LAHORE: Around 250 Sikh pilgrims arrived at the Wagah Railway Station through the Samjhota Express from India on Monday to commemorate the 474th birthday celebrations of the fourth Guru in Sikhism, Guru Ram Das Je. The celebrations would start from October 7 and continue until the main ceremony on October 9, at the Chuna Mandi Gurdwara.
The event was not mentioned in the agreement between the Pakistani and the Indian government. The Sikh Sangat (community) in India on July 8, 2005 had appealed to the Pakistan government to increase the visa quotas for Sikhs 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 birthday of Guru Ram Das (the lord of miracles) would be celebrated on October 9. The celebrations would start prior to the date and all the pilgrims would gather on the main function at Gurdwara Chuna Mandi. The guru said, “One who calls himself a Sikh of the true guru shall get up early in the morning and meditate on the lord’s name. Make effort regularly to cleanse, bathe and dip in the ambrosial pool. Upon guru’s instructions, chant har har through which, all the misdeeds, sins and pains shall go away.”
Guru Ram Das Ji was born at Chuna Mandi Bazaar, Lahore on September 24, 1534. He was given the name Jetha. 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. 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 stayed with his father-in-law and deeply associated himself with the Guru Ghar activities (Sikhism). 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. Guru Ramdas Sahib introduced Masand system in place of Manji system and this step played a great role in the consolidation of Sikhism. Guru Ramdas Sahib introduced a new matrimonial system based upon Sikhism instead of the Hindu’s Vedi system. He also wrote 638 hymns in 30 ragas, part of the Guru Granth Sahib. He nominated his youngest son (Guru) Arjan Sahib as the fifth Nanak. He left Amritsar and retired to Goindwal Sahib where he passed away on September 1, 1581.
Visas: Approximately 400 visas have been sanctioned for the Sikh pilgrims to attend the event, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Deputy Administrator (Shrine) Fraz Abbas told Daily Times. He said that around 125 Sikh pilgrims belonging to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee had reached Lahore on October 3 while the remaining 250 pilgrims had arrived at Wagah Railway Station on Monday afternoon through the Samjhota Express. The pilgrims were served lunger after disembarking at Lahore Railway Station at 8 pm.
Main Function: He said that this time, the ETPB has introduced new air-conditioned coaches for the pilgrims. He said the pilgrims would visit Gurdwara Nankana Sahib on October 7, Sacha Saoda on October 8, attend the main function of Guru Ram Das at Chuna Mandi on October 9, Gurdwara Rohri Sahib on October 10, Gurdwara Panja Sahib Hassanabdal on October 11, Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore on October 12 and finally leave for India on October 13.
By Abdul Manan