Hazur Sahib Flight Tours and Tours Packages

Delhi Hyderabad Hazur Sahib Flight Tour Packages

Please note that from Feb 2013, there are no direct flights from Delhi to Hazur Sahib. You have to fly from Delhi to Hyderabad and then travel by Car for Hazur Sahib.

Details of Delhi Hyderabad Hazur Sahib Tour Package :

DELHI – HYDERABAD – NANDED – HYDERABAD – DELHI
Day 1 Morning Flight from New Delhi for Hyderabad. Pickup from Hyderabad Airport and drive for Nanded. Reach Nanded in the evening & transfer to hotel. Evening visit Takht Sri Hazur Sahib and attend evening Aarti. Night at Nanded hotel.
Day 2 Breakfast, Full day tour of visit of all local historical Gurudwaras of Nanded – Gurudwara Shikar Ghat Sahib, Gurudwara Sangat Sahib, Gurudwara Mal Tekdi Sahib, Gurudwara Hira Ghat Sahib, Gurudwara Mata Sahib Devaan Ji, Gurudwara Nanaksar, Gurudwara Ratangarh and Gurudwara Nanakpuri Sahib. Night at Nanded hotel.
Day 3 Breakfast, Morning drive for Gurudwara Nanak Jheera, Bidar. After visiting Bidar, drive back for Hyderabad and drop at Hyderabad Airport for return Flight for Delhi.

For Prices and more details, visit our website at
http://www.sikhtourism.com/hazur-sahib.htm 

Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib

 Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib : Hemkund Sahib, with a spectacular setting of a glacial lake surrounded by seven peaks, is a popular sikh pilgrimage site for Sikhs. It is located in the Himalayas at an elevation of over 15,000 ft in Uttarakhand state of India. A sacred Sikh Gurudwara Hemkund has been built on the shores of Hemkund Lake.

Gurudwara Hemkund sahib ji in the Himalayas is also regarded as one of the. holiest places of the Sikhs. It was there that Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji the tenth and last Guru of the Sikhs is reported to have meditated in his previous life In 'Bachitar Natak' the great Guru relates his story in the following words- "I shall now relate my own story, how God sent me into this world. I was busy performing penance on the hills of 'Hemkund' where seven peaks are prominent. The place is called 'Sapt Shring’ where King Pandu had performed Yoga, there I practiced austerity and worshipped the god of death.

As Guru Gobind Singh ji had mentioned, the place of his previous incarnation in his auto-biography, many sikh scholars tried very hard to locate the exact place. In 1930, a Sikh soldier, Havildar Sohan Singh found Hemkund as he was trekking through this region. He connected it with the place from Guru Gobind Singh's writings. The Sikh religious organizations eventually picked up on this find and designated Hemkund as a special place for worship.

Sri Hemkund Sahib Tours are available only in the summer, between June 1 and October 5 every year.

For Hemkund Sahib Tours and Tour Packages, visit our website at
http://www.sikhtourism.com/hemkund.htm

Hemkund Sahib Tour 2012 with Valley of Flowers

Hemkund Sahib Tour with  Valley of Flowers  
for June 2012 to Sep 2012


Contact Sikh tourism at
Mobile + 91 9910000857 or 
http://www.sikhtourism.com/valley-of-flowers.htm 

Delhi - Hemkund Sahib - Valley of Flowers -  Delhi (6 Nights 7 Days)

Day 1 : Drive Delhi to Rishikesh visiting Gurudwara of Rishikesh, night at Rishikesh Hotel.
Day 2 : Drive Rishikesh to Joshimath enroute visiting Gurudwara Srinagar Sahib, night at Joshimath hotel.
Day 3 : Drive from Joshimath to Govind Ghat and Car will be parked here. Start Trekking (13 kms) for Govind Dham, night at Govind Dham hotel.
Day 4 : Start Trekking from Govind Dham to Hemkund Sahib and return back to Govind Dham after Darshans of Hemkund Sahib (Trek 6 x 2 =12 km), night at Govind Dham hotel.
Day 5 : Start Trekking from Govind Dham to Valley of Flowers and return back to Govind Dham after visit (Trek 3 x 2 = 6 km), night at Govind Dham hotel.
Day 6 : Start Trekking down from Govind Dham to Govind Ghat (Trek 13 km) and then Drive for Rudraprayag, night at Rudraprayag hotel.
Day 7 : Start early morning (at 7AM) from Rudraprayag for Rishikesh, after a break at Rishikesh, continue drive for Delhi and reach Delhi late evening.

