'Nagar kirtans' marking 350th martyrdom anniversary to reach Punjab's Anandpur Sahib tomorrow
Anandpur Sahib, Nov 21
The 'nagar kirtans' (religious processions) in commemoration of the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, started from all four directions, will be reaching here on Saturday, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said on Friday.
He said that the grand welcome by showering flower petals would be extended to all 'nagar kirtans' by a congregation of devotees gathered across the globe.
The 'nagar kirtans' had started from Srinagar, Gurdaspur, Faridkot and Talwandi Sabo with a total travelling of 1,563 km.
He said that adequate arrangements have been made in view of large number of 'sangat' expected to mark the martyrdom day.
Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that all arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the 'sangat' reaching here.
On the directives of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, preparations and arrangements have been ensured at the holy city of Anandpur Sahib by the state government.
The religious functions and congregations would be organised from November 23 to 25 at a larger scale that include holding special session of Vidhan Sabha.
Pertinently, the light-and-sound shows depicting the great life and philosophy of Guru Tegh Bahadur are being organised in all 23 districts and 'kirtan darbars' are being arranged in Baba Bakala, Amritsar and Patiala towns.
Giving details of series of events to be held from November 23 to 25, Minister Bains said that on November 23, Sri Akhand Path Sahib will be initiated at Gurdwara Sahib, near Baba Budha Dal Chaunni, in which the Chief Minister and other dignitaries will participate.
Similarly, Chief Minister Mann will also inaugurate an exhibition depicting the life and achievements of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib at the Virasat-e-Khalsa Memorial.
An all-religion conference will also be organised by the state government at Baba Budha Dal Chaunni, where eminent religious personalities and other dignitaries will participate.
On November 24, a 'nagar kirtan' will be organised from Kiratpur Sahib to the Bhai Jaita-ji memorial.
A heritage walk will also be organised from Gurdwara Bhora Sahib to Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib to Guru Tegh Bahadur Museum to Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib to Qula Anandgarh Sahib and will culminiate at the Virasat-e-Khalsa.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The nagar kirtans covering 1,563 km is truly remarkable! Shows the devotion and commitment of the Sikh community. Hope the traffic arrangements are properly managed though - last time there were some issues with parking and crowd control.
As someone from outside Punjab, I'm really impressed by the scale of these celebrations. The all-religion conference is a beautiful touch - exactly what Guru Tegh Bahadur ji stood for. Planning to visit Anandpur Sahib for the first time this weekend! ✨
Guru Tegh Bahadur ji's martyrdom teaches us the ultimate lesson in standing up for others' religious rights. The heritage walk sounds amazing - wish I could be there. Hope they live stream the events for those who can't attend in person.
The cultural significance of this event is immense. Light-and-sound shows across all 23 districts is a great initiative to educate people about Sikh history. More such events should be organized to promote inter-faith understanding in India.
My grandparents are part of the nagar kirtan from Faridkot. The devotion and energy is unbelievable! 🎵 The kirtan darbars in Amritsar and Patiala will be magical. So proud of our rich Sikh heritage and traditions being celebrated at such a grand scale.
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