Social distancing goes for a toss

Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, November 15

Social distancing went for a toss on Diwali and the monthly Chaudas-Amavas festival. A large number of residents were seen roaming marketplaces without maintaining the required physical distance.

On the monthly Chaudas-Amavas, devotees in a big number pay a visit to Sri Darbar Sahib. They take bath and listen to Gurbani kirtan. The number of devotees had decreased significantly in the last about nine months due to the Covid-19 threat but in the last month the number of devotees increased.

As today was Amavasya and the sangrand, crowds of devotees were seen. People took holy bath and made offerings. As the number of devotees had decreased during the last few months, there was no one to avail benefit of the rooms in the sarai.

Devotees started pouring in early in the morning and the rush continued the whole day till it rained in the afternoon.

Bhai Kuldeep Singh, manager, Sri Darbar Sahib, said the footfall of devotees was neither less nor in excess. He said it was the second month when the the religious congregation was organised for the whole night in which devotees were acquainted with Sikh history by the ragi jathas by reciting Wars (songs to sing with warrior voices).

An official of Darbar Sahib said offerings (chadhava) increased manifold this time which was the first time in the last nine months. Devotees did not follow social distancing norms during their visit here. On the other hand, thousands of devotees paid a visit to Gurdwara Beer Baba Budha Sahib, Thatha, where devotees started visiting from the midnight on the holy sangrand.