Fortnight-long 'Dharmik Darshan Yatra' starts in Punjab

A fortnight-long 'Dharmik Darshan Yatra' displaying the holy relics of three Sikh gurus started from historic Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib shrine here today.
The holy relics of Sikh gurus - Guru Hargobind Sahib, Guru Teg Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh - will be displayed during the yatra, a SGPC spokesman said here.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Akal Takht head Gurbachan Singh and SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar flagged off the yatra in the presence of several devotees.
In his message to the Sikh community, Akal Takht head called on the people to work for the elimination of social evils, especially drugs.

In his address, Badal, while describing this as a "humble tribute to the great Gurus", said "it would not only provide an opportunity to people to have a glimpse of the holy relics of Guru Sahib but would also propagate the Sikh ethos of fighting against tyranny, oppression and injustice".
Meanwhile, Sukhbir urged the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC) to take this Yatra to the adjoining states of Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi.

The yatra will cover all districts of Punjab before culminating at Anandpur Sahib on May 20.
The holy relics which were being displayed in a specially designed 15 meter long bus for devotees, includes three different swords, a set of hair with comb, one turban, one chola, one whip, one bunch of five arrows, one small three inches kirpan, one spear with wooden handle, one small plain steel spear, one big sword and one sword with the word 'Sat Sri Akal Guru Teg Bahadur' the 1713 Samvat (1656) inscribed on its blade, the SGPC said.

Besides this, one manuscript written in Guru Gobind Singh's own hand writing would also be displayed.
To facilitate the devotees at night, the bus has 13 screens across its body which would showcase the holy relics and their history by a film, the SGPC said.