Punjab readies to bathe in the divine glow and spiritual splendour of Khalsa Panth and its founder Guru Gobind Singh from May 6.
The rare, sacred and historical relics, belonging to the tenth Sikh master, 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 Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
The procession will start at Patiala on May 6 and culminate at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib May 20 in Sri Anandpur Sahib.
Guru Gobind’s holy relics would include three 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’s own hand. These sacred relics would be mounted on simple, solemn but impressive settings.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, along with his deputy and SAD president Sukhbir Badal, is pulling out all the stops to ensure that 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 Harcharan Bains.
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, he said. SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar met the Chief Minister on Tuesday morning to discuss the detailed arrangements.
For the purpose, Badal formed a two-member apex committee comprising Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema and his Special Principal Secretary KJS Cheema for overall arrangements for the procession (yatra).
Badal has been presiding over marathon meetings since Monday involving political and religious leaders, officers, party workers and the SGPC office bearers in the ‘momentous task’. Heads and prominent religious personalities from all sects are expected to be a part of this holy spectacle.