Legacy of Service: Nihang Sikhs arrive in Ayodhya for two-month ‘langar sewa’

A group of Nihang Sikhs, led by Baba Harjit Singh Rasulpur, arrived in Ayodhya on Friday to run two-month ‘Langar sewa’ (community kitchen) in the Char Dham mutt for the pilgrims, arriving in the temple town to pay their obeisance to Ram Lalla in the newly-constructed Ram temple.

Harjit Singh said that ‘Langar sewa’ is a tribute to the struggle launched by his ancestor, Baba Fakir Singh Khalsa, for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He emphasised that the devotees and tourists arriving in Ayodhya should know that it was the Nihangs who initiated the temple movement way back in 1858.

“Leading a group of Nihangs, Baba Fakir Singh entered the Babri mosque and performed a ‘hawan’ and made the portrait of Lord Ram on the walls of the mosque, using the ash from the ‘Hawan Kund’; An FIR was lodged in the case by the British government, and it was presented in the Supreme Court as an important evidence during the hearing of the Ram Janambhoomi case,” he said.

“Now, as the members of the Hindu community are gearing up to celebrate the big occasion, the Nihangs have arrived to join the momentous occasion. I am the eighth generation of Baba Fakir Singh and want to highlight the sacrifices of Nihangs among Ram devotees.” he added.

He demanded that the state government should also commemorate the sacrifice by allotting land for the construction of a Gurudwara in Ayodhya. “We also planning to construct an ashram and a memorial to highlight the sacrifice of the Nihangs,” he said.

After the consecration ceremony, a delegation will meet prime minister Narandra Modi, chief minister Yogi Adityanath and office-bearers of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra for the allotment of land for the construction of Gurudwara in Ayodhya, he said.