Relics of Guru Gobind Singh to be shifted to Takht Kesgarh Sahib

PATIALA: the Punjab government has finally declared that Nabha is not an "ideal location" to display the over 300-year-old relics of the 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh and these would be kept at Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib. Residents of Nabha had given several representations in this regard and even fought a lengthy legal battle to convince the state government to display relics of Guru Gobind Singh in their town.

The state government has taken the decision on the basis of the report submitted by the five-member committee, which included officials of the Patiala district administration and department of archaeology and culture, set up to exploring suitability of a site for displaying relics at Nabha.

Acting on a petition filed by Gurmail Singh, who pleaded that sentiments of Nabha residents should be considered while deciding a site to display the relics, the Punjab and Haryana high court had on December last year directed the state government to examine the "suitability of the location of the place as suggested by the petitioner."

The petitioner had pleaded that the relics could be placed either at Gurdwara Sangat Sar Sahib or Gurdwara Deep Baba Ajaypal Singh (Ghorewala Gurdwara). However, the state government has decided that both sites are not suitable to keep the relics.

"The court had ordered us to select an appropriate site in consultation with the people of Nabha. Acting on the order, we had formed a committee that had the deputy commissioner and the director (culture affairs) as its members. After consulting all quarters, the committee has recommended that there is no ideal place in Nabha to display the relics. Hence, these would be shifted to Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib," said S S Channy, principal secretary, department of archaeology and cultural affairs.

Of the total 14 relics, some of those belonging to Guru Gobind Singh were handed over to the state government by Delhi-based descendants of Nabha royals after a court order in 2008. In December 2013, the descendants of Nabha royals had agreed to hand over the rest of the relics to the state government.

with thanks : Times of India : LINK