STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Attired in traditional dresses, thousands of devotees including children and women took part in the Nagar Kirtan taken out in the Jammu ahead of 348th Prakash Utsav, birthday celebrations of 10th and last Sikh Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji on Monday.
Chanting religious hymns, the colourful procession that started from Gurdwara Bibi Chand Kaur, passed through main markets and Bazaars and culminated at Gurdwara Singh Sabha at Nanak Nagar.
The main attraction of the event was the decorated Palanquin on which the Holy Guru Granth Sahib was placed followed by the Panj Pyaras (Five beloved ones) who were the cynosure of all eyes for the passersby.
Shabad Kirtans were rendered by Ragis and other Jathas of men, women and youth groups all along the procession.
Hundreds of school children participated in the procession and presented cultural programmes.
The Sikh youths and other Gatka Jathas displayed their skills in weapon handling like Gatka, swords and other skills deftly.
Not only people from Sikh community but also from other religions participated in the traditional function to set an example of communal harmony and brotherhood in the region.
The routes of Nagar Kirtan were beautifully decorated while the Pathis delivered sermons. Various religious organisations, students along with their bands, members of different Gatka groups and thousands of devotees participated in the procession to seek blessings. Prasad was distributed to the devotees and passersby all along the routes.