Cost Per Person :
For 2 persons   : Rs 22500 Per Person on Double sharing Room.
For 4 persons   : Rs 16250 Per Person on Double sharing Room.
For 6 persons   : Rs 13750 Per Person on Double sharing Room.
For 8 persons   : Rs 13500 Per Person on Double sharing Room.
For 10 persons : Rs 13100 Per Person on Double sharing Room.
For 12 persons : Rs 12500 Per Person on Double sharing Room.

Cost Includes :
- Travel by Car/Coach.
- Family Hotel Accommodation at Rishikesh, Joshimath and Rudraprayag for 3 Nights.
- Basic Accomodation at Govind Dham for 3 nights.
- Only Breakfast in the itinerary.
- All transfers, sightseeing as per the itinerary.
- All taxes, driver allowances, parking etc.

Price does not Include : 
- Entrance fee to monuments.
- Any meals except specified in the itinerary.
- Tips, Beverages, Laundry, Telephone Calls, etc.
- Medical and Insurance.
- Tourist Guide

Delhi Hemkund Sahib Tour, Chandigarh Hemkund Sahib Tour, Amritsar Hemkund Sahib Tour

Hemkund Sahib Tour for June 2012 to Sep 2012

Website : http://www.sikhtourism.com/hemkund.htm

Delhi - Hemkund Sahib - Delhi  (5 Nights - 6 Days)

Day 1 : Morning drive from Delhi for Rishikesh visiting Gurudwara of Rishikesh, might at Rishikesh Hotel.
Day 2 : Drive Rishikesh to Joshimath enroute visiting Gurudwara Srinagar Sahib, night at Joshimath hotel.
Day 3 : Drive from Joshimath to Govind Ghat and Car will be parked here. Start Trekking (13 kms) for Govind Dham, night at Govind Dham hotel.
Day 4 : Start Trekking from Govind Dham to Hemkund Sahib and return back to Govind Dham after Darshans of Hemkund Sahib (Trek 6 x 2 =12 km), night at Govind Dham hotel.
Day 5 : Start Trekking down from Govind Dham to Govind Ghat (Trek 13 km) and then Drive for Rudraprayag, night at Rudraprayag hotel.
Day 6 : Start early morning (at 7AM) from Rudraprayag for Rishikesh, after a break at Rishikesh, continue drive for Delhi and reach Delhi late evening.

Cost Per Person :
For 2 persons   : Rs 19250 Per Person on Double sharing Room.
For 4 persons   : Rs 13850 Per Person on Double sharing Room.
For 6 persons   : Rs 11750 Per Person on Double sharing Room.
For 8 persons   : Rs 11250 Per Person on Double sharing Room.
For 10 persons   : Rs 10750 Per Person on Double sharing Room.
For 12 persons   : Rs 10250 Per Person on Double sharing Room.

Cost Includes :
- Travel by Car.
- Family Hotel Accommodation at Rishikesh, Rudraprayag and Joshimath.
- Basic Accomodation at Govind Dham.
- Only Breakfast in the itinerary.
- All transfers, sightseeing as per the itinerary.
- All taxes, driver allowances, parking etc.

Price does not Include : -
- Entrance fee to monuments.
- Any meals except specified in the itinerary.
- Tips, Beverages, Laundry, Telephone Calls, etc.
- Medical and Insurance.
- Tourist Guide

Chandigarh Tour Packages, Chandigarh Sight seeing

  Chandigarh Tour Packages  

For more details, contact us at +9910000857 or visit www.sikhtourism.com 

Tour GT-102A : Chandigarh City 1 Night/2 Days Tour
Places Covered : Chandigarh Only

Day 1. Arrive Chandigarh by Train/Flight. Pickup from Chandigarh Railway station/Airport and transfer to Hotel. Afternoon visit Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake. Night at Chandigarh Hotel.
Day 2. Breakfast, morning visit Chandigarh Museum, Rose Garden and Leisure Valley. Evening drop at Chandigarh Airport/Railway station.

