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New Delhi: Delhi and Punjab government have started the pilgrimage program inspired by the ideals of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Punjab is launching the Teerth Yojana (pilgrimage scheme) from today, where the entire expense including travel and food will be borne by the government. The initiative, named ‘Mukhyamantri Tirath Yatra’, comes as a fitting tribute to the teachings of unity and spirituality of Guru Nanak Dev, which aims to support and facilitate pilgrimages for the elderly residents of the state.
Kejriwal while boosting off a program said, “I was thinking that although it has been 75 years since India gained independence, no government has organised such a pilgrimage journey to date.”
“We initiated this in Delhi first. So far, we have taken 80,000 people on pilgrimage journeys in Delhi. The money spent on pilgrimages is referred to as the funds of the previous government. We are serving the messages of Guru Sahib by serving the needy. Today, we are opening community clinics everywhere in Punjab. Providing free treatment to the poor, giving quality education to the underprivileged, and undertaking pilgrimage journeys are all virtuous deeds,” added the Delhi CM.
पंजाब में तीर्थ यात्रा योजना के तहत श्रद्धालुओं का पहला जत्था रवाना हुआ। https://t.co/xSnM06b9GC
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 27, 2023
In commemoration of the 554th Prakash Purb (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the revered founder of Sikhism, the first group of pilgrims started their journey from Amritsar railway station to Takht Hazoor Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra, under the Mukhyamantri Tirath Yatra (CM’s pilgrimage) Scheme. The first batch, comprising 234 pilgrims from Amritsar district and 80 from Tarn Taran district, boarded the train bound for Nanded around noon on Monday.
State ministers Harbhajan Singh ETO and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal flagged off the pilgrims from the Guru Nanak Dev University campus, where they were taken to Amritsar station by buses. Ensuring the convenience and well-being of the pilgrims, the ministers assured that the Punjab government will make all necessary arrangements including food and accommodation.
The gurdwara holds historical significance as it is the place where the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, breathed his last in 1708 and was cremated.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab govt bid farewell to the pilgrims at Dhuri railway station. The Mukhyamantri Tirath Yatra Scheme, with a budget of ₹40 crore, allows people to visit various religious sites, including Takht Hazoor Sahib, Takht Patna Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Naina Devi temple, through free train and bus services.
The ‘Mukhyamantri Tirath Yatra’ scheme is rolled out to provide free travel to various religious places to over 50,000 elderly people. Allocated with a budget of Rs 40 crore, the scheme is expected to run for 95 days, covering 14 important religious sites. The journey will be facilitated through both train and bus travel, thereby addressing the logistical challenges often faced by the elderly during such spiritual journeys.
