Reliving India’s history with respect to Sikhism’s relationship with the Deccan, the Nagar Kirtan Yatra, sponsored by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee, Amritsar, as part of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, entered Telangana from Maharashtra late on Sunday.
The yatra that started from the Guru’s birthplace Nankana Sahib, now in Pakistan, is a caravan of vehicles, including the ones carrying the palki sahib (palanquin) of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs, the wooden footwear of Guru Nanak and other weapons, was received by scores of Sikhs and Punjabi community members at Reliance petrol bunk on NH-44.
The yatra had a halt of about 30 minutes during which the devotees had darshan of Guru Granth Sahib and the weapons, besides felicitating the Panj Pyaras and other religious dignitaries in the caravan. The yatra had a brief halt at Nirmal town where it was received by the local Punjabi community before reaching Nizamabad in the early hours of Monday.
The relationship of Sikhism and the Deccan dates back to 1512 CE when Guru Nanak visited these parts during his second missionary tour.
Among other places, he visited Bidar, later named Nanak Jhira in Karnataka that year, which has since become an important pilgrimage centre for Sikhs.
The Nagar Kirtan Yatra would also reach Nanak Jhira where the 550th birth anniversary celebrations would be held in a grand manner. It would finally stop at Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar.
