Free bus service to Sultanpur Lodhi for Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary

The Punjab government on Sunday said that free bus service will be provided for devotees visiting Sultanpur Lodhi for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.

In a statement, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said 1,500 buses would ply daily across the state from November 5-12 to take devotees to Sultanpur Lodhi, a Sikh pilgrimage site in Kapurthala district.

The minister said a detailed schedule of the buses has been sent to the Deputy Commissioners and Sub Divisional Magistrates of all districts. Buses have been allotted village and city wise in every assembly constituency so as to ensure that maximum number of devotees are able to make the pilgrimage.

The tourism department has also started a 24x7 toll free number, 1800-180-0550, to enable people to obtain any information with regard to the 'Prakash Parv' celebrations.

Thousands of devotees visit Sultanpur Lodhi daily to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Ber Sahib and other Sikh temples.

Guru Nanak Dev had spent 14 years of his early life at Sultanpur Lodhi.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has visited the historic town a number of times in recent weeks to personally supervise the arrangements to celebrate the event.