Thousands Celebrate Guru Ramdas’ Birth Anniversary in Amritsar

On 19 Oct, thousands of devotees from India and abroad converged at Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) to celebrate the Parkash Purb (birth anniversary) of Guru Ramdas, the fourth Sikh Guru and founder of the holy city Amritsar – originally known as Ramdaspur. Amritsar is known as the spiritual and political center of Sikhi. Devotees took dips in the Amrit Sarovar (holy pool) and paid their respects at the sanctum sanctorum. Exhibitions showcasing historic, religious, and rare artifacts were displayed at Darbar Sahib, Akal Takht (Eternal Throne; AT), and Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai. Langars (free community kitchens) were organized to mark the occasion. This year again, Kuljit Singh’s family from Himachal Pradesh airdropped a quintal of flower petals but supposedly followed the maryada (code of conduct) (SDW Vol 1 Issue 8, Story 6). The larger question on flowers and fireworks to celebrate such an occasion remains. Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami and AT Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh congratulated the sangat (community) on the occasion. Earlier, on the 450th anniversary of the Jyoti Jyot Divas (death anniversary) of the third Sikh Guru, Guru Amar Das, and the 450th year of the Gur Gaddi Divas (Guruship anniversary) of Guru Ramdas, the SGPC's Dharam Prachar Committee organized a seminar at Sri Guru Angad Dev College, Khadoor Sahib on 5 Sep. Scholars presented research papers on Sri Guru Amar Das — Life and Bani. However, a group of shopkeepers, descendants of traders from the era of Guru Ramdas, felt neglected by the SGPC for not being invited to the recent celebrations. Previously in 2018, the SGPC had publicly recognized those descendants.