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Devotees throng gurdwaras to mark Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary
Chandigarh, Jan 13 (IANS) Thousands of devotees thronged gurdwaras across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Patna and other places across the country on Sunday to offer prayers on the occasion of 352nd birth anniversary of tenth Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh.
The festivities this year coincided with the festivals of ‘Lohri’ and ‘Makar Sankranti’.
Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) is revered by the Sikh community as he founded the ‘Khalsa Panth’, the warrior Sikh community, at Anandpur Sahib in 1699.
The holiest of Sikh shrines ‘Harmandir Sahib’, popularly known as Golden Temple, in Amritsar and other gurdwaras elsewhere saw religious fervour to mark the guru’s birth anniversary.
People braved the early morning chill to offer prayers at gurdwaras. The rush of devotees continued in most gurdwraas later in the day also.
Long queues of devotees could be seen waiting for up to two hours to offer prayers inside the main shrine. The entire Golden Temple complex was decorated with special lighting.
Heavy rush of devotees could be seen at the Takht Keshgarh Sahib gurdwara in Anandpur Sahib town, around 85 km from here, since early Sunday morning. It was at this place that Guru Gobind Singh founded the ‘Khalsa Panth’.
Reports of hundreds of devotees offering prayers at Gurdwara Janamasthan in Patna city in Bihar, the birth place of Guru Gobind Singh, were also received.
Hundreds of people offered prayers at gurdwara Nada Sahib in Panchkula, adjoining Chandigarh, where the guru stayed for a few days during his lifetime.
Gurdwaras across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh were decorated to mark the guru’s birth anniversary. Religious processions were taken out at all places in the region on Friday and Saturday to mark the birth anniversary.
Tight security arrangements were made around all leading Sikh shrines in Punjab in view of recent terror-related incidents in the state. At the Golden Temple complex, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) task force members and volunteers kept a strict vigil inside the shrine complex.
At other gurdwaras in cities, towns and villages, hundreds of people could be seen coming to offer prayers. ‘Langars’ (community kitchen), were arranged at most gurdwaras.
Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh greeted people on the occasion and urged them to follow the Guru’s teachings and to maintain peace and harmony.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.