The Sikh community would practise its limited rites and rituals in the Bauli Mutt situated near the sea beach of Puri.
The Endowment Commissioner passed an order on January 1 allowing the Sikhs to accomplish their Seva Puja (rites and rituals) of Sri Gurugranth Sahibiji inside the shrine of the mutt.
After eight months of inquiry, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Religious and Charitable Trust in Puri, run by the community for last 12 years, was empowered on three subjects such as the practices of Seva Puja, performance of Kiratan (song and music) and organization of Langur (mass feedings) in the shrine. Besides these three, the trust enjoys no other right in the mutt.
“Who had no Government documents with us although we have been practicing rites non-stop here over a century and a half. But a permission from the endowment was necessitated only after some troubles from side of the presiding seer of the shrine,” said Bhai Jagadeep Singh Ji, spokesperson of Gurudwara Arati Sahib of Puri in a Press meet told here.
He said that Bauli mutt is a Sikh monastery founded by Guru Nanak Dev during his visit to Puri centuries ago who had turned the salt water in a well in the mutt to sweet water by miracle. The holy well is famous as Bhai-Bohu Kua, said the spokesperson adding that Guru Nanak had come to Puri a number of times and rested in the mutt for darhsan of Jaganath in the temple.
Jagadeep Singh also informed that the trust is going to organize the 550th Prakash Jayanti (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev from April 5 to 7 in a grand manner in Puri, where more than 50,000 devotees from around the world will participate.
Among others, Trust member Harpal Singh Ji Sodi, Acharya Rosan Ji, Dr Jaskirat Singh Ji, Dr Surendra Mishra, Bhakta Charan Das and Biswajit Senapati were present.