Herald Heritage

The celebrations at Amrit Vela Mandir marked the spiritual and religious zeal of the people. From keertan, katha, lectures, karah parsad and langar they had it all in praise of their guru. 8220;The idea behind the celebration is to bring harmony in the community and make them feel as one big family. As we try to incorporate the feeling of brotherhood we also strive to do it in a spiritual way,8221; says Purrotam Das, a senior priest of the Amrit Vela Ashram, Khandala.

The tall mandap, the glittering lights and diyas at the temple spruced up the charm of the occasion. The Guru Granth Sahib was kept on a raised platform with decorated canopy over it in the presence of the divine idols of Lord Rama and Krishna adorned colourfully. 8220;It is a special day for all of us and the importance of this day can be seen with the colorful celebrations that are being held by the Sikh community worldwide,8221; says Das, who feels that in an age where westernisation has crept into all spheres of our lives, the seniors must impart religious knowledge and traditional values to the younger generation.

In the San Keertan held by the devotees at the temple, a procession was held where they sang hymns on the way to the temple, which was followed by recitation of the Akhand Path. 8220;It is a ritual in which the Guru Granth Sahib is read continuously by the devotees for 48 hours,8221; says Das. At the birth time of Guru Nanak, special midnight celebrations consisting of Kirtan, Dhuni, Phool Varsha and Aarti were held. The event witnessed participation of over 2000 devotees chanting prayers feverishly in praise of the guru.