Guru Teg Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day
No new date for observing event: DSGMC
Perneet Singh/TNS
Amritsar, November 8
Sri Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh today announced that the Martyrdom Day of Guru Teg Bahadur, which falls on November 24, will be observed on December 10. However, the move has not gone down well with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) which has made it clear that it will observe the event on its original date.
The Jathedar attributed the announcement to phone calls and e-mails received from Sikh Sangat across the country regarding their dilemma to observe the event which was falling merely within three days of Guru Nanak Jayanti which is to be celebrated on November 21. He said the decision to observe the event on December 10 was reached after consultations with the SGPC chief and other Sikh high priests. “Both the events see holding of Nagar Kirtan and Kirtan Darbars and it would have been difficult to organise them in quick succession. In view of the sentiments of the Sikh Sangat, the date for observing martyrdom day of the ninth Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib, has been put off to December 10,” he averred. According to him, this is not the first time that such a change has been made. He also admitted that they need to find a way out to deal with the situations where dates of two events are clashing with each other.
On the other hand, DSGMC chief Paramjeet Singh Sarna said they would observe the martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur on November 24 only. He said that they were not taken into confidence by Sri Akal Takht or SGPC over the matter. “There is a gap of three days between the Guru Nanak Jayanti and the martyrdom day. The Sikh community in Delhi observes the event with great fervour and we have no problem in doing so on Nov 24. We have made all arrangements for it and even the Delhi government has declared November 24 as a dry day,” he said.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥
