Religious Festivity: 170 Sikh Yatrees In Lahore To Celebrate Jor Mela

News Desk

Lahore: Sikhs residing all over the world considered Pakistan to be their second home and that no one could prevent them from visiting the country, these views were expressed by Sikh yatrees Party Leader Sardar Gurbachan Singh at their arrival in Lahore on Thursday.

“We are feeling happiness after reaching here,” Gurbachan Singh stated. He thanked the government and ETPB for making the best arrangements for the yatrees.

It is to mention here that around 170 Sikh pilgrims (yatrees) from India have arrived in Lahore through the Wagah Border crossing to attend the 417th death anniversary of Sikh Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Jor Mela) in Gurdwara Siri Punja Sahib Hasanabdal.

Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Additional Secretary Rana Shahid Saleem, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) Pardhan Sardar Amir Singh and others received the yatrees warmly.

Additional Secretary Rana Shahid said that Pakistan is a sacred place for the Sikh community and that protecting their lives and property comes first.

Shahid further said that on the directions of the ETPB chairman, the trust board would provide all facilities free of charge, including security, accommodation, food, and transport.

Later, the Sikh yatrees went to Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hassanabdal by bus. The main ceremony of the celebrations will be held at Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore today (Friday).

The yatrees would also visit JanamasthanNankana Sahib, Gurudwara Sacha Sauda, and Kartarpur Narowal and perform their rituals. The Sikh Yatrees would return home on June 17.

Every year, thousands of Sikh pilgrims visit this place. This one of the most sacred places of the Sikh religion was established in the era of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) and was rebuilt in 1920 after being badly damaged by Afghan invaders. The gurdwara is looked after and maintained by the ETPB. It has modern facilities. It is a masterpiece of architecture, giving it the look of a fort. A spring runs through this Gurdwara.

The clean water of this spring gushes into a pond called Srover Sahib (holy water pool), where pilgrims take a bath called Ashnan. The Sikhs believe that by taking a bath in this pond, their sins are washed away. This pond is approximately five feet deep.

There is a rock with the hand imprint of Guru, and from behind the rock, clear freshwater gushes out and spills over into Holy Srover Sahib. Sikhs say this gathering is above politics, diplomatic and military relations as this is the land of Guru. They say their culture, language, dress, and living style are the same. They say we parted 75 years ago but the soil is the same.