Specially built Palki, holy saroops presented to Pak to mark 555th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev

Marking a spiritual bond between the Sikh fraternity of ‘Chadhda Punjab’ (East Punjab, Indian side) and ‘Lehnda Punjab’ (West Punjab, Pakistan side), a magnificently built ‘palki’ (palanquin) made up of special steel and ‘saroops’ of the Sikh holy scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib were sent to Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border. It was dedicated to the 555th Parkash Purb (birth anniversary) of first Sikh Master, Guru Nanak Dev.

The ‘sewa’ (service) of ‘palki’ was undertaken by Nirol Sewa Organisation based at Muktsar, whereas the six ‘saroops’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib were presented by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

With the constant recitation of ‘Satnam Waheguru’, the palki and ‘saroops’ were taken to the Zero Line with the assistance of SGPC, maintaining the Sikh Rehat Maryada, when the SGPC sponsored Sikh jatha crossed over through the Attari-Wagah joint check-post yesterday, heading to Janam Asthan Sri Nankana Sahib to commemorate the grand occasion that falls today.

Representatives of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) received it on the Wagah side.

President of Nirol Sewa Organisation Dr Jagdeep Singh Sodhi said that the PSGPC was informed that a ‘palki’ would be presented on November 14 when the Indian Sikh jatha would cross over through the Attari-Wagah border and that requisite permission and formalities from the security agencies be procured well in advance.

On the Indian side, the SGPC had assisted in procuring the permission.

Dr Jagdeep said that the palki was made by Patiala-based specially trained artisans. Without revealing the cost, he said that the weight of palki is over two quintals.

He said that the palki was made up of special steel in golden colour which seldom loses its sheen and lasts very long.

“When the palki was ready, I had informed the PSGPC president Ramesh Singh Arora. He further approached SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami to assist in facilitating the transportation of palki across the border. After the permissions were procured, our members successfully handed over the palki to the PSGPC representatives at the Zero Line of Attari-Wagah border,” he said.

Dr Jagdeep Singh Sodhi said that it was not the first time, his organisation had presented the palki to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib earlier too.