Nagar kirtan from Pakistan reaches US Nagar

Rudrapur: In a first after partition of the country, a nagar kirtan (Sikh religious procession) being carried out as part of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, reached India from Pakistan via Attari-Wagah border on Thursday and later entered Udham Singh Nagar district by Thursday night. Subsequently, the nagar kirtan proceeded to Nanakmatta Sahib Gurudwara, located around 12 kilometres away from Sitarganj in Udham Singh Nagar district.
Despite late night hours, thousands of devotees welcomed nagar kirtan in Kashipur and a grand reception was organised at the entrance to the city on Thursday.Hundreds of people from various religious, social and political organisations gathered to welcome the nagar kirtan led by the Panj Pyaras (five beloved ones of the Guru).
After a night’s halt, nagar kirtan left at 8.30 am on Friday for Nanakmatta Sahib Gurudwara. The procession will pass through Bajpur, Gadarpur, Rudrapur, Kiccha, Sitarganj and Shaktifarm along the route. In view of the crowd, the district administration has made elaborate arrangements, including proper traffic management, ambulance and fire brigade services.
Notably, the procession with the saroop of the holy book — Guru Granth Sahib — had started on August 1 from Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan and will visit 17 Indian states before culminating at Sultanpur Lodhi, the historic town in Kapurthala district, where Guru Nanak spent 14 years of his life.