Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning paid obeisance at the historic Ber Sahib Gurdwara, before heading for Dera Baba Nanak where he will inaugurate the passenger terminal building of the Kartarpur Corridor.
At the Gurdwara here, Modi was received by former Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee chief Jagir Kaur, who is in-charge of celebrations connected with the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak Dev here. On behalf of the SGPC, she presented Modi a siropa (robe of honour).
The Prime Minister spent 20 minutes at the gurdwara and listened to the kirtan (devotional singing).
Modi was accompanied by Punjab governor and Chandigarh administrator VP Singh Badnore, chief minister Amarinder Singh and Union minister and Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
Earlier upon reaching here, Modi was received by Amarinder Singh, while Badnore and Harsimrat were present.
The city has been decked up with flowers, hoardings and colourful gates to welcome pilgrims.
OVER 5 LAKH HAVE VISITED GURDWARA
More than five lakh devotees have paid obeisance at Gurdwara Ber Sahib.
Guru Nanak Dev had spent 14 years of his early life at Sultanpur Lodhi and used to take bath in the Holy Bein daily.
The pilgrims take a dip in the Bein before paying obeisance at the Gurdwara Ber Sahib. From Gurdwara Shri Sant Ghat to the Busowal curve, the 4-km stretch of the Bein, has undergone transformation and several ghats have been developed.
Around 500 cusecs of water has been released from the Mukerian hydel project to give a fresh lifeline to the ecology of the Bein.
The government spent Rs 4.96 crore on lining of the banks before releasing the water. A separate enclosure for women pilgrims to take the dip has also been prepared.
For the benefit of pilgrims, two high-level bridges have been built.
