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Fatehgarh Sahib, December 28
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh here today said the Sikhs would not tolerate any interference in the religious matters of the community.
The Jathedar was addressing a gathering at the Shaheedi Jor Mela, held in the memory of younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh, which concluded today.
A girl performs 'Gatka'. Tribune Photos: Pradeep Tewari
Giani Gurbachan Singh, in his message to the community, said the Sikhs had a distinct identity and any effort to interfere in their religious matters would not be tolerated.
While supporting the hunger strike by Gurbax Singh Khalsa, he said the entire community should gather at a platform to initiate steps for the release of Sikh detainees lodged in various jails despite the completion of their sentence.
To mark the end of the three-day mela, a ‘nagar kirtan’ was taken out from Fatehgarh Sahib gurdwara to Jyoti Swarup Sahib gurdwara after Jathedar Giani Mal Singh of Takht Kesgarh Sahib (Anandpur) performed “ardas”.
The ‘nagar kirtan’ started after Giani Mal Singh received ‘hukumnama’ from Giani Jagtar Singh, Golden Temple head priest. The palanquin carrying Guru Granth Sahib was placed on a decorated four-wheeler.
Braving cold weather and dense fog, lakhs of devotees from various parts of the country as well as abroad participated in the ‘nagar kirtan’. School bands, gatka teams, Nihangs, ‘kirtani jathas’, Sukhmani Sahib Sewa societies and students of Mata Gujri College, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University and Akal Academy, Baru Sahib, were among those who performed events during the religious procession.
Representatives of various religions, social and political parties also accompanied the ‘nagar kirtan’.