Standard Package	Deluxe Package
For 2 Persons : Rs 2450 Per Person	For 2 Persons : Rs 3450 Per Person
For 4 Persons : Rs 2150 Per Person	For 4 Persons : Rs 2900 Per Person
For 6 Persons : Rs 1750 Per Person	For 6 Persons : Rs 2500 Per Person
- AC Budget Hotel for 1 night    on Double sharing basis - Only Breakfast in the Meals. - AC Car for Sight seeing.	- AC 3 Star Hotel for 1 night    on Double sharing basis - Only Breakfast in the Meals. - AC Deluxe Car for Sight seeing.

Tour GT-102B : Chandigarh Anandpur 1 Night/2 Days Tour
Places Covered : Chandigarh, Anandpur Sahib

Day 1. Arrive Chandigarh by Train/Flight. Pickup from Chandigarh Railway station/Airport and transfer to Hotel. Afternoon visit Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake. Night at Chandigarh Hotel.
Day 2. Breakfast, morning drive for Anandpur Sahib and visit Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib & Virasat-e-Khalsa (Khalsa Heritage Memorial). Afternoon drive back to Chandigarh and drop at Railway station/Airport.

Standard Package	Deluxe Package
For 2 Persons : Rs 2800 Per Person	For 2 Persons : Rs 3800 Per Person
For 4 Persons : Rs 2550 Per Person	For 4 Persons : Rs 3300 Per Person
For 6 Persons : Rs 2050 Per Person	For 6 Persons : Rs 2800 Per Person
- AC Budget Hotel for 1 night    on Double sharing basis - Only Breakfast in the Meals. - AC Car for Sight seeing.	- AC 3 Star Hotel for 1 night    on Double sharing basis - Only Breakfast in the Meals. - AC Deluxe Car for Sight seeing.

Tour GT-102C : Chandigarh and Gurudwara Tour 2 Nights/3 Days
Places Covered : Chandigarh, Anandpur Sahib and Fatehgarh Sahib.

Day 1. Arrive Chandigarh by Train/Flight. Pickup from Chandigarh Railway station/Airport and transfer to Hotel. Afternoon visit Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake. Night at Hotel.
Day 2. Breakfast, morning drive for Anandpur Sahib and visit Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib & Virasat-e-Khalsa (Khalsa Heritage Memorial Sri Anandpur Sahib). Evening drive back to Chandigarh. Night at Chandigarh Hotel.
Day 3. Breakfast, morning drive for Fatehgarh Sahib to visit Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurudwara Bhora Sahib, Gurudwara Burj Mata Gujri and Gurudwara Shahid Ganj. Evening drive back to Chandigarh & drop at Railway station/Airport.

Standard Package	Deluxe Package
For 2 Persons : Rs 4750 Per Person	For 2 Persons : Rs 7050 Per Person
For 4 Persons : Rs 4600 Per Person	For 4 Persons : Rs 6100 Per Person
For 6 Persons : Rs 3800 Per Person	For 6 Persons : Rs 5300 Per Person
- AC Budget Hotel for 2 nights    on Double sharing basis - Only Breakfast in the Meals. - AC Car for Sight seeing.	- AC 3 Star Hotel for 2 nights    on Double sharing basis - Only Breakfast in the Meals. - AC Deluxe Car for Sight seeing.

Tour GT-102D : Chandigarh Cultural 2 Nights/3 Days Tour
Places Covered : Chandigarh, Anandpur Sahib and Pinjore.

Day 1. Arrive Chandigarh by Train/Flight. Pickup from Chandigarh Railway station/Airport and transfer to Hotel. Afternoon visit Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake. Night at Hotel.
Day 2. Breakfast, morning drive for Mohali to visit Chappar Chiri - A world-class Heritage Memorial. Later drive for Anandpur Sahib to visit Virasat-e-Khalsa (Khalsa Heritage Memorial at Sri Anandpur Sahib). Evening drive back to Chandigarh. Night at Chandigarh Hotel.
Day 3. Breakfast, morning drive for Pinjore to visit Pinjore Gardens (also known as Yadavindra Gardens). Evening drop at Chandigarh Railway station/Airport.

