Bangla Sahib gears up for Gurpurab celebrations

Mike Delong, a retired US Air Force employee from Utah, kept his lens focused on the golden dome of the structure, which he describes as “one of the best in the Indian capital”.

Mike Delong, a retired US Air Force employee from Utah, kept his lens focused on the golden dome of the structure, which he describes as “one
of the best in the Indian capital”.

HT Image

Other than Delong and his tour buddies, thousands of people visited Gurudwara Bangla Sahib on Tuesday, a day before Guru Nanak's birthday, which is one of the most auspicious days of the Sikh calendar.

The grand white building — which was getting a second look on the Guru's birthday eve with kirpan-brandishing volunteers changing lamps and lights being placed all over the main structure — is a cocoon of peace for every visitor, irrespective of their religion.

After washing your hands and feet, as you enter the main shrine, a soothing kirtan greets you and spending hours in such an ambience is as easy as it gets. According to the chairman of Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Rajinder Singh Wasan, a large procession (nagar kirtan)— under the aegis of the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee — is organised a day before Gurpurab and this year it is going from Sis Ganj to Nanak Piyao.

“It started around 10am and will end at 10pm. The passage of the nagar kirtan is decorated with flags, flowers, religious posters and banners. On Wednesday, at the hall of Gurudwara Rakabganj —which has a capacity to seat 10,000 people — a divan will begin," he said. ritam halder