The Hindu : National : Nanded gurdwara all aglow and it’s celebration time

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Nanded gurdwara all aglow and it’s celebration time

S. Harpal Singh

— Photos: P.V. Sivakumar

Holy ritual: Milk being sprayed at the Nanded gurdwara for the ‘Takhat snan’ as part of the ‘Gurta Gaddi’ celebrations on Monday.

NANDED (MAHARASHTRA): Thousands of devotees lit earthen lamps — deepmala — and fireworks were displayed on the occasion of Diwali at the historic Takhat Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurdwara at Nanded town where the tercentenary celebrations of Gurta Gaddi are under way.

Besides being connected to the elevation of the Adi Granth to the status of Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal Guru, Diwali also has significance as ‘Bandi chod din’ literally meaning ‘prisoner release day’ for the Sikhs.

Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru of Sikhs, had been released this day by Emperor Jahangir from the Gwalior fort prison along with 52 kings who were also prisoners there.

Significant event

History has it that Guruji had declined to be freed from the jail alone. He had wanted the Rajahs also to be freed whereupon Emperor Jahangir permitted Guruji to take along with him as many kings from the prison who could hold on to his dress. Because Guruji’s dress was quite large, all the 52 kings could hold to it and were able to walk out of the prison. This event has given the day an added significance for Sikhs.

A pilgrim fetching water in a huge vessel from the Godavari for the ceremony.

The Gurta Gaddi celebrations started on Monday when more than 40,000 devotees carried water from the Godavari for the Takhat Snan or washing of the Shri Hazur Sahib Gurdwara and the arms of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru and his contemporaries and others until the period of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Milk was sprayed from a fire-tender on the gurdwara as part of the activity.

200-year-old tradition

The tradition of Takhat Snan and deepmala was started about 200 years back by the locals. They carried water from the Godavari in pitchers to bathe the holy place and the arms.

Baba Hardayal Singh, known as Ghaghariya Singh, starts the process by drawing the first pitcher from the river. Another tradition of performing the Aarti besides the Ardas on the river banks after the first pitcher is drawn was instituted four years back by Clean Godavari activists led by Ravinder Singh Modi, a local journalist.

For deepmala, every devotee lights a lamp or a candle in a series to illuminate the gurdwara on Diwali day.

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