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Must go to Patna Sahib for ‘darshan’ of Jore Sahib: Modi to diaspora in NZ
Following an “ardas” (prayer) at Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s family residence on October 22, 2025, the relics were formally handed over to the Sikh Panth
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday recounted a little-known chapter of Sikh history, saying Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s family had preserved the sacred “Jore Sahib”(holy footwear) of Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Sahib Kaur for nearly 300 years before handing the relics over to the Sikh community for permanent public “darshan”.
Addressing the Indian diaspora in Auckland, Modi said Puri had told him that his ancestors, who were devoted followers of Guru Gobind Singh, had safeguarded the sacred footwear through generations and carried it safely to Delhi during the Partition of 1947.
“I am delighted that these sacred ‘Jode Sahib’ are now on the holy soil of Patna Sahib, and it was my privilege to witness that sacred occasion and be present there. Whenever you visit India, you must go to Patna Sahib to pay your respects to them,” Modi said.
The PM said the Puri family later expressed its desire to hand over the relics to the Sikh Sangat so devotees from across the world could pay their respects. The government subsequently constituted a committee of Sikh scholars, historians and religious experts to recommend an appropriate permanent home for the sacred relics.
“We formed a committee comprising those well-versed in Sikh traditions. We sought the advice of experts and decided to take these sacred ‘Jore Sahib’ to the place where Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji first set foot on this hallowed land, the place of his birth, our Sri Patna Sahib,” Modi said.
The relics consist of Guru Gobind Singh’s right shoe, measuring 11 inches by 3.5 inches, and Mata Sahib Kaur’s left shoe, measuring 9 inches by 3 inches. They remained in the custody of the Puri family for generations. The last direct custodian was Hardeep Singh Puri’s cousin, Jasmeet Singh Puri, who lived in Delhi’s Karol Bagh. Following his death, the family requested Puri, as the eldest male member, to facilitate their permanent transfer to the Sikh Panth.
According to the government, the ministry of culture tasked the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) with examining the relics. The institution conducted scientific analysis, including Carbon-14 testing, and in April 2024 confirmed their antiquity, placing them at around 300 years old and consistent with the period of Guru Gobind Singh.
After reviewing the committee’s recommendations in September 2025, it was decided that the relics would be permanently enshrined at Takht Sri Harmandir Ji Patna Sahib in Bihar, the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh and one of Sikhism’s five Takhts.
Following an “ardas” (prayer) at the Puri family’s residence on October 22, 2025, the relics were formally handed over to the Sikh Panth. The next day, the nine-day, 1,500-km ‘Charan Suhawa – Guru Charan Yatra’ began from Gurdwara Moti Bagh Sahib in New Delhi. Escorted by the Panj Pyare, the procession passed through Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar before reaching Patna Sahib on November 1, where the sacred Jore Sahib was ceremonially enshrined for public darshan.
Recalling the occasion, Modi said he felt privileged to witness the enshrinement ceremony and urged members of the Indian diaspora to visit Patna Sahib during their next trip to India.
