Full circle of life’: Nine-day 1500-km Nagar Kirtan planned to carry Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s holy footwear to Patna Sahib

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri has described the decision to place the Jore Sahib (holy footwear) of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Mata Sahib Kaur at Gurudwara Patna Sahib in Bihar, recognized as their final resting place, as a “full circle of life”, calling it is the only fitting for the Guru’s footwear to be preserved at the site where he first took his steps as a child.

The sacred relics comprise a single piece of footwear each, Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj’s right shoe, measuring approximately 11 inches by 3½ inches, and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji’s left shoe, about 9 inches by 3 inches.

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Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the Union minister, whose family was the custodian of the holy relics for almost 300 years, said the decision to place the holy Jora sahib at Patna Sahib was taken after consultations with several Sikh leaders, members of the community and sangat. “Since Patna Sahib is the birthplace of Guru Sahib, it is only fitting that his sacred belongings find a permanent home there. The historic Gurudwara draws countless devotees from across India and abroad, allowing more of the faithful to offer their respects to the revered Jore Sahib.”

A procession is being planned to take the Jora Sahib to Patna Sahib. Revealing the details, Puri said that the procession would take nine days to cover a journey of 1500 kilometres passing through four states, including Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Puri said the committee is still deliberating the halts for the Nagar Kirtan, though most have been finalised. “Once the procession begins, it will stop at Faridabad, Agra, Bareilly, Madnapur, Lakhimpur, Kanpur and Prayagraj before culminating at Gurudwara Patna Sahib. The Yatra will commence after Diwali,” he said.

Addressing the media, Prof Simrat Kaur, Principal of Shri Ram College of Commerce and a committee member, said while deciding the final resting place for the Jora Sahib, two major gurdwaras, Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib and Anandpur Sahib, were considered. “After further deliberation, it became clear that both are significant, but since Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born in Patna Sahib, took his first step there and began his spiritual journey at that very place, the decision was made in that spirit. We wanted to complete the circle,” she said.

Meanwhile, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee President Harmeet Singh Kalka said that the procession is likely to start on 23 or 24 of October. He also said that they have invited the members of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee too to be part of the Nagar Kirtan.