Sikh Vatavaran Diwas marks New Year

Sikh Environment Day (SED) and New Sikh Year was celebrated on Tuesday with large number of people taking positive actions to make the Earth a better more healthy place for people and animals to live.

March 14 was chosen as Sikh Vatavaran Diwas (Sikh Environment day) because it marks the New Year in the Sikh calendar and the Gurgaddi Diwas of Sri Guru Har Raiji, the Seventh Sikh guru, who is remembered in Sikh history for his deep sensitivity to nature and its preservation.

A special ‘Gurmat Samagam’ program was organised at Gurudwara Saheb Ameerpet on Tuesday followed saplings of plants. There are so many new things happening, said EcoSikh Project Manager Ravneet Singh, who has been working on Sikh Environment Day since it began in 2011.

Every year, March 14 is celebrated SED, Gurdwaras, educational institutions and communities organises a host of awareness events including seminars, katha, processions, assemblies, tree plantation and cleanliness drives in solidarity with environmental concerns on the day. The purpose for having a single day dedicated to community-eco programmes, is that it connects faith with sustainable living.

The Sikh community welcomed the new year by offering prayers at Gurudwara Saheb Secunderabad where a special keertan darbar was organised under the aegis of Prabhandak Commitee of Gurudwara Saheb Secunderabad.

GSS President S Baldev Singh Bagga and Secretary S Avatar Singh said that March 14 or the first day of the month of Chet marks the beginning of the Sikh New Year, which is Nanakshahi Samat 549. Bhai Amarjeet Singh of Patiala, Bhai Joginder Singh, Jagir Singh of Dehradhun and Giani Jagdev Singh rendered shabad keertan on the occasion.