Sikh ‘Fateh March’ enters Punjab

CHANDIGARH - Hundreds of people gathered at the Shambhu barrier on the Punjab-Haryana border as the ‘Fateh (victory) March’, to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the victory of Sikh warrior Banda Singh Bahadur in a battle, entered Punjab Wednesday morning.

The march started from Nanded Sahib gurudwara in Maharashtra March 30 and has traversed various states before entering Punjab.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders welcomed the ‘Fateh March’ as it entered the state for the final leg of its journey that will culminate at Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib district, 50 km from here, May 14.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to participate in the May 14 event.

Traffic along the busy national highway (NH) No.1 was affected as the march entered Punjab from Haryana. Scores of vehicles, devotees on foot - including the ‘Panj Piaras’ (the five loved ones of the Guru), accompanied the flower-bedecked ‘Palki Sahib’ vehicle carrying the ‘Guru Granth Sahib’ (Sikh holy book) and weapons of the Sikh warrior.

The function was held to commemorate the heroic deeds of Banda Bahadur, who took on the might of the Mughal empire in the Battle of Sirhind in 1710 and established Sikh rule in areas of present day Punjab.

He was christened Banda Singh Bahadur by the Tenth Sikh guru, Gobind Singh, for his acts of bravery.