Residents welcome pilgrims with open arms

A sea of devotion was seen flowing in the core of the hearts of residents to serve the pilgrims coming to visit the historic gurdwaras of the area on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev. The border district was lucky to have been touched by the feet of Guru Nanak Dev as there are as many as 11 such villages visited by the Guru. These are the Lohar, Dehra Sahib (Pathewind), Kaura Vidhan, Fatehbad, Sri Goindwal Sahib, Khadoor Sahib, Verowal, Jalalabad, Amishah, Khalra and Dialpur villages. The Dehra Sahib (Pathewind) was the ancestral village of Guru Nanak Dev, the birth place of Mehta Kalu Ram, father of the first Sikh Guru. Though the main celebrations were being organised at Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala and at Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur, the pilgrims from for-off places coming to pay their obeisance are also visiting other historic gurdwaras. Sultanpur Lodhi is just 20 Kilometers away from this district. The pilgrims in a large number have been coming to the area for the last couple of days. Residents of the area are desirous to serve the pilgrims visiting from for-off areas. They have reserved rooms in their houses for pilgrims to stay at night and have also decorated these. Baba Baldev Singh of Kar Sew sect Khadoor Sahib said as many as 4,000 families from various villages had informed the sect that they had well furnished rooms reserved for pilgrims and in case needed, they would serve pilgrims food and other facilities, too. Baba Baldev Singh said the sect had made arrangements for night stay for as many as 9,000 pilgrims in Tarn Taran, Kapurthala and Gurdaspur districts. The state government has released grants of Rs 1 crore for each of the 11 villages for developmental works. 

Local residents illuminate roads at night to express their devotion and welcome pilgrims in many village, especially the village linked to Guru Nanak Dev. Organising nagar kirtan and holding of langar at every points was a normal tradition for the residents.

Sewa Bharti, an organisation, held path of Sri Sukhmani Sahib at the local Civil hospital.

The Jaswant Singh Khalsa of the Dashmesh Parivar International School Emma Kalan said that educational competitions of school students were organised on the occasion. At the same time, local Punjab Children Academy, Majha Public School, Shah Harbans School, Rani Walah, Baridnera Public School, Panjwar, too, organised functions dedicated to the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev.

Water blockage irks villagers

The blockage of sewerage water on national highways at Chutala village near the District Administrative Complex (DAC) in Tarn Taran town has been causing headache for residents as well as the passers-by for the past over two years. Mehar Singh Chutala, sarpanch of the village, and Sawinder Singh Chutala, kisan leader, said residents brought the matter to the notice of the authorities many a times but the problem had not been resolved. They said the sewerage water of nearby Aladinpur village was often blocked here due to defects ignored at the time of construction of national highways, which were not easy to be removed later. Sandeep Kumar, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), said he called officials to the spot to remove the defect but he declined to give a specific time frame within which the problem would be solved.

Happy birthday to cops

Police personal of the district would now get ‘Happy Birth Day’ greetings on their birthday. Police sources said SSP Dhruva Dahiya had initiated the tradition, which was of its own kind. The SSP sent greetings on his letter pad to the policemen on their birthday by extending blessing for long life as well as for their promotion. The greetings were addressed to the whole family of the policeman concerned. The district authorities were of the view that the tradition would boost the morale of the employees to work hard and honestly. 

Contributed by Gurbax Puri