Sikhs in Navi Mumbai participated in a big rally on Sunday to celebrate the start of the 358th Jayanti of their tenth leader, Guru Gobind Singh, which is on January 17.
The procession, organised by the Supreme Council of Navi Mumbai Gurudwaras, an association of 10 Sikh temples in Navi Mumbai, and the Punjabi Cultural Welfare Association, started from the Kopar Khairane Gurudwaras at 2.30 pm and ended at 8.00pm at the Vashi temple.
Details of the procession attended by around 15000 people
Between 10,000 to 15,000 people are estimated to have taken part in rally. Mehar Singh Randhawa, general secretary of the Supreme Council of Navi Mumbai Gurudwaras, said that the rally is an annual event. The programme is called 'Nagar Kirtans' and is a traditional Sikh social custom.
"This was the 23rd year. We had palkis which had women singing kirtans. The biggest palki carried the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book which is considered the Guru after the 10th and last human leader)," said Randhawa.
357th Guru's birthday to be celebrated on January 17
Apart from the kirtans, the procession featured teams displaying the gatka martial art form, school bands, nagada or drums, and road cleaning sewage where volunteers cleaned and washed the streets through which the procession passed. Granthis also read from the holy scriptures.
Sikhs in Mumbai will participate in a big function to celebrate the 357th birthday of Guru Gobind Singh, on January 17 at the Diwanchand Ramsaran Compound, Wadala, also known as Gurupurab Ground.
