Latest news with #Sikhism
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- General
- Indian Express
Punjab: Gulab Chand Kataria hosts shabad kirtan to mark Guru Tegh Bahadur's 350th martyrdom anniversary
The Punjab Raj Bhavan Tuesday evening reverberated with devotional hymns as it commemorated the 350th martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, with a solemn shabad kirtan. Padma Shri Hazuri Ragi Bhai Harjinder Singh Ji Srinagar Wale, a renowned exponent of Gurbani Kirtan, led the recital at the Guru Nanak Dev Auditorium, filling the venue with spiritual resonance. His renditions paid tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur's supreme sacrifice and message of courage, truth, and selfless service. UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, accompanied by his wife Anita Kataria and family, joined the sangat in humble devotion. 'I consider myself the luckiest person who got the chance to perform sewa on this pious occasion,' he said. Deeply moved by the historic moment, he added, 'It is a moment of spiritual fulfilment in the best traditions of sarbat da bhala (welfare of all).' In keeping with the Sikh tradition of equality, the Administrator later participated in langar sewa, serving food alongside others. The Raj Bhavan premises were transformed into a sacred space, resonating with Waheguru Simran and the egalitarian ethos of Sikhism. On the occasion, Kataria unveiled 'Spiritual Journey of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib', a pictorial book authored by Punjab State Information Commissioner Harpreet Sandhu, to mark the martyrdom year. The Administrator also felicitated Bhai Harjinder Singh and his jatha, along with Granthi Singhs of Gurdwara Patshahi Dasvi, Sector 8, Chandigarh, who performed the sewa of Guru Granth Sahib and Palki Sahib. The event saw participation from Punjab Cabinet ministers Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Sanjeev Arora, and Ravjot Singh; Punjab Chief Secretary K A P Sinha; UT Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma; Municipal Commissioner Amit Kumar; Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla; UTCA president Sanjay Tandon; and senior civil and police officers of Punjab and Chandigarh. Families of Raj Bhavan staff were present as well.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Against principles': Nanded gurdwara board chief slams call to excommunicate families over non-Sikh wedlocks
Amritsar: The Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurdwara Board administrator, Vijay Satbir Singh, has hit out at a demand by the heads of 27 Sikh families in Nanded, Maharashtra, to excommunicate families whose women married non-Sikh men. When contacted, Vijay Satbir Singh called the demand "something ridiculous" and "against the very basic principles of Sikhism, which promotes equality and teaches not to differentiate people by their religion". "This is nothing but an act to gain cheap publicity and attract attention," said the administrator. Earlier, a section of Sikhs from Nanded —including former members of the board — had appealed to the jathedar of Takht Hazur Sahib to issue the directives for excommunication. Manpreet Singh Kunjiwalae, a former member of the board, said he wrote the letter to the jathedar and it was signed by heads of 27 Sikh families, who expressed concern over the increasing number of Sikh women marrying non-Sikh men. "It is concerning that Sikh women are choosing to marry outside the faith, turning away from Sikh men. What's more troubling is that instead of guiding them otherwise, many parents are supporting these decisions and accepting non-Sikhs as sons-in-law and fully integrating them into the family," he said. He added they urged the jathedar to issue a formal directive on the matter during the upcoming meeting of the five Sikh high priests scheduled for July 24.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Nanded board rejects excommunication call
Amritsar: The Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurdwara Board has rejected a demand by the heads of 27 Sikh families in Nanded, Maharashtra, to excommunicate families whose women married non-Sikh men. When contacted, gurdwara board administrator Vijay Satbir Singh called the demand "something ridiculous" and "against the very basic principles of Sikhism, which promotes equality and teaches not to differentiate people by their religion". "This is nothing but an act to gain cheap publicity and attract attention," said the administrator. Earlier, a section of Sikhs from Nanded — including former members of the board — had appealed to the jathedar of Takht Hazur Sahib to issue the directives for excommunication. Manpreet Singh Kunjiwalae, a former member of the board, said he wrote the letter to the jathedar and it was signed by heads of 27 Sikh families, who expressed concern over the increasing number of Sikh women marrying non-Sikh men. "It is concerning that Sikh women are choosing to marry outside the faith, turning away from Sikh men. What's more troubling is that instead of guiding them otherwise, many parents are supporting these decisions and accepting non-Sikhs as sons-in-law and fully integrating them into the family," he said. He added they urged the jathedar to issue a formal directive on the matter during the upcoming meeting of the five Sikh high priests scheduled for July 24.
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Amritsar airport receives bomb threat, days after Golden Temple scare
Amritsar Airport received a bomb threat after unknown callers informed airport authorities of a possible explosion. The threat call triggered security alarms, prompting police to register a case and initiate an are currently tracking the phone number used for the threat call. Security measures have been heightened in and around the threat came days after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) received been receiving emails over the past few days threatening to blow up the Golden Temple. The SGPC, the apex body responsible for Sikh religious affairs, has filed another complaint with the police and demanded a thorough Despite the series of threats, Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for his absence from Amritsar. 'Today is the sixth day of these threats, but Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has not come here even once,' Aujla said, highlighting concerns over the state's handling of the also stressed that securing the Golden Temple is a joint responsibility of both central and state governments. 'The security around the Golden Temple is the responsibility of the central and state governments,' he said to the news agency Friday, police detained a software engineer from Faridabad in connection with the threats. However, another threatening email has surfaced since, renewing concerns about the safety of one of Sikhism's holiest sites.- EndsWith inputs from Watch
NDTV
3 days ago
- NDTV
Marathon Legend Fauja Singh's Last Rites Held In Jalandhar
The last rites of 114-year-old marathon legend Fauja Singh were held in Jalandhar on Sunday, following his tragic death in a road accident on July 14. Family members, friends, and admirers gathered to pay their respects to the iconic runner, who was fondly known as the 'Sikh Superman' and the 'Turbaned Tornado' for his remarkable achievements in marathon running. Fauja was hit by an unknown white vehicle while out on his routine walk and later succumbed to his injuries during treatment. The incident occurred on Monday around 3 pm, when Fauja Singh, a resident of Beas village under Adampur police station, stepped out for a walk after lunch. #WATCH | Jalandhar, Punjab: Fauja Singh's grandson Harleen Singh says, "We found out about his accident 30 minutes after it happened. At that time, my uncle said he was only wounded in the elbows. Two to three hours later, we learned that he had not regained consciousness,… — ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2025 While he was walking alone towards the highway, a speeding vehicle hit him. He was immediately rushed to Shriman Hospital, but passed away during treatment at 7 pm, police said. Speaking on Fauja Singh's demise, his grandson Harleen Singh told ANI, "We found out about his accident 30 minutes after it happened. At that time, my uncle said he was only wounded in the elbows. Two to three hours later, we learned that he had not regained consciousness, shocking everyone here. He promoted sports, Sikhism, and an anti-drug initiative. When he started running marathons, he donated his money." Fauja Singh, popularly known as the 'Sikh Superman', stunned the world by shattering several records as a marathon runner in multiple age brackets. Since making his debut at the London Marathon in 2000 at the age of 89, Singh has completed it six more times and has also finished marathons in Toronto, New York, and several more cities. Remembered as a symbol of resilience and inspiration, Fauja Singh's legacy will continue to motivate generations around the world.
