Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) A group of 170 Sikh devotees on Monday left Delhi’s historic Gurdwara Rakabganj for Pakistan to visit Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, and Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, ahead of Guru Nanak Jayanti or Prakash Parv, which will be celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm across India on November 5.
Before their departure, devotees participated in the Ardaas (prayer) ceremony held at Gurudwara Rakabganj. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) General Secretary Jagdeep Singh Kahlon along with other members of the committee were present in this program. After the prayers, the devotees were given a warm farewell by the community.
This year, around 21,006 pilgrims from India have been granted visas by Pakistan to visit Nankana Sahib for the celebrations. The devotees expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India for facilitating the visa process, especially in view of the security concerns after Operation Sindoor.
Speaking to IANS, Kahlon said, “After Operation Sindoor, the yatra was initially canceled due to security reasons. We wrote to the Union Home Minister requesting reconsideration and eventually, the pilgrims got their visas. The efforts of the Government of India are truly commendable. They have always shared a special bond with the Sikh community. There have been many occasions when the Prime Minister has visited us at Rakabganj, Sheeshganj Sahib and Bangla Sahib. I have bowed my head in the Gurudwaras.
Another devotee expressed happiness about the visit, saying, “We are going to Pakistan and are very happy. However, it would have been better if the visit had been organized a little earlier.”
The pilgrims also expressed their intention to participate in the upcoming 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur, underscoring their deep devotion to Sikhism and its teachings.
Guru Nanak Jayanti, also known as Guru Nanak Guruparv, is the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism. It is one of the most revered festivals in Sikhism and is celebrated on the full moon day (Kartik Purnima) of the month of Kartik, which usually falls in October or November. The festival is marked by devotional singing (kirtan), processions, community prayers and langar (community feast) in Gurudwaras around the world.
–IANS
JK/VD