.
Guru Ramdas Sahib (Jetha ji) was born in 1534 at Chuna Mandi of Lahore in Pakistan. He
wrote 638 hymns in 30 Ragas, these include 246 Padei 138 Shlokas, 31 Ashtpadis and 8 Vars
and are a part of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs.
Guru Ramdas, who was fourth of the nine Sikh Gurus, is known to have nominated his
youngest son (Guru) Arjan Sahib as Fifth Nanak.
Besides Gurdwara Chuna Mandi, the Jatha would also visit pay respects at various others
historical Sikh shrines including Punja Sahib, Dera Sahib, Nankana Sahib, Sancha Saudah
Sahib and Rahra Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib during their seven-day tour to Pakistan. :
--ANI
