Zirakpur/ Chandigarh (August 16, 2014): Giani Mull Singh, Jathedar of Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib inaugurated a green park at historical Gurdwara Nabha Sahib today at Zirakpur. A tree was planted after the curtain raiser by Giani Mull Singh after the ardas in the Gurdwara hall.
According to EcoSikh, the project that shall take about three years and would cost over 20 lakhs creating a spectacular park would consist of fountains, water bodies, landscape chairs, paving, ornamental and utility trees in and around it. Sangat in huge numbers and delegation from SGPC, and other government and non government environmental organizations planted trees at the project site.
In its recent meeting, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee handed over this project specially to the proprietor of Ganga Nursery and a leading environmentalist, Bhai Manjit Singh who is famous for reviving the historical Naulakha Garden of Guru Har Rai Sahib at Kiratpur Sahib on Sikh Environment Day, 2012.
Bhai Manjit Singh who is taking care of the finances and maintenance of the project, humbly says, “I am honoured to have been chosen for this project by SGPC. I always feel that Guru’s house should look magnificent; being Sikhs we must make them superior than our own homes. I pray I would continue the preservation of all the historically important gardens of our Gurus.”
Amongst the dignitaries SGPC Manager of Takhat Kesgarh Sahib Sukhwinder Singh Grewal, Executive Members of SGPC Bhajan Singh Shergill, Baba Fateh Singh Tarunadal Head Baba Gurdev Singh Ji, Retd High Court Justice Jora Singh, EcoSikh Project Manager Ravneet Singh, Nirmal Singh Sandhu from Punjab Environment Soicety, Narinder Singh Sangha (PPSC, Punjab), Barjinder Singh Mann (Retd. DIG Punjab) were present at the gracious event.
Trees like Mauraiya, Fox Tail Palm, Ashoka and variety of Ficus were planted, along with that Punjab Environment Society planted ten traditionally special fruit trees which are used in pickles viz; dheu, desi amla, hararr, desi mango and baramasi nimbu (lemons).
History of Gurdwara Nabha Sahib:
It is the place, where the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh ji came to bless the Muslim fakir, Dargahi Shah, who offered shelter to Bhai Jaita ji, while he was carrying a huge sewa of delivering Guru Tagh Bahadur ji’s sacred head to Guru’s family on his way to Anandpur Sahib, after he was beheaded by the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb at Chandni Chowk in New Delhi. Later in 1710, this was the place where Banda Bahadur raised the Khalsa Army and said his final prayer to destroy the city of Sirhind and execute Nawab Wazir Khan (the then Governor of Sirhind) who was responsible for the cruel slaughter of two younger sons’ of Guru Gobind Singh.
From last 25 years this Sikh environmentalist has been selflessly working to make the historical Gurdwaras of Punjab green. So far Ganga Nursery has executed projects in Fatehgarh Sahib, Paunta Sahib, Kesgarh Sahib, Kiratpur Sahib, Chamkaur Sahib spending majority of the amounts as sewa, out of true love for the Guru and the nature.