Standard Package	Deluxe Package
For 2 Persons : Rs 4350 Per Person	For 2 Persons : Rs 6450 Per Person
For 4 Persons : Rs 4150 Per Person	For 4 Persons : Rs 5650 Per Person
For 6 Persons : Rs 3500 Per Person	For 6 Persons : Rs 4950 Per Person
- AC Budget Hotel for 2 nights    on Double sharing basis - Only Breakfast in the Meals. - AC Car for Sight seeing.	- AC 3 Star Hotel for 2 nights    on Double sharing basis - Only Breakfast in the Meals. - AC Deluxe Car for Sight seeing.

www.sikhtourism.com  (http://www.sikhtourism.com/chandigarh-tour-packages.htm )

Punjab Cuisine and Cooking Tour

Punjabi Cooking Tour

Punjabi Cooking Tour - 1 Night/2 Days :

Day 1. Pickup from Amritsar Railway station and transfer to hotel, Later visit Golden Temple Amritsar, Dinner & night at hotel
Day 2. Breakfast, Attend Punjabi Cooking class and learn how to cook Punjabi Dishes. Lunch and Tea at the class only. Evening drop at Railway station Amritsar.

Option : Tour can be arranged from Delhi also (Delhi-Amritsar Train Tour) :

Amritsar Food Tour  : 2 Nights/3 Days :

Day 1. Pickup from Amritsar Railway station and transfer to hotel, Later visit Golden Temple Amritsar, Dinner & night at hotel
Day 2. Breakfast, Attend Punjabi Cooking class and learn how to cook Punjabi Dishes. Lunch and Tea at the class only, Dinner &  night at hotel. 
Day 3. Breakfast, Full day tour of a Punjab Village experiencing the real & actual life of a traditional Punjab village and Punjabi Food. Evening drop at Railway station Amritsar.

For more details, visit us at :

Punjabi Cooking Tour Page

Delhi Hazur Sahib Flight Tour Packages

Delhi - Hazur Sahib by Flight
( Departure from Delhi every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday only)

Day 1 : Early morning Flight for Hazur Sahib from New Delhi. Reach Hazur Sahib. Pickup from Airport and drop at Hotel. Afternoon visit Gurudwara Hazur Sahib and attend evening Aarti. Overnight at hotel.
Day 2 : Breakfast, Day tour of Gurudwara Nanak Jheera, Bidar and Gurudwaras enroute, evening back at Nanded. Overnight at hotel.
Day 3 : Breakfast, Day tour of all local historical Gurudwaras around Nanded - Gurudwara Banda Ghat Sahib, Gurudwara Shikar Ghat Sahib, Gurudwara Nagina Ghat Sahib, Gurudwara Sangat Sahib, Gurudwara Mal Tekdi Sahib, Gurudwara Hira Ghat Sahib and Mata Sahib Devaan Ji. Evening drop at Hazur Sahib Airport for Flight for Delhi. Reach Delhi late evening.

Package Cost Per Person : From Rs 11000 to 16500 inclusive of Air Tickets, Hotel Accommodation and all Gurudwara tours by Car.
(Cost depends on Air Fares which are not fixed and change as per date of travel)

For more details, visit our website at http://www.sikhtourism.com/hazur-sahib.htm

Punjab Farm House/ Village Tours

Punjab Farmhouse Tour

Punjab Farmhouse combines the comforts of staying in a modern furnished accommodation with the hospitality of a Punjabi family within the traditions, culture and environment. You can stay in the Punjabi Farmhouse and experience the real Punjabi life, food, customs and rituals.

You can also experience the Farmhouse or traditional rural life of Punjab along with its agricultural and rural aspects.

For more details, click http://www.sikhtourism.com/punjab-farmhouse-tour.htm

Delhi - Hemkund Sahib Helicopter Tour Packages

Delhi - Hemkund Sahib Tour by Helicopter (www.sikhtourism.com)

Hemkund Sahib Helicopter Tours are available only in the summer, between June and September every year.

