Sikhs refused annual parade permission
Authority responsible for allowing rituals says hands are tied owing to the law and order situation in the country.
LAHORE:
Members of the Sikh community have once again not been allowed to exercise their ritual Nigar Kirtan (street procession) on the birthday of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Jee at Gurdwara Jamam Asthan Nankana Sahib and they have also been stopped from performing their Parkash (prayer) at seven adjacent gurdwaras in Nankana Sahib. These gurdwaras are affiliated with Guru Nanak Jee.
The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which is the authority that allows or disallows rituals that are performed by minority communities, says that its hands are tied owing to the law and order situation in the country. But the Sikhs say that if Muslims are allowed processions, they too should be given permission.
According to Sikh history, Nigar Kirtan is a ritual, which is performed on the birthday of Baba Guru Nanak Jee at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. It is a religious procession in which the sacred book of the Sikh religion, the Guru Granth is placed on a vehicle and a procession is taken around the streets of Nankana Sahib touching seven gurdwaras which are affiliated with Baba Guru Nanak.
Earlier, the Guru Granth was placed in an air conditioned bus when the law and order situation deteriorated but now that too has been discontinued say community members.
Nigar Kirtan has been carried out from Gurdwara Janam Asthan to Gurdwara Patti (plaque) Sahab and then to Gurdwara Balila (the place of childhood) Sahab, to Gurdwara Tambu (tent) Sahab, to Gurdwara Chaouni (place of stay) Sahab, to Gurdwara Guru Patshahi (place) Sahab, to Gurdwara Malje Sahab and finally to Gurdwara Kiara (crops) Sahab.
These Gurdwaras are located in a row on Railway Road in Nankana Sahib and have a history of affiliation with Baba Guru Nanak Jee, where he played, prayed or grazed his cattle from his childhood to old age.
PSGPC’s former president Sardar Bishon Singh said that according the Sikh religion, the Guru Granth is alive and is their 11th Guru, which is why the book is placed in air-conditioned rooms of gurdwaras across the world.
He said that Nigar Kirtan was a very important ritual of their festival of the birthday of Baba Guru Nanak Jee.
He said that Shia mourning processions have been taken out in the country and the government has provided them proper security. He added that the Barelvi school of thought have taken out their religious procession on the occasion of birthday of Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and urged that the same facility be given to the Sikhs.
Bishon Singh said that Sikhs often placed their Guru Granth at above mentioned gurdwaras and during Nigar Kirtan devotees perform Parkash.
He said that this time ETPB has not allowed the Sikh community to place Guru Granth at these Gurdwaras and indirectly declared them non functional.
The ETPB’s data states that its shrines department in 2007 had stopped the Sikh community from taking out their ritual Nigar Kirtan because of poor law and order situation. In 2008, Nigar Kirtan was carried through air conditioned buses and Parkash at seven gurdwaras was also given permission. But in 2009 and 2010, the ETPB has not allowed Sikh pilgrims to perform their ritual Nigar Kirtan outside the premises of Gurdwara Jamam Asthan.
When contacted, ETPBs’ Deputy Secretary Faraz Abbas said that Sikhs had not been allowed Nigar Kirtan because of the country’s law and order situation.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2010.
Members of the Sikh community have once again not been allowed to exercise their ritual Nigar Kirtan (street procession) on the birthday of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Jee at Gurdwara Jamam Asthan Nankana Sahib and they have also been stopped from performing their Parkash (prayer) at seven adjacent gurdwaras in Nankana Sahib. These gurdwaras are affiliated with Guru Nanak Jee.
The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which is the authority that allows or disallows rituals that are performed by minority communities, says that its hands are tied owing to the law and order situation in the country. But the Sikhs say that if Muslims are allowed processions, they too should be given permission.
According to Sikh history, Nigar Kirtan is a ritual, which is performed on the birthday of Baba Guru Nanak Jee at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. It is a religious procession in which the sacred book of the Sikh religion, the Guru Granth is placed on a vehicle and a procession is taken around the streets of Nankana Sahib touching seven gurdwaras which are affiliated with Baba Guru Nanak.
Earlier, the Guru Granth was placed in an air conditioned bus when the law and order situation deteriorated but now that too has been discontinued say community members.
Nigar Kirtan has been carried out from Gurdwara Janam Asthan to Gurdwara Patti (plaque) Sahab and then to Gurdwara Balila (the place of childhood) Sahab, to Gurdwara Tambu (tent) Sahab, to Gurdwara Chaouni (place of stay) Sahab, to Gurdwara Guru Patshahi (place) Sahab, to Gurdwara Malje Sahab and finally to Gurdwara Kiara (crops) Sahab.
These Gurdwaras are located in a row on Railway Road in Nankana Sahib and have a history of affiliation with Baba Guru Nanak Jee, where he played, prayed or grazed his cattle from his childhood to old age.
PSGPC’s former president Sardar Bishon Singh said that according the Sikh religion, the Guru Granth is alive and is their 11th Guru, which is why the book is placed in air-conditioned rooms of gurdwaras across the world.
He said that Nigar Kirtan was a very important ritual of their festival of the birthday of Baba Guru Nanak Jee.
He said that Shia mourning processions have been taken out in the country and the government has provided them proper security. He added that the Barelvi school of thought have taken out their religious procession on the occasion of birthday of Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and urged that the same facility be given to the Sikhs.
Bishon Singh said that Sikhs often placed their Guru Granth at above mentioned gurdwaras and during Nigar Kirtan devotees perform Parkash.
He said that this time ETPB has not allowed the Sikh community to place Guru Granth at these Gurdwaras and indirectly declared them non functional.
The ETPB’s data states that its shrines department in 2007 had stopped the Sikh community from taking out their ritual Nigar Kirtan because of poor law and order situation. In 2008, Nigar Kirtan was carried through air conditioned buses and Parkash at seven gurdwaras was also given permission. But in 2009 and 2010, the ETPB has not allowed Sikh pilgrims to perform their ritual Nigar Kirtan outside the premises of Gurdwara Jamam Asthan.
When contacted, ETPBs’ Deputy Secretary Faraz Abbas said that Sikhs had not been allowed Nigar Kirtan because of the country’s law and order situation.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2010.