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Anandpur Sahib, Nov 21 (IANS) The religiously important Anandpur Sahib, which was founded by the ninth Guru of the Sikh sect, Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1665 and named Chak Nanaki after his mother Mata Nanaki, has been decorated from November 23 to 25 to commemorate the 350th martyrdom day of the founder Guru, an icon of courage and strength.
Anandpur Sahib, one of the most sacred sites of Sikhism, revered for its historical, cultural and religious significance, has played a significant role in the development of Sikh identity and tradition.
The entire town, situated on the foothills of the Shivalik Range, where the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh spent significant time, has been painted white as a symbol of reverence for Hind Di Chadar, the inimitable warrior who inspired the struggle against unrighteousness and tyranny.
Anandpur Sahib in Ropar district is well connected by road and rail, and the state government is making elaborate arrangements to welcome around 10 million people to attend the commemorative events.
Major events from 23 to 25 November include Nagar Kirtan (religious procession), Heritage Walk, ‘Sarva Dharma Sammelan’ (meeting of all religions), an exhibition on the life of Guru Tegh Bahadur at Virasat-e-Khalsa Memorial, a special one-day Legislative Assembly session at Bhai Jaita-ji Memorial, besides programs like traditional martial arts Gatka and tent pegging, ‘Dhal-Talwar’ duel, ‘Shastra’. Darshan’, and sword fusion.
For the first time in Chandigarh, the assembly session is being organized outside the assembly premises.
Apart from Anandpur Sahib, which is one of the five Takhts (thrones of power) in Sikhism, Guru Teg Bahadur’s execution and cremation site in Delhi, Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib later became Sikh holy places.
Local MLA and Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, in-charge of overseeing government arrangements, told IANS that the entire city has been painted white to make it a bright symbol of the Guru’s legacy for pilgrims coming to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Guru Sahib.
He said two tent cities are being set up at Chak Nanaki Nivas and Bhai Mati Das Nivas to accommodate 10,000 devotees collectively, consisting of four-bed units and 16-bed dormitory-style tents.
The booking for both Tent Cities will be online and remain operational till November 30. For the ‘Sarv Dharm Sammelan’ on November 23, eminent religious leaders like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Dr. Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekar (Jew), Bhikkhu Sanghsena (Buddha), Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Acharaya Dr. Lokesh Muni (Jain), Rajyogi Dr. Binny Sareen (Brahma Kumari), Haji Syed Salman Chisty (Muslim), Mahant Gyandev Ji (Nirmal Akhada), Syed Afsar Ali Nizami (Muslim) and Parampujya Muktanand Bapuji and Mahant Sampurnanand (Panchagni Akhada) among others have been extended an invitation.
To ensure seamless movement of devotees from parking areas to major places, a large scale shuttle transport scheme has been implemented.
The deployed fleet includes 500 e-rickshaws, 150 mini buses, 25 Force Urbania vans, 15 cars, 20 Tata Ace vehicles for assistance and 10 golf carts for elderly and specially abled pilgrims.
Shuttle services will operate continuously between the parking locations and Gurdwara Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Virasat-e-Khalsa, main pandal, tent city and help desk points.
To manage the traffic, Minister Bains said recovery vans and cranes have been strategically deployed to handle breakdowns and ensure uninterrupted traffic flow.
The city’s major tourist destination is Virasat-e-Khalsa, located close to Takht Keshgarh Sahib, the second most important Sikh temple after the Golden Temple complex, where the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, established the Khalsa Panth on April 13, 1699.
Spread over 6,500 square metres, the Virasat-e-Khalsa Museum tells the story of Punjab and Sikhism using handcrafted artefacts and the latest technology.
A spectacular drone show depicting the life and philosophy of Guru Tegh Bahadur through state-of-the-art technology will be organized at the Virasat-e-Khalsa Memorial from 23rd to 29th November.
According to Bains, the initiative of the drone show in the evening aims to introduce the younger generation to the teachings of Guru Teg Bahadur by using high technology.
He said a large force of over 8,000 police personnel has been deployed under the supervision of senior rank officers for the security, orderly movement and comfort of the devotees.
The events will begin on November 23 at 10 am with the commencement of Sri Akhand Path Sahib, which is expected to be attended by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The three-day grand commemorative event will conclude with a spectacular drone show at 5 pm
(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
–IANS
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