AMRITSAR: A jatha of 1942 Sikh pilgrims was sent off by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee today to participate in the events to be held in Pakistan on the occasion of Khalsa Sajna Diwas (Vaisakhi) amidst the echo of Khalsa chants.
Speaking on the occasion, the leader of the Jatha, Jang Bahadur Singh, said that every Sikh has a longing in his heart to visit the Gurdwaras located in Pakistan and Sikhs feel blessed when they get the time to do so.
He thanked the SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami for entrusting him with the leadership of the Jatha.
While sending off the jatha, SGPC Secretary Pratap Singh said that this jatha will participate in the events related to Khalsa Sajna Diwas Baisakhi in Pakistan. This jatha will visit Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib Hassan Abdal, Gurdwara Janam Asthan Sri Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sri Sacha Sauda Sahib, Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib Sri Kartarpur Sahib, Gurdwara Dehra Sahib Lahore, Gurdwara Rori Sahib Eminabad and will return to India on April 19.
While leaving the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee office, the jatha led by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee memb Jang Bahadur Singh, Deputy Leader Member Bibi Joginder Kaur Bathinda, Interim Member Ravinder Singh Khalsa, Member Bibi Jaspal Kaur, Rampal Singh Bahniwal, Deputy Secretary Gurcharan Singh Kohala, Manager Satnam Singh Riar along with other prominent personalities were felicitated by OSD Satbir Singh Dhami, Secretary of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Pratap Singh and other officials by garlanding them with sarees and flowers.
The SGPC Secretary thanked the Pakistan government and embassy officials on behalf of SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami for generously granting visas and expressed hope that visas will be granted in future as per the sentiments of the devotees.
At the time of the departure of the Jatha, SGPC Secretary S. Pratap Singh, OSD S. Satbir Singh Dhami, S. Bijay Singh, Personal Secretary S. Shahbaz Singh, Deputy Secretary S. Jaswinder Singh Jassi, S. Gurnam Singh, S. Balwinder Singh Khairabad, S. Manjit Singh Talwandi, S. Harbhajan Singh Wakta, Superintendent S. Nishan Singh, S. Malkit Singh Beharwal, S. Palwinder Singh in-charge of the journey, S. Major Singh, Assistant Superintendent S. Surjit Singh Rana along with a large number of SGPC staff and pilgrims going with the Jatha were present.