Harbhajan ETO & Goyal extend formal invitation for sacred commemoration event at Sri Anandpur Sahib
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh/Bengaluru-
Punjab Public Works Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal today met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Bengaluru to extend a formal invitation for the 350th Martyrdom Anniversary of the Ninth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, to be held at Sri Anandpur Sahib next month.
During the meeting, both the Ministers apprised the Chief Minister about the series of religious events being organized to honour the supreme sacrifice of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, revered as the ‘Hind Di Chadar’. They also invited him to participate in the concluding commemorative events at Sri Anandpur Sahib and shared details of the nationwide events being planned to mark the historic occasion.
Highlighting the elaborate arrangements, the Cabinet Ministers informed that the commemorations will begin with Ardaas at Gurdwara Sri Sis Ganj Sahib in Delhi on October 25 followed by Kirtan Darbar at Gurdwara Sri Rakab Ganj Sahib the same evening. They said the state government will host Light and Sound shows across all 23 districts from November 1 to 18 depicting Guru Sahib’s life and teachings, while 130 ‘Charan Chhoh’ sites linked with Guru Sahib's travels will hold Kirtan Darbars and devotional gatherings.
They further shared that four Nagar Kirtans will commence from different parts, from Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir) and from Gurdaspur, Faridkot and Takht Sri Damdama Sahib (Punjab) and all Nagar Kirtans will converge at Sri Anandpur Sahib on November 22 evening. The main events will take place from November 23 to 25, with the setup of a Tent City “Chakk Nanki” to accommodate more than 11,000 devotees daily. The events will include an Sri Akhand Path Sahib, Sarb Dharam Sammelan, special session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha at Bhai Jaita Ji Memorial, a drone show on the life of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji and Kirtan Darbar by renowned Raagis.
The Cabinet Ministers also informed the Karnataka Chief Minister that several welfare and social service initiatives will accompany the spiritual programs, including blood donation camps, an organ donation drive and a mega plantation campaign involving the plantation of 3.50 lakh saplings.
Expressing appreciation, CM Siddaramaiah commended CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government for organising the commemorations at such a monumental scale and said the teachings of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji continue to inspire generations across the nation with the message of equality, tolerance and self-sacrifice. He assured his full support and goodwill for the successful organisation of the event.