Prakash Utsav: Over 500 take part in ‘Prabhat Pheri’

Patna: Over 500 devotees took part in ‘Prabhat Pheri', a religious procession, from Takhat Shri Harmandir Ji Patna Sahib Gurdwara on Saturday, marking the beginning of celebrations for Prakash Utsav, the 358th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th and last Sikh Guru, which falls on Jan 6.The procession was led by the ‘Panj Pyare' (The Five Beloved of the Guru), who walked barefoot, dressed in traditional Sikh attire and carrying sabres. Devotees chanted ‘gurbani' (Sikh scriptures) and hymns as they walked the 3km route from the Gurdwara grounds to Guru Ka Bagh and back. Along the way, locals greeted the procession with flower showers, sweets and refreshments."The Prabhat Pheri began at 4.30am and passed through Chamdoria, Hajiganj, Maroofganj and Malsalami before reaching Guru Ka Bagh. It returned to the Gurdwara by 9am, followed by a religious event at the Darbar," said Papinder Singh, manager of the Takhat Shri Harmandir Ji Prabandhak Committee. The procession moved through Ashok Rajpath and Gaighat under tight security.Devotees from across the country, including Punjab, Haryana, Amritsar, Nanded, Mumbai and Delhi participated in the event. The daylong celebrations at the Gurdwara included katha (story-telling), kirtan, ardas (prayers) and recitations of Guru Shabd.The Gurdwara premises were adorned with flowers and illuminated with lights. Special arrangements were made for langar (community meals), prepared in the Gurdwara's modernised kitchen. Several devotees actively participated in serving the meals.Inderjeet Singh, one of the organisers, said, "The Prabhat Pheri will continue till Jan 3. Devotees from across the country and abroad, including Canada, Australia, the UK and Malaysia, will arrive in Patna for the Prakash Utsav. The main celebrations will take place from Jan 4 to Jan 6 with a 48-hour-long akhand path (continuous recitation of scriptures) planned as part of the festivities."
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