In all, 50 spiritual and religious figures of different faiths invited
New Delhi, August 3
As many as nine saints and other faith leaders of Sikh community are on the list of attendees for the Ram Temple construction related ‘Bhumi Pujan' ceremony in Ayodhya, scheduled for August 5.
The names of invitees, which were drawn up by the “Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerath Kshetra Trust”, have been cleared by Prime Minister Office (PMO).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the ceremony, and will also lay a silver brick at the Ram Janmabhoomi site, marking commencement of the construction.
In view of physical distancing norms, the number of invitees has been restricted. They include 50 spiritual and religious figures of different faiths.
The Sikh faith leaders include the head priests of all the five Takhts, and the national president of the RSS-affiliate Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, Gurcharan Singh Gill.
As was earlier reported by Tribune, the head priest of the Akal Takht (Amritsar) has been requested to represent Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and the Takht Sri Damdama Sahib because the three are located in Punjab.
Head priests of Takht Nanded Sahib and Takht Patna Sahib will attend the ceremony as these centre are located in two states, Maharashtra and Bihar, respectively.
Other Sikh invitees are head of Nanaksar sect having headquarters at Kleran village in Ludhiana, Baba Lakha Singh; head of Nirmal sect Srimant Gyan Dev (located in Haridwar); head of Ravidas sect Baba Pritam Das (headquarters at Jalandhar); head priest of Brahmakund Gurdwara, located in Ayodhya, Gurjeer Singh, and Dr Rameshwarand Hari.
Meanwhile, backed by Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, a 48-hour “Akhand Path” started this morning in Brahmakund Gurdwara in Ayodhya as a thanksgiving gesture to the Gurus.
Gill said he will be taking soil from religious places of Valmiki and other SCs communities from Jaipur to Ayodhya which will be part of a “Kalash” for the Bhumi Pujan.
A Sikh leader, who has already reached Ayodhya, said a delegation of faith leaders from Punjab has left for Ayodhya to take part in the ‘Path'.
They are not invitees for the Bhumi Pujan ceremony. They include Baba Nirmal Singh Randhawa who will be carrying waters from five sites having religious significance in Amritsar.
