Sri Anandpur Sahib-Education and Information & Public Relations Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Friday said that the Nagar Kirtans, in commemoration of 350th Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, started from all four directions will be reaching at Sri Anandpur Sahib on November 22.
He said that grand welcome by showering flower petals would be extended to all nagar kirtans by large number of sangat gathered across the globe. He said that Nagar Kirtans had started from Srinagar, Gurdaspur, Faridkot and Talwandi Sabo with a total travelling of 1563 km. He said the adequate arrangements had been made in view of large number of sangat expected to mark the 350th martyrdom day.
Meanwhile, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that all arrangements had been put in place to faculties sangat reaching from across the country and foreign shores. On the directives of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann requisite preparations and arrangements had already been ensured at holy city of Sri Anandpur Sahib by the Punjab government, he added. The religious functions and congregations would be organised from November 23 to 25 at larger scale including holding special session of Vidhan Sabha.
Pertinently, the light and sound shows depicting the great life and philosophy of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji were being organised in all 23 districts of the state and Kirtan Darbars were arranged in Baba Bakala, Amritsar and Patiala.
Giving details of series of events to be held from November 23 to 25, Bains said that on November 23, Sri Akhand Path Sahib will be initiated at Gurdwara Sahib near Baba Budha Dal Chaunni at Sri Anandpur Sahib, in which the Chief Minister and other dignitaries will participate. Similarly, the Chief Minister will also inaugurate an exhibition depicting the life and achievements of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji at the Virasat-e-Khalsa Memorial. On the same day, an all-religion conference will be organized by the state government at the main pandal Baba Budha Dal Chaunni, where eminent religious personalities and other dignitaries will participate.
On November 24, a Nagar Kirtan will be organized from Kiratpur Sahib to the Bhai Jaita Ji memorial. Besides this, a heritage walk will be organized at Sri Anandpur Sahib (Gurdwara Bhora Sahib-Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib-Guru Tegh Bahadur Museum-Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib-Qula Anandgarh Sahib and ending at Virasat-e-Khalsa) and a special session of the Vidhan Sabha will be hosted at Bhai Jaita Ji's memorial. Similarly, Gatka and other events such as tent pegging, shield-sword competition and Shastra Darshan, Simran and Talwar Da Sumal etc. will be organized at Charan Ganga Stadium. Similarly, daily drone shows will be organized at Virasat-e-Khalsa Memorial from 23 to 29 November.
Similarly, after the Bhog ceremony of Sri Akhand Path Sahib Ji on November 25, Sarbat Da Bhala will be organized at the main pandal of Baba Buddha Dal Chaunni. The state government has made extensive arrangements for the convenience of lakhs of devotees who will come to the holy city to attend these events. He said that Shuttle service has been ensured for the easy movement of the devotees from the parking zones to the main places. All the parking places are equipped with CCTV surveillance, lighting, barricading, traffic marshals, sign boards and mobile toilets. The existing parking places around the main religious and cultural places have also been included in this scheme
The vehicles deployed to serve the devotees including 500 e-rickshaws, 150 mini-buses, 25 Force Urbania vans, 15 cars, 20 Tata Ace vehicles and 10 golf carts to assist the elderly and differently-abled devotees. The shuttle services will facilitate the movement of the devotees between the parking places and Gurdwara Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Virasat-e-Khalsa, main pandals, tent cities and help desk points. The system will be fully monitored through the main control centre, which includes dedicated pick-up points, signage and guidance by volunteers.
Similarly, to facilitate the large number of devotees during the events dedicated to the 350th martyrdom day of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, two major tent cities, ‘Chak Nanaki Niwas’ Tent City and ‘Bhai Mati Das Niwas’ Tent City, have been set up by the District Administration, Rupnagar, which have arrangements for the stay of about 10, 000 devotees.
The arrangements to facilities sangat like deployment of ambulances and ensuring immediate medical services with a 24-hour main control room had also been ensured. The Minister pointed out that in view of arrival of sangat at large scale foolproof security arrangements were put in Place with sufficient deployment of Punjab Police personnel for security and traffic management. More than 8, 000 police personnel have been deployed under the supervision of senior rank officers of Punjab Police to keep a close eye on all activities, he added.