CHANDIGARH: Following a lack of response to the state’s initial request, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday sent a reminder letter to the Union Government to allot special trains from Punjab to Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj Janam Asthan Mandir in Seer Govardhanpur, Varanasi, enabling pilgrims from across the state to pay their obeisance to Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj on his upcoming 650th Parkash Purab.
The Finance Minister, who is Chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee formed by the state government to organise these celebrations, made this call while chairing a high-level review meeting to assess the ongoing yearlong celebrations being organized by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government to commemorate the historic 650th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, “CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is facilitating free transit under the Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra scheme, scheduling regular train and bus services from various districts to Varanasi between April and October. The momentum will culminate in grand Shobha Yatras traversing four major routes connecting Varanasi, Faridkot, Bathinda, and Jammu to Khuralgarh during October and November, mapping out hundreds of kilometers to unite devotees.”
During the meeting, the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs delivered a detailed PowerPoint presentation outlining the month-wise execution plan stretching from February through December 2026. The extensive celebration calendar kicked off successfully with the 649th Parkash Purab events at Khuralgarh in early February, setting a spiritual foundation that has progressed into a diverse, multi-departmental campaign.
Minister Harpal Singh Cheema shared, “Special Kirtan Samagam are being organised across various districts. Following successful spiritual congregations held in Ropar during April, as well as recent samagams in Phagwara on June 2 and Kapurthala on June 6, the government has finalised upcoming dates for Amritsar on June 13 and Sangrur on June 20, with subsequent events scheduled for SBS Nagar, Pathankot, Phillaur, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana through October under the direct supervision of the respective Deputy Commissioners.”
Emphasising the maximisation of public engagement and leveraging modern technology, he added, “The Punjab Government has approved massive financial outlays for specialized multimedia exhibitions. A spectacular drone show will be conducted across 92 distinct venues. A dedicated budget has been greenlit for documentary screenings across all villages in Punjab, with the specialised agency officially onboarded as of June 8 to execute these widespread rural broadcasts.”
Highlighting the academic and youth-oriented programs as a core pillar of the yearlong celebrations, the Finance Minister said, “The Higher Education and Languages Department organises widespread seminars on Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj’s Bani and social equality. Following successful academic sessions at Punjabi University Patiala, Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, and CT University Ludhiana, future seminars are slated at Lovely Professional University, Chitkara University, Chandigarh University, and other prominent institutions.”
“The School Education Department is executing statewide school-level competitions encompassing online and offline quizzes, painting, essay writing, and debates alongside a collective pledge to uphold constitutional and values of equality, running continuously from May to November, with a temporary pause in June for summer holidays,” he noted.
He added that the celebrations also seamlessly integrate critical environmental and social welfare initiatives across the state. He said “The Department of Health is organising state-wide blood donation camps this June, while the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs plans the official release of a commemorative pendant and the distribution of 6.50 lakh flags across Punjab.”
On the ecological front, the Finance Minister emphasised, “The Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, in collaboration with the Forest Department, is establishing dedicated Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj’s Bagichis across a total of 650 acres of Panchayati land, complemented by an aggressive plantation drive aiming for an average of 6.50 lakh saplings per district.”
He continued, “The Sports Department will act as the nodal agency to coordinate district-headquarters marathons titled ‘Run for Equality’ in August and cycle rallies in September, each ensuring a minimum of 650 participants adorned in commemorative T-shirts.”
The Finance Minister shared that the main event will feature a mega state-level samagam at Khuralgarh, packed with an array of events including the inauguration of an exhibition on the life of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj, a Sant Samelan, a specialized Bani conference, and nightly drone shows alongside advanced 3D projection mapping at Minar-e-Begumpura. The State Government is also reviewing a proposal for the construction of specialized wooden Panchkarma huts at Guru Ravidass Ayurved University in Hoshiarpur.
Prominent amongst others Secretary Tourism Kumar Amit, Advisor to Department of Tourism Deepak Bali, former MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu, Secretary Information and Public Relations Department Puneet Goel, and Director Tourism Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari were also present in the meeting.
