AP Sikhs present Bejewelled Kalgi to Sachkhand Hazur Sahib
Jathedar Kulwant Singh Ji receives the Kalgi in the presence of 50,000 Sikh devotees hailing from Andhra Pradesh.
A beautifully crafted bejewelled replica of Kalgi (plume), that used to adorned the Tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singhji's turban, was presented by Sikhs of Andhra Pradesh to Takhat Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded on Sunday morning.
The gold plume manufactured in a very regal shape was presented to the Head Jathedar of Hazur Sahib, Baba Kulwant Singhji in the presence of more than 50,000 Sikh devotees who gathered to witness the befitting function.The Kalgi has now become a part of the place where many of Guru Gobind's Singh Ji's rare weapons are kept in the sanctum sanctorum, it will be kept on Guru Gobind Singh's Altar there and become an eternal part of a beautiful legacy.
NAGAR KEERTAN
Before handing over the plume, a colourful ``Nagar Keertan'' (procession) was carried out by over 10,000 Sikhs who thronged to Nanded to take part and witness the programme. Jatha Tera Jatha rendered shabad keertan all along the procession while Kalgidhar Dashmesh Jatha performed colourful `Gatka' (Sikh martial arts in weapons.)
S Amarjeet Singh and S Narender Singh who were instrumental in preparing the Kalgi said that the artifice is fabricated by highly skilled craftsmen. The plume is made of nearly 20 tolas gold (7.5 Troy Ounces) embedded with American diamonds and money was raised from the Deccan Sikhs.
The Deccan Sikhs presented the offering coinciding with the remembrance of 300 years of consecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib as the final and perpetual Guru of Sikhs as ordained by Guru Gobind Singh in 1708. This event is of great relevance to the worldwide Sikh Community.
Exactly, 300 years ago at Nanded in Maharastra, the tenth and last living Sikh Guru merged his Light body into the One Light. Prior to his transition, he bestowed the eternal Guruship for the Sikhs upon the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. This year in Nanded there is a special honouring of the 300th anniversary of both these events and more than 30 to 40 lakh Sikhs are expected converge between October 30 and November 4.
Guru Gobind Singh was famous for wearing a Kalgi on his turban. He so enjoyed these pins, that he was affectionately and reverently called `Guru Kalgidhar.' The plume was one of the items in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's possession. After the British occupation of Punjab following the Second Sikh War, the kalgi was taken to England where it finally ended up at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The tercentenary celebration of the Guruship of Sri Guru Granth Sahib will be held later this month on a massive scale at Sri Hazur Sahib. The historic town of Nanded is an important place in Sikhi because it is here in October 1708, Guru Gobind Singh ended the chain of human Guruship and endowed the spiritual throne to the Holy Granth.
The town is also important as Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, one of the five temporal thrones or seats of authority is located here. This is where Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Teacher, is known to have meditated on the banks of river Godavari and where he spent his final days.
The event will also commemorate the 300th anniversary of the accession of Guru Gobind Singh to heavenly abode.
-By S. Bachanjeet Singh, Hyderabad AP
