Takhat Hazur Sahib to get historical Sikh plants

The Tribune has a news report about Takht Hazur Sahib getting historical Sikh plants.

Read the entire story here. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070316/punjab1.htm#111

Takht Hazur Sahib set to get facelift with medicinal plants

Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

D.S. Jaspal

Chandigarh , March 15
Venue for the tercentenary celebrations of Guru Granth Sahib’s consecration and Guru Gobind Singh’s ‘parlok gaman’, Nanded in Maharastra is all set to get a facelift with medicinal and other plants grown with the advice of a senior Punjab IAS Officer.

For the purpose of receiving “useful tips” from Punjab’s Financial Commissioner-cum-Principal Secretary, Information and Public Relations, D.S. Jaspal, the organisers have already invited him over. Approximately three-million pilgrims from across the world are religiously expected to visit Takht Sachkhand, Sri Hazur Sahib Gurdwara, Abchalnagar at Nanded for the celebrations scheduled to be held next year.

Mr Jaspal has given his consent for the project. He has already “cloned” trees associated with the Sikh Gurus in this part of the region and has also been involved in the pictorial documentation of 48 Sikh shrines named after native species of trees in his book “Tryst with Trees - Punjab’s Sacred Heritage”.

Giving details, the sources in the Punjab Government assert Mr Jaspal has been invited by the Takht Hazur Sahib Trust for advising it on landscaping and beautifying the environs of the gurdwara.

In a communication to Mr Jaspal, Maharashtra’s Director-General of Police-cum-Chairman of the Gurdwara’s Administrative Committee Dr Parvinder Singh Pasricha has asserted: “I understand you have developed clones of Dukh Bhanjani Beri and are making clones of other trees associated with the Sikh Gurus…. We would also need some useful tips on landscaping and enhancing the greenery in the city”.

He has further asked Mr Jaspal to advice them on raising medicinal plants around the gurdwaras in the city and has requested him to visit Mumbai along with Hoshiarpur’s Conservator of Forests Harsh Kumar “as he has taken good lead under his dynamic leadership”.

The DGP has added that the trust has also undertaken projects from improving the infrastructure and its connectivity with other “major cities”. The gurdwara complex has been re-developed. Besides this, the Guru Granth Sahib Bhawan and a museum have been constructed.

Elaborating on the importance of the city in Sikhism, the sources assert Nanded is one of the four “high seats of authority of the Sikhs”. Tenth and the last Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, had held his court and congregation in the city now included in the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

He had left for heavenly abode at Nanded and his ashes were buried in the gurdwara on the side of the river Godavari . The Sikh mythology says the Guru rose to heaven from Nanded, along with his horse Dilbag.

The prime-time celebrations will begin with Takht Snan or holy bath on October 24 next year. Diwali will be held the next day followed by a procession on October 26. The Gurta-Gaddi or inception of Guru Granth Sahib will be celebrated on October 27 followed by ‘parlok gaman’ on October 30 next year.