Golden Temple opts for green crackers; four sites for fireworks

Amritsar, October 23

The Golden Temple was lit up amid the festive spirit in the holy city on the eve of Diwali. Devotees could be seen lined up to offer their prayers at the shrine. Contrary to expectations, the devotees’ footfall appeared to be lesser this year. Officials believe that this time ‘masya’ falls the following day of Diwali which affected the number of devotees.

Sparing a thought for the environment, the SGPC has already shunned the traditional display of fireworks and arranged special eco-friendly fireworks to celebrate the occasion.

Similarly, since 2017 the ‘deepmala’ (traditional lighting of bulb strings) too has been replaced with a hi-tech computerised lighting system for illumination. The span of firecrackers’ display has also been reduced to 10 minutes from 30 minutes earlier.

Four sites have been designated for fireworks in the shrine complex — two locations close to Ghanta Ghar and one each near the Sikh Reference Library and Darshani Deodhi.

“The firecracker display will be there for a maximum of 10 minutes. We have arranged specially designed low-decibel crackers. These emit negligible smoke. The other high-rise crackers too cause negligible pollution and emit colourful lights with less smoke,” said Golden Temple’s manager Sulakhan Singh.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami also congratulated masses on the ‘Bandi Chhor Diwas’ (prisoner liberation day), which coincides with the Diwali celebrations at the Golden Temple complex. On this day in 1619, the sixth guru of the Sikhs, Guru Hargobind, returned to Amritsar after being released along with 52 princes from the Gwalior prison by Mughal Emperor Jahangir.

Jathedar’s address today

• Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh will deliver the customary address from ‘Darshani Deodi’ of the Golden Temple to the community at 5 pm on Monday
• Jarnail Singh Sakhira, a Sikh activist, confirmed that a parallel address will also be read out by Jathedar Dhyan Singh Mand, representing Jagtar Singh Hawara, who was appointed as Akal Takht Jathedar during controversial Sarbat Khalsa held in 2015
• Confusion prevailed as the Hawara Committee, separated from them, has already released Hawara’s message