Hry to hold function to mark 400th Prakash Purb of Guru Tegh Bahadur

Chandigarh, April 6 (IANS) A state-level function will be held in Panipat on April 24 to mark the 400th Prakash Purb of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Wednesday.

"In the one-day programme, devotees from across Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are expected to participate in large numbers. The function aims to spread the message of communal harmony and brotherhood as preached by Guru Tegh Bahadur," Khattar told the media here.

Guru Tegh Bahadur, also known as Hind Di Chadar, stands as a shining symbol of the country's great pluralistic tradition and secularism, and his supreme sacrifice forms an important part of India's history.

According to the Chief Minister, Haryana shares a special bond not only with Guru Tegh Bahadur but all 10 Sikh gurus as most of them travelled across the state.

The Chief Minister said the state earlier celebrated the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh as well as the 550th Prakash Purab of Guru Nanak Dev.

The Chief Minister said since March last year, as part of the celebrations of the Prakash Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur, various religious and cultural programmes have been started in some parts of the country. However, due to the pandemic, most of the programmes in Haryana got postponed.

"Now the state government has decided to organise a state-level function on April 24," he said.

The Chief Minister, who launched a devotional song composed by the Department of Information and Public Relations for the event, said invitations have been sent to renowned 'ragis' and 'katha vachaks' of international repute to attend the programme.

Sanjay Bhatia, the convener of the event management committee, said no previous government has ever thought of organising programmes highlighting the spiritual teachings and philosophies of the great gurus and saints.