Punjab would bathe in the divine glow and spiritual splendour of the Khalsa Panth and its founder, Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji through a rare religious experience next month as people at large and devotees in particular prepare for an opportunity to have a sacred glimpse of the historic and holy relics of the Tenth Master across the state. These rare, sacred and historical relics would be taken around the state in a special religious procession from May 6 to 20 in an event to be organised jointly by the Punjab Government and the SGPC.Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal and his Deputy and SAD president, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal are pulling out all the stops to ensure that the 15-day long religio-historical event is organised as “a spectacle of sublime magnificence in line with the glory (jaaho jalaal) of the Khalsa Panth”, says the Chief Minister’s Advisor on National Affairs and Media, Mr Harcharan Bains. The two leaders who are personally spearheading preparations in this regard want to leave nothing to chance and are keen that the historic event be observed and organised “at a scale befitting the sublime grandeur of the Guru’s legacy”. Minute planning and hard work marks preparations for the proposed religious procession that will devoutly accompany the holy relics across the state for sacred viewing. The procession will start at Patiala on May 6 and culminate at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib May 20 in Sri Anandpur Sahib.
The SGPC president, Jathedar Avtar Singh met the Chief Minister at the latter’s residence in Chandigarh this morning to discuss the detailed arrangements. The Chief Minister has formed a two member apex committee comprising Education Minister Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema and Special Principal Secretary to CM, Mr. KJS Cheema for overall arrangements for the procession (yatra).Since coming back from Delhi early the previous morning, the Chief Minister has been presiding over marathon meetings, running throughout yesterday and today, involving political and religious leaders, officers, party workers and the SGPC office bearers in the ‘momentous task’. Presiding over a meeting at Punjab Bhawan here today, Mr. Badal spoke of “the great religious and cultural significance of the event”, before giving final touches to the program. He reviewed details of arrangements chalked out jointly by the state government and the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC).
The holy relics of Guru Gobind Singh ji would include 3 pieces of sword, a set of hair with comb, one turban, one chola, one whip, one bunch of five arrows, one siri sahib (small three inches kirpan), one spear with wood, one small plain steel spear, one big sword and one sword with the word ‘Sat Sri Akal Guru Teg Bahadur’ the 1713 Samvat (1656) inscribed on the blade. Of particular interest to the devotees and scholars would be one manuscript written in Guru Gobind Singh ji’s own hand.These sacred relics would be mounted on simple, solemn but impressive settings. The Punjab Government and the SGPC see it as a task of momentous proportions to take these holy belongings of the Founder of the Khalsa Panth across the length and breadth of the state every inch of which carries the signatures of his war of unmatched courage and glory against injustice, unspeakable repression and religious persecution by the fanatical rulers of those times. The organisers have therefore departed from the practice of using normal modes of conveyance for the purpose and have got a specially fabricated 33-feet long transport vehicle (bus) designed by SGPC. Considering the length of the vehicle, it would take only major transport arteries, avoiding inconvenient elbows both for maintaining smooth follow of procession and the solemnity of the event.
Heads and prominent religious personalities from all sects are expected to be a part of this holy spectacle. Mr. Badal is keen that the event should reflect the message of the Gurus, especially of the Tenth Master who chose to reward one of his followers, Bhai Kanahya ji, for applying balm to the wound of the enemy Mughal soldiers. The Chief Minister believes that secularism found its first credible voice in the words and lives of the Gurus. Therefore, it is important that a homage paid to them is marked by the spirit of “sarbat da bhala” and “Updesh Chohn varna ko sanjha.”Those who attended the preparatory meetings yesterday and today include Ministers Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema and Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra, senior leaders Ranjit Singh Brahampura, Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Sewa Singh Sekhwan Chief Parliamnetary Secretaries Babu Parkash Chand Garg, Sant Balbir Singh Ghunas and Fatima Nasira Khatoon, MLA Mr. Iqbal Singh Jhunda, senior Akali leader Mr. Darbara Singh Guru, Secretary SGPC Mr. Dalmegh Singh, Executive Member SGPC Mr. Amrik Singh Chawla, Principal Secretary Tourism Mrs. Anjali Bhawra, Additional Director General of Police Mr. Dinkar Gupta, Additional Director Public Relations Mr. Puneet Goel and several other SAD-BJP leaders.
Date Details Of Route
May 6, 2015 Patiala, Nabha, Bhawanigarh, Sangrur and Barnala
May 7, 2015 Barnala, Mansa, Maur and Talwandi Sabo
May 8, 2015 Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, Malout and Sri Muktsar Sahib
May 9, 2015 Sri Muktsar Sahib, Kotakpura, Faridkot, Ferozepur and Wazidpur
May 10, 2015 Wazidpur, Moga, Kot Isse Khan, Zira, Makhu and Harike
May 11, 2015 Harike, Patti, Bhikhiwind, Jhabaal and Tarn Taran
May 12, 2015 Tarn Taran, Jandiala, Baba Bakala, Chowk Mehta and Amritsar
May 13, 2015 Stay at Amritsar
May 14, 2015 Amritsar, Batala, Sri Hargobindpur, Kahnuwan and Chota Ghalughara
May 15, 2015 Chota Ghalughara, Gurdaspur, Mukerian, Dasuya and Hoshiarpur
May 16, 2015 Hoshiarpur, Tanda, Bhogpur, Kartarpur, Kapurthala, Sultanpur Lodhi (via Talwandi Choudharian)
May 17, 2015 Sultanpur Lodhi, Malsian, Nakodar, Jalandhar and Phagwara
May 18, 2015 Phagwara, Ludhiana and Fatehgarh Sahib
May 19, 2015 Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, Kharar, Morinda, Chamkaur Sahib and Ropar
May 20, 2015 Ropar, Sri Anandpur Sahib (Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib)