Nearly 500 children wearing colourful turbans participated in the dastar-mini marathon organised here today by the Akal Purukh ki Fauj. D.P.S. Kharbanda, commissioner, Amritsar Municipal Corporation, flagged off the rally from Bhai Veer Singh Hall. It culminated at the Golden Temple after traversing Lawrence Road, Madan Mohan Malviya Road, Crystal Chowk, Hall Bazar and Town Hall.

The government of India has requested Sikh families in Punjab and Delhi to loan the priceless relics of the Sikh Gurus owned by them for display during the “Gurtagaddi” Diwas celebrations. The relics will include rare copies of the birs of the Guru Granth Sahib. Some of these relics were on display during the tercentenary of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in 1999. Harmohinder Singh, the Delhi-based convener for the museum sub-committee for “Gurtagaddi” celebrations set up by the union home ministry, said a formal request has been made to the families that have a rich legacy of relics. This includes more than 100 relics now owned by families spread across Punjab and Delhi.

The SGPC chief today shot a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, with copies to the UK High Commission, to halt the auction of a rare body armour believed to be that of the 10th Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh, till its authenticity was established by Sikh experts. In the communiqué to the PM, SGPC president Avtar Singh called for the immediate intervention of the government of India, as it was a highly sensitive matter involving religious Sikh sentiments. The historic body armour is kept in the Southeby museum, UK, where it is planned to be auctioned on April 9.

The shooting for Bollywood film Sadia, featuring yesteryears' heartthrobs Rishi Kapoor and Rekha, at the Golden Temple has kicked up a storm on whether or not it amounted to maryada (code of conduct) violation. With the issue coming to the fore on March 25 when for an emotional scene shows Rishi and Rekha feeding parsad to each other inside the temple, Sikh intelligentsia have demanded the framing of dos and don'ts for film crew so as to maintain sanctity of the religious place and avoid embarrassment to devotees.

The remains and Nishan Sahib of the Ramgarhia Bunga at Takhat Hazur Sahib.

The historic town of Nanded, in Maharashtra is an important place of pilgrimage for the Sikh community due to its association with Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji, who is known to have meditated on the banks of river Godavari and spent the last few days of his life in the region. Just yards from these sacred spaces, the authorities have bulldozed a corridor that has finally destroyed the last few historical reminders of the Guru's association with the region. Unique Sikh architecture that was built with devotion and served generations has been destroyed rather than the sensitive conservation that they deserve. When the plans became clear in January 2007 Punab Heritage News working with conservation architects in India commenced a campaign to save these important Sikh buildings. Despite the assertions and promises from the Sikh guardians of Hazur Sahib, they destroyed these buildings in the middle of the night.