Anandpur Sahib, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and wife Gurpreet Kaur offered prayers at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib here during the festival of Hola Mohalla on Friday.
The occasion saw a huge rush of devotees at the Takht, one of the five Sikh temporal seats, in Anandpur Sahib of Rupnagar district.
After paying obeisance, the Chief Minister said the Hola Mohalla festival symbolises the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh’s great ideology and the endeavour to infuse the undying spirit of well-being .
Mann said it is a divine experience for him to participate in the festival, which is a symbol of the martial spirit of the Punjabis in general, and the Sikh community in particular.
He said the state government derives a sense of responsibility and the spirit of service towards mankind by following the footsteps of the great Sikh Gurus.
It is a matter of immense pride and honour that Punjab has a perfect blend of socialism, secularism, communal harmony, peace and brotherhood, the Chief Minister said, adding that he wished that the ethos are strengthened in the state with every passing day.
He also expressed hope that with the blessings of ‘Waheguru’, Punjab will continue to lead the country in every sphere.
Mann further said he was blessed to bow at the holy city of Anandpur Sahib, founded in 1665 by the ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur, who sacrificed his life to uphold human dignity and human rights. He added that the sacred land has always inspired the Punjabis to fight against tyranny, oppression and injustice, besides cementing the ethos of communal harmony and brotherhood.
Mann called upon the people to celebrate the festival collectively, rising above the societal constructs of caste, colour, creed and religion, in order to demonstrate secularism and religious tolerance.
He said that his government is duty bound to make all efforts to develop the infrastructure of Anandpur Sahib.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