HEMKUND SAHIB HELICOPTER SERVICE

Helicopter service from Gaucher to Ghangaria/Govind Dham :
- Gaucher to Govind Dham & Return : Rs 15000 Per person

Day 1 : Morning Helicopter ride from Gauchar to Govind Dham, Arrival at Govind Dham and drop at Govind Dham.
Day 2 : Morning pickup from Govind Dham and Helicopter ride to Gauchar, drop at Gauchar.

Cost Includes :
- Helicopter Ride from Gaucher to Govind Dham & Govind Dham to Gaucher only
- All applicable taxes.

Price does not Include :
- Any Hotel Accommodation or meals.
- Any Car Service
- Any Pony ride to or from Hemkund Sahib.
- Tips, Beverages, Laundry, Telephone Calls, etc.
- Medical and Insurance.

Terms & Conditions :
- Arrival at Gauchar and Departure from Gauchar on your own.
- Booking on First come First Serve basis after 100% payment deposit.
- Helicopter schedule depends on Weather conditions.
- Helicopter service is up to Ghangaria / Govind Dham only and same way, pickup
for return journey is from same place.
- Cancellation can be done prior to 72 Hours.





DELHI - HEMKUND SAHIB - DELHI HELICOPTER TOUR (2 Nights / 3 Days)

Day 1 : Drive from Delhi for Rudraprayag, reach Rudraprayag in the evening, night at Rudraprayag Hotel
Day 2 : Breakfast, Morning drop at Gauchar Helipad, Helicopter ride from Gauchar to Govind Dham, Arrive & drop at Govind Dham, Trek to Hemkund Sahib, night at Govind Dham on your own.
Day 3 : Pickup from Govind Dham and Helicopter ride from Govind Dham to Gauchar, Pickup from Gauchar Helipad and drive for Delhi. Reach Delhi in the evening.

Cost Per Person :
For 2 Persons : Rs 23750 Per Person.
For 4 Persons : Rs 21800 Per Person.
For 6 Persons : Rs 20800 Per Person.

Cost Includes :
- AC Car from Delhi to Gauchar and back.
- Helicopter cost from Gaucher to Govind Dham & Govind Dham to Gaucher only
- Budget Hotel Accommodation for 1 Night at Rudraprayag (with Breakfast) on
Double sharing basis.
- All applicable taxes.

Price does not Include :
- Hotel Accommodation at Govind Dham.
- Pony ride from Govind Dham to Hemkund Sahib & Back.
- Any meals except Breakfast at Rudraprayag.
- Tips, Beverages, Laundry, Telephone Calls, etc.
- Medical and Insurance.

Terms & Conditions :
- Booking on First come First Serve basis after 100% payment deposit.
- Helicopter schedule depends on Weather conditions.
- Helicopter service is up to Ghangaria / Govind Dham only and same way, pickup for return journey is from same place next day.
- Cancellation can be done prior to 72 Hours.

Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib 2010 opening ceremony

Please be informed that Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib will be officially opened on June 1 and closing ceremony will be on Oct 4, 2010. This has been announced by the Gurudwara Committee.

Direct Flight from Delhi to Hazur Sahib

Goair is starting Direct Flight from Delhi to Hazur Sahib from April 6, 2010. The flight will operate every Tuesday and Thursday. Return flights will be also on the same day.

For more information and Delhi Hazur Sahib Tour packages, visit at Sikhtourism website.

Delhi Airport to Punjab Car Rental

Sikh Tourism organises car rentals and coach rentals from Delhi Airport to various cities of Punjab. We provide quality vehicles of all types and models to the Non Resident Indian (NRI), Pilgrims, families, groups, business and leisure travelers who are visiting Punjab.


We provide Delhi Airport to Punjab Drop and Pickup services. Our Delhi Airport transfer Cars are equipped with the latest safety features, well maintained, qualified and experienced drivers and are connected through the mobile phones on their journey with the office.

