CHANDIGARH: The Jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib, one of the five high priests of Sikhs, has demanded a galliara (corridor) around the historic gurdwara at Patna, the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, on the lines of the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. He also wants renaming of the Grand Trunk Road as Guru Tegh Bahadur Marg.
These demands were raised by Giani Ranjit Singh, Jathedar of Patna Sahib, at a meeting of prominent Sikh personalities with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, just before the Punjab assembly polls. “Around 5 km area around the gurdwara will have to be cleared for the corridor. The government has to make a master plan and develop it. The project could cost around Rs 500 crore,” he said.
Giani Ranjit Singh’s letter to the PM said the Sikhs now look towards fixing of date for the 400th birth celebration of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. “We are eager and ready to celebrate the occasion at Patna Saheb under your guidance...(and) propose to construct a galliara around Takht Patna on the line of Harmandir Sahib,” it says. Several government decisions have touched the heart of Sikhs, the letter said, citing the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan and withdrawal of GST on langars in gurdwaras.