Students Educational Tour of Akal College of Economics, Commerce & Management
.
An educational tour for the UG & PG students
An educational tour for the UG & PG students of Akal College of Economics, Commerce and Management, Eternal University, Baru Sahib was organized to Punjab state from 23 rd – 26 th February, 2023. In this tour, 25 students were taken to various places by a team comprising Dr. Manjinder Kaur, Coordinator, Mr. Amber Srivastava Co-coordinator and Ms. Kuldeep Kaur, member. On the first day the students could pay obeisance at Gurudwara Patalpuri Sahib at Kiratpur, named by Sri Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji. Here the sixth guru, Sri Guru Har Gobind Sahib and the seventh guru Sri Guru Har Rai ji were cremated and Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib's hearth was brought here after the cremation at Delhi.
Next day they visited Vira sat-e-Khalsa which is a very famous museum of Sikhism, located in the holy town, Anandpur Sahib. Our students got knowledge about 500 years of the Sikh history and the 300 th anniversary of the birth of Khalsa, based on the scriptures written by the tenth and last human guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh. After that students could pay obeisance at Akal Takhat Sri Keshgarh Sahib and had the langar. Here, they came to know the origin of Khalsa in 1699 where on 13 th April in the same year on the Baisakhi day, tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh Ji created Khalsa by baptizing five beloved Sikhs known as “Panj Piaras”.
In the evening of day two they were taken to Amritsar and gave obeisance at Darbar Sahib, Golden Temple. Here the students came to know about the history of the Harmandir Sahib, the fourth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Ram Das, who had initially constructed a pool here and now houses the Golden Temple or Harmandir Sahib. The students came to know that the pond surrounding the Golden Temple is considered extremely sacred by the devotees and they believe that taking a bath in the holy water of the Sarovar will purify them from their karma. Besides, they learned the importance of Akal Takhat which was founded by sixth Sikh master Guru Har Gobind Sahib ji in the year 1609.
On the third day (24 th February, 2023), the students visited Jallianwala Bagh, a historic garden and memorial of national importance located close to the Golden Temple complex. This Bagh has preserved the memory of those wounded and killed in the Massacre that took place on the festival of Baisakhi on 13 th April 1919. After that, they visited the markets and left for Wag Aha border around 2:00 pm to witness the Beating Retreat ceremony which is a daily CAPF BSF practice that the security forces of India and Pakistan have jointly followed since 1959. The drill is characterized by elaborate and rapid dance-like maneuvers and raising legs as high as possible, which have been described as “colourful”. Students enjoyed the most at Wagah border.
On the fourth day (25 th February, 2023) they reached at Akal University, Talwandi Sabo, to have an interaction and see the infrastructure facilities available at the University. At Akal University, they got very warm welcome by Madam Raman who took a round of campus including girls’ hostel, class rooms, labs, seminar hall and other places. Students were introduced to the staff of the University also. After having interaction with faculty, they took lunch in university mess and left for Shri Damdama Sahib, which is one of the five takhts or Seat of Temporal Authority of Sikhism, located in Talwandi Sabo in Punjab.
At this place, the tenth Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh, prepared the full version of the Sikh scriptures called Sri Guru Granth Sahib in 1705. After this, they left for Patiala and on the way, they visited Mastuana Sahib, gurudwara constructed by the Saint Baba Attar Singh ji who believed that without basic education, progress of one’s own self as well as country is impossible. In the evening they reached Patiala and stayed in a Kalghidhar Gurudwara Sahib with the assistance of S. Boota Singh, president of Gurudwara. The committee members of gurudwara Sahib served langar for the students who were impressed by their hospitality.
On the last day that is on 26 th February, the students visited Shri Dukh Nivaran Gurudwara, Patiala where visitors have faith in the healing qualities of the water. According to the HukamNama, it is believed that if anyone with ailments or illnesses takes a dip in the pond with complete devotion and attention, he/she can be fully cured. Thereafter, the students visited Craft Mela organized at Moti Mahal which is famous for the handicraft work from different parts of the India and other countries. In the end students visited the market in Patiala and afternoon started backward journey to Baru Sahib, where they reached by the dinner time.
