By Shahnawaz Khan

Date:16-11-05

Source: The Daily Times

LAHORE: Thousands of Sikhs in colorful dresses were seen at the Gurdawara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib on Tuesday morning. The Sikhs sang devotional hymns at an early morning procession to mark the 536th birth anniversary of their religious founder, Guru Nanak.

The entire gurdawara was decorated with colourful flowers and banners, flags and posters depicting Sikh rituals. Shopkeepers in the vicinity also joined in the festivities, displaying banners written in Gurmukhi and Hindi to welcome the pilgrims from around the world.

Several congregations were held in of the gurdawara where Guru Nanak’s message of peace, love and brotherhood was recalled. Special prayers, hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib and religious lectures marked the day-long celebrations.

The celebrations started early in the morning, when thousands of pilgrims, including around 4,000 from India, 300 from the UK, 300 from Canada and around 500 from other countries cleansed themselves in the gurdawara’s holy pond. Recitations from the Kirtan were initiated by Sardar Jogindar Singh from ‘Akali Takhat’ of the Golden Temple of Amritsar. Later, thousands of pilgrims bowed before the ‘Palki’ of Guru Nanak Dev Jee and also walk around the ‘Palki’. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq, Provincial Minister For Religious Affairs Roffin Julius, District Nazim Pir Syed Mumtaz Hussain Shah and other guests arrived at the gurdawara.

Later, five Sikh ‘pirs’ organised the procession of the Palki, which was led by Ijazul Haq. The procession moved around the Gurdawara Janam Asthan and returned to the gurdawara after around one hour, when food was distributed among the pilgrims. Several pilgrims also participated in ‘Kar Seva‘ at the ‘langars’ and distributed sweets on the occasion.

Addressing the pilgrims, Ijazul Haq welcomed them and said that his father, former president Gen Ziaul Haq, as a special favour to the Sikh community, had allowed them to visit Sikh shrines in Pakistan. He said that now President Pervez Musharraf had ordered the construction of a special road from Wagah to Nankana Sahib, a project which was being personally monitored by Punjab Chief Minister Chuadhary Pervaiz Elahi.

A comment on the news item from a reader:

Dear Sir,
Thanks for narrating the Festivities at Nankana regarding Guru Nanak's Birth anniversary celebration. I very much appreciate APNA for sharing the event with its viewers.

I may suggest that Sikhs bow to and revere the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, not the Palki in which it is installed.

Secondly, the term 'five Sikh pirs' is actually 'five Piaras' or five beloved ones. It is usually called 'Panj Piaray'

With regards
P.S.Grewal