Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Sikhs set to reclaim lost heritage

LOHGARH: Sadhaura, Kapal Mochan, Bilaspur.... the names jump out of the pages of Sikh history books as the road from Naraiangarh in Haryana turns towards Yamunanagar, just short of the Kala Amb barrier in Himachal Pradesh. On the main road, though, there are not many who know the way to Lohgarh — the first capital of Khalsa Raj, which was established by brave Sikh General Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.

The first helpful hint comes from a traffic cop, who points in the direction of the approaching Fateh Diwas march, from where a small group led by SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar would head for the still-elusive place. It is for the first time in independent India that the representative body is finally set to accord the regard and respect that the place deserves in Sikh history.

Lohgarh has till now remained an obscure place about which few local Sikhs are aware of even though it was the first capital of the community's rule. It's a difficult drive through narrow, hilly tracks, a river bed, and several dried, semi-dried nullahs which takes one to the place chosen by the SGPC to install the 'nishan sahib' (the Khalsa flag) at the site where a gurdwara would be constructed. It will also recreate the Lohgarh fort here as a befitting memorial to the Khalsa fauj and its leader, who defeated the nawab of Sirhind to avenge the killing of the two younger sons of the 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : Times of India

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