Sikh 'Jatha' returns to India after attending event in Pakistan

A group of Sikhs, who had gone to Pakistan to attend an event to commemorate death anniversary of Sikh emperor Ranjit Singh, returned through special train at Attari international railway station here Saturday.

A Sikh 'Jatha' comprising 414-members had crossed over to neighbouring nation on June 27.

The 180th death anniversary of the Sikh emperor was commemorated at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, adjoining the fort of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Lahore on June 29 and the event was organised by thePakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

Gurdwara Dera Sahib also houses the funerary urns of Ranjit Singh, who ruled over undivided Punjab for close to 40 years in the early 19th century.

Sikhs from India, England, Canada, USA, Germany and various other nations assembled at Lahore for the event, said the Shiromani Gurdawra Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief secretary Roop Singh who was also part of the Sikh 'Jatha'.

On Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan side, Singh said the work was going on a war footing and it will be thrown open to devotees on November 9 in the wake of 550thbirth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev.

Singh said, he also met theLahore Governor and told him that as part of the anniversary celebrations, the SGPC intended to take out Nagar Kirtan (religious procession) from Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan that would culminate at Sultanpur Lodhi in India's Punjab.