India - Nanded set for big event

S.Harpal Singh

NANDED: This Maharashtra town and its historic Takhat Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib gurudwara will host this month the commemoration of the tercentenary of ‘Gurta Gaddi,’ or the appointment of the Adi Granth as the Guru of Sikhs.
It was at this gurudwara that the epoch-making event took place 300 years ago. It also houses Angeetha Sahib, the final resting place of 10th Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singh. It was in Nanded that he was mortally wounded in 1708 by an assassin. Before his passing, he issued an edict to Sikhs to follow the Guru Granth Sahib as their leader.
An estimated 50 lakh pilgrims from all over the world are expected to visit the gurudwara between the Dasara festival on October 9, and November 3 when the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh’s parlok gaman, or passing, will be observed.
The scale on which the preparations are being made for the momentous occasion for Sikhism can be gauged from the fact that the Langar Sahib gurudwara has made arrangements to feed one crore pilgrims during the celebrations.
The celebrations will start with takhat ishnan on October 27: this will involve the purification of the main shrine with water from the Godavari that flows nearby. This will be followed by Deepmala, the Deepavali celebrations, the next day. October 30 is the day of the main Gurta Gaddi celebrations, to be followed by the observation of parlok gaman.
Nanded Collector Radheshyam Mopalwar said: “A sum of Rs. 350 crore is being spent on the development of infrastructure related to the Gurta Gaddi celebrations in and around the gurudwara. This amount is part of the sum of over Rs. 1,000 crore allocated for overall development of Nanded town under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.” Infrastructure
The creation of infrastructure includes additional accommodation within and outside the gurudwara complex. The new gurudwara complex and the complex at the Langar Sahib gurudwara have 1,500 rooms each. Temporary accommodation will be provided in camps on the town’s periphery. Access to the city has been improved with the launch of air services to Mumbai and introduction of nearly 150 pairs of special trains from different parts of the country.