Thousands of visitors prayed at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurdwara Jyoti Sarup during Saheedi Jor Mela that began on Saturday in Fatehgarh Sahib, though the first-day rush was bigger last year.
The city expects a bigger crowd in next two days of the three-day annual event that commemorates the sacrifice of the two younger sons (Sahibzada Zorawar Singh, 9, and Sahibzada Fateh Singh, 7) of Guru Gobind Singh, who were bricked alive in Fatehgarh Sahib on December 26, 1704, on the orders of then Sirhind governor Wazir Khan during the regime of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
In keeping with the tradition at Gurdwara Jyoti Sarup, the ‘akhand paath’ (con- tinuous recitation of Gurbani) started at 8.30am, to remem- ber the sacrifice of Guru’s younger sons and mother, and also Deewan Todar Mal, who had defied the Mughals by arranging for their cremation. “For educating visitors about Sikh history and religion, we have organised exhibitions and involved educational institutes,” said Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar.
The city roads were a bit congested on Friday evening, since top officials were reviewing the arrangements, but on Saturday, people seemed happy with traffic management. At the venue, deputy commissioner Varun Roojam inaugurated a ‘Development exhibition’, where the departments of agriculture, animal husbandry, health, and forest; private banks; and NGOs had their stalls.
{{/usCountry}}The city roads were a bit congested on Friday evening, since top officials were reviewing the arrangements, but on Saturday, people seemed happy with traffic management. At the venue, deputy commissioner Varun Roojam inaugurated a ‘Development exhibition’, where the departments of agriculture, animal husbandry, health, and forest; private banks; and NGOs had their stalls.
{{/usCountry}}Cancer screening
Doctors at a screening camp organised by Cancer Care Charitable Society detected 15 positive cases of the disease among 145 visitors. Punjabi singer-actor Harbhajan Mann inaugurated this fourday camp on Friday, where digital techniques and mobile unit are available to detect cancers of the cervix, breasts and prostate.
Today’s schedule
11am: Political rallies around Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib (Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh, former Union minister Ambika Soni, Cong-turned-AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Aam Aadmi Party MP Bhagwant Mann, and AAP state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur to be main speakers)
6pm: Play ‘Sirhind Di Deewar’ to be staged at Aam Khas Bagh
Tomorrow’s schedule
9 am: Nagar Kirtan from Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib to Gurdwara Jyoti Sarup
1pm: Bhog of ‘akhand paath’ and conclusion of Nagar Kirtan at Gurdwara Jyoti Sarup