Guru Nanak’s birth anniv celebrated with fervour on both sides of border

The 555th Parkash Purb (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev was celebrated with fervour on both sides of the India-Pakistan border today.

A day earlier, a ‘palki’ (palanquin) made of special steel and ‘saroops’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib were sent to Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border. These were sent by Muktsar-based Nirol Sewa Society.

Many pilgrims from across the globe have reached Sri Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Guru Nanak, which was decked up with flowers and lights. Today, a grand Nagar Kirtan was taken out. The procession started at Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib and covered a stretch of around one and a half km.

In Amritsar, a sea of devotees thronged the Golden Temple to be part of the special programmes organised by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) at Gurdwara Sri Manji Sahib Diwan Hall in the shrine complex, where the bhog of Akhand Path was performed.

The special centre of attraction was the “jalau ritual” during which the rarest of the rare articles of ornamental beauty studded with precious stones and pearls, bejewelled canopy were displayed for public view at the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple, Akal Takht and Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai Sahib.

Sparing a thought for the environment, the SGPC had arranged eco-friendly ‘green’ fireworks on the occasion. The span of fireworks too was restricted to just five-seven minutes. Since 2017, the ‘deepmala’ (traditional lighting of bulb strings) too has been replaced with a high-tech computerised lighting system that illuminates the Golden Temple complex.

Golden Temple manager Bhagwant Singh Dhankhar said taking into account the deteriorating air quality level, it was decided to have the firework display symbolically only. “We arranged special low decibel crackers. These emitted negligible smoke,” he said.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami extended their greetings and asked the devotees to follow the teachings of the Guru and maintain universal brotherhood and harmony.

Malerkotla: The Parkash Utsav was celebrated with fervour at various localities. Besides organising “Akhand Path”, “prabhat pheris” and Nagar Kirtans were also taken out to mark the occasion. Community kitchens were organised at several places.