Delhi Airport to Punjab Transfer Services
Delhi Airport to Amritsar City
Delhi Airport to Moga
Delhi Airport to Chandigarh
Delhi Airport to Mansa
Delhi Airport to Patiala
Delhi Airport to Muktsar
Delhi Airport to Jalandhar
Delhi Airport to Nawashahr
Delhi Airport to Ludhiana
Delhi Airport to Rupnagar
Delhi Airport to Faridkot
Delhi Airport to Anandpur Sahib
Delhi Airport to Fatehgarh Sahib
Delhi Airport to S A A Nagar
Delhi Airport to Gurdaspur
Delhi Airport to Sangrur
Delhi Airport to Hoshiarpur
Delhi Airport to Barnala
Delhi Airport to Kapurthala
Delhi Airport to Khanna
Delhi Airport to Nabha
Delhi Airport to Talwandi Sabo
Delhi Airport to Nangal
Delhi Airport to Mandi Gobindgarh
Delhi Airport to Mohali
Delhi Airport to Sirhind
Delhi Airport to Ropar
Delhi Airport to Jagraon
Delhi Airport to Batala
Delhi Airport to Pathankot

For Car Rental Services from Delhi Airport to any other place of Punjab ,Please write to usand we will provide our professional services.

For more details, check our website at
http://www.sikhtourism.com/delhi-airport-punjab-transfer.htm

Sikh Tourism Punjabi online shopping

Sikh Tourism offers Punjabi online shopping offering Sikh, Punjabi and indian gifts and products with printed religious symbols and own designs.

http://www.sikhtourism.com/shopping/

Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib is Opened for Darshans

The doors of Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib have been opened on June 1, 2009.

Sangat can visit the gurudwara everyday till Oct 5, 2009.

For any details of Hemkund Sahib Yatra from Delhi & Amritsar, visit us at www.sikhtourism.com/hemkund.htm

Delhi Hemkund Sahib Yatra 2009

Hemkund Sahib Yatra is again starting in June 2009 and Sikhtourism has made special Delhi Hemkund Sahib Tour Packages for Pilgrimages.

Sri Hemkund Sahib Tours are available only in the summer, between June and October.

Details of the Tour are :
DELHI - HEMKUND SAHIB - DELHI (6 Nights - 7 Days)
Day 1. Delhi - Rishikesh (Drive 240 km)
Day 2. Rishikesh - Joshimath (Drive 257 km)
Day 3. Joshimath - Govind Ghat - Govind Dham(ghangharia) (Drive 21km, Trek 13km )
Day 4. Govind Dham - Hemkund Sahib - Govind Dham (Ghangharia Trek (12 km)
Day 5. Govind Dham - Govind Ghat - Joshimath (Trek 13 km, Drive 21 km)
Day 6. Joshimath - Rishikesh (Drive 257 km)
Day 7. Rishikesh - Delhi (Drive 240 km)

For more details and Prices, visit at Hemkund Sahib Yara

Vote for Golden Temple in Seven Wonders of India

NDTV has started a survey to select 7 Wonders of India and Golden Temple Amritsar is a part of the same survey.

Please vote for Golden Temple to let it be on the top of list as the best place in India.

Click to vote for Golden Temple Amritsar.

Chandigarh Rock Garden will sell sculptures

The Chandigarh administration has approved the beautification and development plan for the Rock Garden. Proposed by its founder creator Nek Chand, the structural re designing is meant to improve the aesthetic view of the entire garden. Low height sculptures will also be sold at the Rock Garden for tourists.

UT Home-cum-Tourism Secretary, Mr. Ram Niwas today chaired a meeting regarding the beautification and development of Rock Garden in which various proposals put forward by Sh. Nek Chand for adding more artistic value to the garden were discussed .The Structural Re -designing would be undertaken in order to improve the aesthetic view of the entire garden .Similarly some low height sculptures will be planned apart from establishment within the premises of Rock Garden which would facilitate the tourists to take back memories of Chandigarh.

Sikhs make Guinness size statement with Blood

More than three hundred years after the tenth Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh ji, founded the Khalsa amid the hilly terrains of Sri Anandpur Sahib, this holy town once again gift wrapped another great gift to the humanity from the Sikh community -- the world's largest ever blood donation camp.

As long serpentine queues of hundreds of donors on Hola Mohalla, March 11 2009, continued till late Tuesday night, each over enthusiastic to stress Sikhism's message of universal brotherhood and welfare of all (Sarbat Da Bhala), blood unit count crossed the figure of 20,000 and could well have touched 25,000, shattering the earlier Guinness Book record of 13,000 plus units collected in a single day.

