Puri hands over ‘Jore Sahib’ to Gurdwara Moti Bagh in Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged devotees to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Moti Bagh in the national capital where Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri handed over the custody of the holy Jore Sahib, the footwear of Guru Gobind Singh and his third wife Mata Sahib Kaur.

From this gurdwara, the relics of the tenth Sikh Guru will be taken to Takht Patna Sahib in a nagar kirtan between October 23 and 31.

Minister’s family has served relics for 300 years

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s family has served the Jore Sahib for 300 years. After the demise of his cousin Jasmeet Singh Puri, the custodian, the family decided to institutionalise the relics.

“May the Guru Charan Yatra deepen our connection with the noble ideals of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji. I urge people in the areas this yatra will cover to come and have darshan of the holy Jore Sahib,” the PM said on Wednesday after Puri placed the sacred relics in the custody of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee’s Gurdwara Moti Bagh where he personally took Guru Sahib’s belongings.

Puri’s family has served the Jore Sahib for 300 years. After the demise of his cousin Jasmeet Singh Puri, the custodian, the family decided to institutionalise the relics.

“The holy Jore Sahib “Charan Suhawa” of the founder of the Khalsa Panth, Dasam Pita Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj, and his wife Mata Sahib Kaur Ji have been with our family for more than 300 years. Today, I felt humbled that my family handed over the custody of the holy relics to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee,” Puri said.

A special kirtan samagam was held at Gurdwara Moti Bagh for devotees to pray to the Jore Sahib.

Puri said the sacred belongings would, starting Thursday, be taken in a Guru Charan Yatra for permanent placement at the birthplace of Dasam Pita at Takht Sri Patna Sahib.

The yatra will begin on October 23 from Gurdwara Moti Bagh and reach Faridabad by night.

On October 24, it will travel from Faridabad to Agra; on the 25th to Bareilly; on the 26th to Mahangapur; on the 27th to Lucknow; on the 28th to Kanpur; on the 29th to Prayagraj; on the 30th, it will proceed through Varanasi to Sasaram; on the 31st, it will reach Gurdwara Guru Ka Bagh, Patna Sahib; and on the morning of November 1, it will arrive at Takht Sri Patna Sahib, marking the conclusion of the yatra.

Takht Sri Patna Sahib is already home to Guru Gobind Singh’s robe, the sword he carried as a child, four arrows, a dagger and his footwear.

The decision to safe-keep the Jore Sahib at Patna was taken unanimously by a special committee of Sikh leaders set up recently to deliberate on the issue after the Puri family decided to pass on the custody.

The committee comprised convener Simrit Kaur, principal of Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi, and members Justice (retd) GS Sistani, a former judge of the Delhi High Court; Dubai-based SPS Oberoi, Managing Trustee, Sarbat Da Bhala Charitable Trust; MLAs Narinder Raina from Jammu’s RS Pora, Tirlok Singh Cheema from Kashipur in Uttarakhand and GS Brar from Ganganagar in Rajasthan; singer Harshdeep Kaur and designer JJ Valaya.

The authenticity of the relics was established by the Ministry of Culture, which determined their age at 300 years. Historical referencing was also done by the ministry.

The Jore Sahib finds a mention in Mahakosh, the most authentic source of Sikh traditions, written by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha in Gurmukhi.