Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 18: An impressive Nagar Kirtan was taken out in connection with the Prakash Utsav of 10th Guru of Sikhs, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji here today.
A large number of devotees from the Sikh community thronged Gurdwara, Shri Guru Nanak Dev at Chand Nagar (Gumat) near the Samadi of Bibi Chand Kour in the morning. After offering special prayers, the Sikh community members and others started religious procession from Chand Nagar.
A big vehicle had been highly decorated with flowers and buntings and virtually converted into a beautiful chariot on which ‘Holy Guru Granth Sahib’ had been placed. The most popular and revered religious personalities of the J&K UT, Mahant Manjit Singh from Dera Nangali Sahib , Poonch and Sant Tejwant Singh Danna were leading the grand religious procession to mark the Gurpurab celebrations. The main function in this connection will be held on January 20 at Chand Nagar Gurdwara, Jammu.
Besides these above personalities, three religious preachers from Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Amritsar had also been invited. They included Bhai Harpreet Singh, Bhai Waryam Singh and Bhai Harpinder Singh besides religious preacher, Bhai Amrik Singh Tadi Jatha, from Pathankote. Chairman, J&K Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Board, T S Wazir (ex-MLC) and president DGPC Jammu, Jagjit Singh were also part of this grand religious celebration.
The ‘Nagar-Kirtan’ commenced at around 10.30 am from Chand Nagar Gurdwara amidst chanting of ‘Shabd- Kirtan’, religious slogans in the praise of the great Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh Ji by the Sikh Sangat and religious people accompanying. A large number of men, women, youth and children were participating in the Shobha Yatra. Display of martial art (Padatha), using swords by the Sikh youth was the main attraction for many during this Shobha Yatra.
After passing through Dogra Chowk, Tawi Bridge, Bikram Chowk, Asia Crossing, Green Belt Gandhi Nagar and Gole Market, the procession culminated at Gurdwara Nanak Nagar at around 4 pm. Many social organizations from other communities, like every year, had raised stalls of water/ Sharbat and other eatables for the Sikh devotees en-route Yatra, displaying true spirit of secularism and democracy in the country.
The District Administration and Traffic Police had diverted the movement of traffic to other routes for the smooth conduct of Shobha Yatra. But despite this, massive traffic jams were witnessed at some city points
This year, the number of the Sikh devotees was less in the Nagar-Kirtan due to Covid-19. DGPC general secretary Fateh Singh said that this time the Administration was not giving permission due to Covid and it was cleared on this condition that strength be reduced to even less than one- third. It was cleared hardly yesterday. School children were also not participating this year. That was the reason of less number of participants this time, Singh added.
The grand programme in this connection was organized by District Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (DGPC) Jammu with the support of various other Sikh religious and social organizations besides Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Board, J&K.
Similar Shobha Yatra was also taken out in Poonch City by the DGPC members. It started from Gurdwara Singh Sabha and after passing through various city localities and markets finally culminated at same place. Members from Hindu and Muslim communities also participated in the Nagar- Kirtan.
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