Punjab’s R-Day tableau to depict Guru Tegh Bahadur’s sacrifice

Chandigarh, Jan 22 : Punjabs Republic Day tableau will reflect the theme of the supreme sacrifice of ninth Sikh master Guru Tegh Bahadur, who laid down his life to uphold the eternal values of humanity, religious coexistence and freedom of faith, officials said on Friday.

Born in Amritsar on April 1, 1621, he came to be known by the name Guru Tegh Bahadur (mighty of the sword) given to him by his father and the sixth Sikh master, Guru Hargobind Sahib, after he had shown valour in a battle against the Mughals.

Guru Tegh Bahadur, al oknown as Hind Di Chadar, was a great philosopher, spiritual leader, and poet who composed Gurbani in 15 raagas apart from 57 shlokas that got included in the Guru Granth Sahib by the 10 Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh.He was martyred on November 11, 1675, at Chandni Chowk in Delhi on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for refusing to convert to Islam.

The entire tableau delineates a divine and serene aura marking the 400th Prakash Purb of Guru Tegh Bahadur, a spokesperson for the state government said.The tractor portion starts with the holy Palki Sahib (palanquin), while the trailer portion depicts the Prabhat Pheri in the beginning with devotees reciting kirtan.

The end of the trailer portion shows Gurdwara Sri Rakab Ganj Sahib, which marks the site where Lakhi Shah Vanjara and his son Bhai Naghaiya burnt their own house to cremate the headless body of Guru Tegh Bahadur.Notably, the tableau has been selected for the Republic Day parade for the fifth consecutive year.

Punjabs tableau bagged the third position in 2019, while its tableau on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre earned accolades all over.Earlier, in 1967 and 1982, the Punjab tableau won the third position, the spokesperson added.