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Akal Takht jathedar goes to Pak to mark Guru Nanak’s Joti Jot
PSGPC said the jathdar had reached Lahore in Pakistan and would attend several functions, with the main being Sikh founder Guru Nanak’s gurpurb
Amritsar Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Monday went to Pakistan to attend functions being held at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, to mark Joti Jot (immersion in the eternal light) Gurpurb (day) of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion, on September 22, via the Attari-Wagah border.
On the other side of the border, a Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) delegation comprising president Ameer Singh, former PSGPC chief Satwant Singh, member of provincial assembly (Punjab) Ramesh Singh Arora and authorities of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) accorded him a warm welcome. The jathdear is accompanied by his family.
Ameer Singh told HT over phone, “Jathedar Sahib has reached Lahore, where he is staying at the Gurdwara Dehra Sahib. A dinner will be hosted for him at the Governor House, Lahore. On Tuesday, he will deliver a speech in a Lahore University, from where he will for Kartarpur to attend functions to observe the Joti Joti Gurpurb.”
“The Akhand Path started on Monday at Kartarpur gurdwara and its bhog ceremony will be held on September 22. The jathedar will also address there and be part of the Nagar Kirtan (religious procession) being taken out from the gurdwara Sahib to the Zero Point on the corridor,” he added, appealing to Indian devotees to gather at Zero Point on the Indian side to be part of the nagar kirtan.
Dedicated to the 550th Parkash Gurpurb (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak, the corridor was opened on November 9, 2019, to provide Indian devotees visa-free access to the sacred shrine for Guru Nanak’s followers, which is just four kilometers from the international border.
The Joti Jot Gurpurb was also observed at the gurdwara and a nagar kirtan was taken out up to zero point last year.
The PSGPC chief also expressed pleasure over exclusion of Pakistan from the black list by the UK. “We are very thankful to the UK government for lifting the restrictions. With this move, sangat from the UK will be able to visit historic Sikh shrines in Pakistan,” he added.
