Preparation of prasad for Sikh pilgrims under way

LAHORE: Work has begun on preparing Pinni prasad for pilgrims who will visit the country for the 550th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Devji.

Preparations for preparing the special prasad will be made in the coming days. The prasad will be packaged before being given to the pilgrims. On the other hand, pilgrims will be able to use their own bottles to carry Amrat Jal.

In this regard, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) has directed pilgrims travelling from within the country and abroad to refrain from carrying items for business purposes as this is forbidden.

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, is a holy place for Sikh pilgrims, where visitors from all across the world are given halwa prepared with desi ghee for prasad. However, since the halwa cannot be preserved, Pinni prasad is prepared as an alternative.

This special prasad is prepared using flour, sugar, desi ghee and packaged into boxes weighing 100 grammes. Nearly 0.5 million packets of Pinni prasad will be prepared for the occasion.

PSGPC President Sardar Satwant Singh stated that the prasad being provided to pilgrims will not cost the visitors a single penny. “The expense for preparing and packaging 100 grammes of prasad is Rs51,” he said.

He maintained the purpose of preparing the prasad beforehand in this manner was so that the administration of the temple is not burdened with the expenses. He added that millions of pilgrims, who visit the country, carry dozens of packets of prasad on the return journey.

He also maintained that citizens do not have to pay for Amrat Jal. He informed that water filters have been installed in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Hasan Abdaal where pilgrims can take home Amrat Jal in their own bottles.

He also clarified that visitors travelling to the country and from within the country should not carry goods with the intent of selling them. “The 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji is a religious festival. Visitors should abide by the rules and should perform their religious duties,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2019.