Processions and prayers marked Gurpurab — the birth anniversary of Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak Dev — in the national Capital on Thursday as thousands of devotees thronged the gurdwaras around the city.
Carrying flags and singing devotional songs, early morning processions, also known as prabhat pheris, were taken out by gurdwaras across the city to mark the 545th birth anniversary of the saint. Thousands of people participated in the ceremony to commemorate the holy day. In the afternoon, langars (community kitchens) were arranged in gurdwaras as well as on roadsides by the worshippers.
“On this day, it is customary to not only pray at the gurdwara but also have the Guru’s prasad, which is langar,” said Manjot Singh Arora, who came to Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in Central Delhi after taking part in a prabhat pheri in his neighbourhood.
“I went to Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib on Thursday night at around 2 am and polished shoes as well as cleaned the premises as part of kar seva (selfless service), which is considered to be as important as praying to the Guru,” said Karan Chandhok, a Delhi University student.
Traffic was clogged around all the prominent gurdwaras in the city owing to crowded streets near gurdwaras and adjoining areas of the city. While devotion and prayers marked the day, commuters faced a harrowing experience in and around Bangla Sahib on Ashoka Road, Chandni Chowk, Greater Kailash-II and Defence Colony.