Backed by Sri Akal Takht Sahib and other Sikh temporal seats, and enjoying patronage of more than a hundred Sikh organisations, the blood donation drive broke all barriers of age, gender, caste and economic status as young and old, poor and rich, men and women awaited patiently their turn to make a statement with blood at a time when much of it is being shed across the world in the name of religion.

At a time when rest of India was busy playing Holi with colors or cow dung, the Sikh community was making a statement with this drive. 25,000 units of blood in flat 24 hours was the target, and the organizers, led from the front by Akal Purakh Ki Fauj outfit, had made sure that all mandatory requirements of the administrators of Guinness Records are fulfilled and cameras keep a record of all donors, quality checks are stringent, medical care at its best and safe blood keeping practices are followed.

The sheer scale of logistics was mind boggling as the camp spilled over on to two lakh square feet of makeshift tents, 700 beds divided in 14 blocks of 50 beds each, and averaging 2,500 donations in one hour. All this effort was possible, thanks to an army of 8,000 volunteers, 3000 paramedical staff and 100 doctors deployed for the camp. Army personnel from Jalandhar and Chandi Mandir were among the teams collecting units.

The Holla Mohalla festival attracts lakhs of pilgrims from all over Punjab and the rest of the country and is the festival of truth, courage, bravery and service. The milling crowds of Sikhs who came to know of the camp added largely to the success of the effort, monitored for Guinness record purposes.

Sikh enthusiasts had come from, thanks to the massive mobilization campaign to ply blood donors, as far as Maharashtra, UP, Uttarkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana.

London gurdwara gutted in racist attack

One of London's most important gurdwara, housing priceless religious books, has been gutted in a suspected racist attack in Britain, a news report said on Tuesday. Eye-witnesses on Tuesday said that a man, who entered the Gurdwara Sikh Sangat in East London, managed to escape just before flames were first seen. A group of women, who had spotted the intruder, tried to put out the raging flames in one of the holiest parts of the gurdwara, which was built at Bow in 1979.

Most of the gurdwara's roof collapsed and worshipers fear all but one of its eight holy books have been destroyed, the ‘Evening Standard’ newspaper said on Tuesday. Eye-witnesses described the suspected arsonist as being black or mixed-race. A worshiper said he had noticed racist graffiti on one of the gurdwara's outer walls in the past few weeks.

A criminal investigation has been launched and police and fire investigators are treating the blaze as suspicious. The building, which dates back to 1854 was formerly a synagogue and before that a chapel. The London Fire Brigade confirmed that 75 per cent of the building and the roof had been damaged by the fire.

"Police are treating this incident as suspicious," a Metropolitan police spokesman was quoted as saying by the British daily.

More than 50 firefighters battled the flame for almost eight hours after being called just after 2 p.m. yesterday, the report said.

Protecting Golden Temple from pollution

Punjab government is contemplating a ban on use of fuel other than LPG by goldsmiths, hotels and restaurants in the walled Amritsar city to reduce pollution affecting the Golden Temple.

The data collected by Central Pollution Control Board reveals that every goldsmith and restaurant/hotel owner uses 15 kg to 25 kg coal or up to 50 litres of diesel/kerosene a day, depending upon the workload and availability of electricity. CPCB had found high levels of harmful nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide in the ambient air. Experts had also cautioned that fireworks release these gases which could react with marble leading to corrosion and blackening. Miniature paintings and gold plating were also under threat from harmful gases, experts added.

Board has recommended to the Punjab government to ban burning of fuel other than LPG in the walled city to save the Golden Temple.

A team had visited the Golden Temple complex last year to free its surroundings free from pollutants on the pattern of the Taj Mahal. It had also favoured restriction on vehicles in 500-m- radius of Harmandar Sahib and suggested to use low-intensity crackers and fireworks during Gurpurbs or Bandi Chhor Diwas (Diwali).

However, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation’s decision to make surrounding the shrine a vehicle-free zone by introducing battery-operated buses to ferry pilgrims is still in the pipeline.