Students take pledge to keep unshorn hair

LUDHIANA, Sept 3: As many as 100 students from different schools in the district took a pledge to keep unshorn hair throughout their lives. In a function organised by Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle to observe martyrdom day of Bhai Tarn Singh at Gujjarkhan complex here today, 70 Sikh girls also vowed not to marry “patit”(who cut hair or beards) Sikh boys.

Principal Ram Singh, the chief organiser of GGSSC said that the study circle had organised nine such functions throughout the state during the last month in which over 1,500 Sikh youth had pledged to keep unshorn hair.Speaking on the occasion, the head priest of Akal Takht Jathedar Ranjit Singh stressed upholding the “maryada” and mutual respect for all religions. He said the communities who did not forget their martyrs lived for ever. The head priest gave a call to observe tricentenary of birth of Khalsa “patit udharan ehar” (campaign to bring back “patit” Sikhs to the fold of Sikhism).

Head priest of Takht Damdama Sahib Giani Kewal Singh called upon the Sikh masses to strive for safeguarding the rich heritage, revive the respect for hair (kesan di sambhal) and disseminate the spirit of religion through service to humanity.Interestingly, while the head priests of Akal Takht and Takht Damdama Sahib attended the function, they were never together at the venue. Giani Kewal Singh, who had arrived first, addressed the gathering and left well before the Akal Takht head priest made his entry.

Punjab Higher Education Minister Manjit Singh Calcutta focussed on the steps being taken by the state government to observe tricentenary of birth of Khalsa.