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Sikh jatha in Pak to celebrate
gurpurab of Guru who
founded Amritsar
WSN Network
LAHORE: Around
250 Sikh pilgrims are currenntly in Pakistan to commemorate the
474th birthday celebrations of the fourth Guru in Sikhism, Guru
Ramdas Ji. The celebrations began on October 7 and will continue
until the main ceremony on October 9, at the Chuna Mandi Gurdwara.
The jatha had travelled by the Samjhota Express from India on
Monday.
The Indian
government had not cared to integrate the arrangements as part of
any India-Pak pacts but on July 8, 2005, the Sikhs had appealed to
the Pakistan government to increase the visa quotas for them from
3,000 to 10,000 on Guru Nanak’s birthday; from 3,000 to 6,000 on
Baisakhi; from 3,000 to 6,000 on Shahidi Guru Purab; and from 1,000
to 3,000 on the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. They had
also appealed for permission to two new events and the grant of
visas on the birthdays of Siri Guru Ram Das Je and the event of
Kartarpur Sahib. However, while the government of Pakistan has not
increased the visa quotas, it has allowed the Sikh community to
celebrate the events.
The story of
Guru Ram Das Ji is the story of the subaltern and the respect
accorded in Sikh religion on the basis of one's real worth and not
material standing. Guru Ram Das Ji was born at Chuna Mandi Bazaar,
Lahore on September 24, 1534. He was given the name Jetha. His
parents died when he was seven. His grandmother then took him to her
native village Basarke. He spent five years there, earning his bread
by selling boiled grains. He was the son-in-law of Guru Amar Das,
the third guru of the Sikhs. He commanded full confidence of Guru
Amardas Sahib and often accompanied him when the latter went on long
missionary tours to different parts of India. He stayed with his
father-in-law and deeply associated himself with the Guru Ghar
activities. Guru Amardas Sahib found him capable in every respect
and worthy of the office of ‘Guruship’ and installed him as the
fourth Nanak on September 1, 1574. Guru Ramdas Sahib laid the
foundation stone of Chak Ramdas or Ramdas Pur, which is now called
Amritsar.
8 October 2008
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