Dharmacharyas of all sects of Hinduism are taking out a unique yatra to mark the tercentenary of the birth of the Khalsa Panth, which was formed on Baisakhi, April 13, 1699, by Guru Gobind Singh . The Guru Gobind Singh Tercentenary Khalsa Srijan Sant Yatra is being organised from Patna Saheb with the sole aim of strengthening social assimilation and religious harmony. The Sant Yatra will start on March 18 from Takht Harmandir Shri Patna Saheb and reach Shri Anandpur Saheb on April 13. On its 3,500 km long route the Yatra will pass through various States and will be felicitated by a number of political, religious and social organisations at 250 places. Besides hundreds of senior saints such as the Shankaracharya Vasudevananda Saraswati, Sant Baba Virsa Singh, Jagadguru Ramanandacharya, Swami Rambhadracharya, Swami Satyamitrananda Giri, Nirmal Sant Najar Singh, Yugapurush Swami Paramanand Maharaj will lead the Yatra. Organiser representative Pramod Kumar spoke to President of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat Sardar Chiranjiv Singh, who is also Chairman of the Sanchalan Samiti of the Yatra, on the three hundred years history of the Khalsa Panth. Excerpts:

This year Khalsa Panth is celebrating the tercentenary of its formation. Would you briefly highlight its progress?

The Khalsa Panth was formed by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 at Anandpur Saheb (Punjab) on the day of Baisakhi. At that time the country was facing serious threats from the foreign Islamic forces that wanted to forcibly impose Islam on non-Muslims. Since the former were the rulers, their atrocities against Hindus were crossing all limits. Traditional Indian values and identity of different Hindu sects were in danger. In such circumstances the tenth Guru Shri Gobind Singh, whose father Guru Teg Bahadur Singh also had sacrificed himself for the Hindu cause, laid the tradition of struggle and formed the Khalsa Panth. He started direct fight against the Mugals. Even before Guru Gobind Singh, several other Sikh Gurus had sacrificed themselves for the Indian values of life and the identity of Hinduism. By forming the Khalsa Panth Guru Gobind Singh stopped the tradition of Sikh Gurus and declared that the Guru Granth Saheb would be the Guru and any unanimous decision of five Sikhs should be regarded as the decision of the Guru. History has witnessed that since its formation the Khalsa Panth has been fighting for the betterment of the country. Even in the freedom movement, whether against the British or against the Mughals, it played a key role.

What difference do you find in the circumstances prevailing then and now?

However, after getting Independence, the country is still facing various threats to its unity and integrity. The basic difference between the circumstances prevailing then and now is that at that time the country was facing the external threats, but today it is facing the internal threats. Now the external forces are not attacking India directly, but through certain people of our own country. These forces want to destabilise India economically, politically and spiritually. Three hundred years ago, Guru Gobind Singh had collected the bhakti and shakti of the nation and gave a fitting reply to the anti-India forces. Today, again there is dire need to follow such formulas.

Do you find any difference in today's Sangat too?

At that time the personal character of people was very high. Although they had enough patriotic spirit, there was a lack of suitable leadership. But today both the personal character and the patriotic spirit have declined very much.

Will the tercentenary celebration of the Panth only be a formal celebration or is any fruitful outcome that may give a new direction to the Sikh Panth or the country expected out of it?

Formality, too, has importance in life. But the basic spirit behind the formality should not disappear. The important feature of this celebration, perhaps for the first time over the 300-year history of the Khalsa Panth, is that the entire country has stood together to celebrate the tercentenary. Earlier there was a tradition that only the followers of the Panth used to celebrate their festivals. Now all the sects of Hindu Dharma, including dharmacharyas, are fervently participating in the celebration for social integration and religious harmony. Thus, the celebration not confined to a particular community but is going to be conducted by the entire nation. Guru Gobind Singh was not just a Sikh religious leader; he was the creater of a movement for national awareness.

Are Muslims and Christians too participating in the celebration?

We have no fight with them. They may not participate so vigorously, but they will welcome the Sant Yatra at several places.

Do you find, during the celebration, the need for taking a decision to demand the liberation of several holy shrines that are now not in India?

The ardas conducted in all the gurdwaras of the country already includes this demand.The Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, along with other Panthic associations, has been demanding that Government of India should make arrangements for the security and administration of gurdwaras that are now out of the country. Even today in Pakistan all the Hindu shrines, including gurdwaras are managed by the Pakistan Waqf Board which does not pay much attention to them. We also demand the Government should make arrangements that the administration of Hindu shrines should be handed over to the local Hindus. During his recent bus trip to Pakistan Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee has also reportedly discussed the matter with his Pakistani counterpart. We hope for better results.

Do you think the recent conflict among the Akali leaders of Punjab would affect the tercentenary celebration of the Panth?

No. Certainly not. There might be some political controversies in the State but all the Akali leaders, including Shri Tohra and Shri Badal, have assured us their full cooperation to the Yatra.

Do you think that the teachings of the Sikh Gurus are being truly followed by the Sikhs even today?

Why such a question only for the Sikhs? Don't you think the entire society has witnessed erosion in the moral character. Indeed, it is a burning question before the followers of all sects. When human values have declined so much, how can the Sikh Panth be excluded? Yet, I feel despite such erosion in the values of the society, Sikhs are more sentimentally attached to their traditions than many others.