Modi to attend Guru Gobind Singh's 350th birth anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to participate in the 350th birth anniversaryy celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh in Patna Sahib, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here.

"PM Modi and some union ministers may participate in the 350th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh in Patna Sahib in January," Prasad said.

Prasad said the central government has already allocated Rs 100 crore in the budget for the celebrations.

In September 2016, the Bihar tourism department organised the first three-day international Sikh conclave ahead of the main celebrations.

Earlier, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a three-day holiday in Bihar during the celebrations, known as 'Prakash-Parv' at Takht Harmandir Sahib, the birthplace of the 10th Sikh Guru.

Officials of the Takht Harmandir Sahib, said thousands of people -- mainly Sikhs from across the world -- are expected to congregate here for the anniversary celebrations.

The gurudwara management committee is also undertaking huge constructions in its campus. An old guest house complex has been demolished and a new structure is coming up in its place, which will include parking provisions to accommodate the expected massive rush in January.

Takht Sri Harmandirji Sahib, widely known as Patna Sahib, is about 10 km from Patna and was built in the 1950s over the remains of a structure erected by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Guru Gobind Singh was born in 1666 to Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru and Mata Gujri. He was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs at the age of nine, becoming the last of the living Sikh Gurus.

--IANS

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