Rally marking Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary to reach city tomorrow

Aurangabad: Members of the Sikh and other communities are gearing up to welcome a rally that started from Pakistan’s Nankana Sahib in August to mark the 550th birth anniversary of the first Sikh guru Nanak Dev. The rally would arrive in the city on Thursday.

The Nagar Kirtan of Sri Guru Nanak Prakash Yatra was taken out from Nankana Sahib in Lahore, Pakistan — the birthplace of Guru Nanak — on August 1 and had entered India through the Wagah Border.

The procession, led by the ‘panch pyare’ and four granthis, has toured various parts of India, including Hyderabad, and will reach Nanded on Wednesday. It will culminate at Kartarpur Sahib after touching various cities in Pakistan.

A core committee has been formed in the city for the rally’s welcome. The committee includes representatives from the management committees of Sindhi Colony Gurudwara, Osmanpura Gurudwara, Shagunj Gurudwara and Kannad Gurudwara in the city. Harwindersingh Bindra is the chairman of the committee, Narendrasingh Jabinda the vice-chair, Ranjitsingh Gulati, Kuldeep Singh Nirh, Adeshpal Singh Chabda and Gurjitsingh Chabda are secretaries.

Members of the Sikh and other communities, led by the core committee members, will receive the procession at Cambridge School on Jalna Road at 6pm on Thursday. The foot march will then be head to Sindhi Colony Gurudwara and then to Osmanpura Gurudwara via Kranti Chowk.

Adeshpal Singh Chabda said that this generation of Sikhs was fortunate to have witnessed the 550th birth anniversary celebration of the revered Sikh Guru. “The procession includes a decorated and modified vehicle, which will carry the footwear and other accessories used by Guru Nanak and shastras (weapons) which are sacred to us,” said Chabda.