The sacred Jore Sahib the pair of shoes belonging to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Sikh Guru, and his consort Mata Sahib Kaur Ji is set to embark on a final, 1,500-kilometre Nagar Kirtan from Delhi to Takht Sri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib, the Guru’s birthplace and one of the five Takhts of Sikhism.
This monumental Yatra, announced by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, will span four states Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar over nine spiritually charged days, culminating at the sacred Gurdwara in Patna, where Guru Gobind Singh Ji first walked as a child.
For nearly three centuries, the holy relics were preserved in the custodianship of the Puri family an unbroken legacy of reverence that has now come full circle. With this Yatra, a sacred trust of history will find its eternal resting place at the Guru’s birthplace.
Union Minister Puri, whose family safeguarded the relics for generations, described the forthcoming Yatra as “the culmination of a 300-year-old spiritual journey.”
“Different options were considered and recommendations made. The 1,500 km Yatra will start from Delhi and end at Patna Sahib after nine days, covering Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar,” Puri said, announcing the details in New Delhi.
The planned route will see the Jore Sahib travel through Faridabad, Agra, Bareilly, Madnapur, Lakhimpur, Kanpur, and Prayagraj before arriving in Patna Sahib. The holy procession will include kirtan, prayers, and public darshan at key halts, allowing devotees to pay homage to the relics that carry the divine imprint of the last Sikh Guru and Mata Sahib Kaur.
The sacred footwear comprises Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s right shoe (11 inches by 3.5 inches) and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji’s left shoe (9 inches by 3 inches) tangible reminders of the divine couple’s physical presence on earth. To the faithful, darshan of these relics is not mere sight, but a moment of spiritual communion.
The Jore Sahib’s journey to Patna Sahib also marks the conclusion of a rare historical custodianship.
The relics were kept in Delhi’s Karol Bagh at the residence of the late Sardar Jasmeet Singh Puri, whose home had become a sanctified site of devotion, with the lane itself named ‘Guru Gobind Singh Marg.’ After his passing, his wife, Manpreet Singh Puri, entrusted Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, the eldest male member of the lineage, with ensuring their safekeeping and rightful enshrinement.
In 2024, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), under the Ministry of Culture, undertook carbon dating and scientific authentication of the relics. Their findings, released in April 2024, confirmed the relics’ authenticity solidifying their status as a genuine, preserved link to Sikh history.
“The authenticity of these relics has been scientifically established. They are a living fragment of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s presence a sacred piece of our civilisational memory,” Puri said.
Following the authentication, a committee of eminent Sikhs was formed under the convenorship of Professor Simrit Kaur, Principal of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), to determine their future placement. The committee included Justice (Retd.) G. S. Sistani, S. P. Singh Oberoi, Managing Trustee of the Sarbat Da Bhala Charitable Trust, and Gurveer Singh Brar, MLA from Ganganagar, Rajasthan.
After extensive deliberations, the committee unanimously recommended Takht Sri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib as the most sanctified and symbolically complete destination for the relics.
Speaking about the decision, Professor Simrit Kaur highlighted the symbolic completeness of placing the Jore Sahib at Patna Sahib. “Two major shrines were discussed Patna Sahib and Anandpur Sahib. Both hold deep historical and spiritual significance. Yet, since Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s spiritual journey began at Patna Sahib, it was only fitting to complete the circle by enshrining his sacred footwear at the site of his first footsteps,” she explained.
The move signifies not just the transfer of relics but the completion of a spiritual continuum linking the Guru’s birth, his mission, and his immortal teachings that redefined the Sikh identity through the founding of the Khalsa Panth in 1699.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who bestowed the Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru of the Sikhs, formalised the Khalsa order and its Five K’s—Kesh (uncut hair), Kangha (wooden comb), Kara (iron bracelet), Kirpan (sword), and Kachera (short breeches) as emblems of discipline, courage, and devotion.
The Jore Sahib, therefore, is not just a relic it is a reminder of the Guru’s human touch, his humility, and his sacred journey from Patna Sahib to Anandpur Sahib and beyond.
Last month, Puri and members of the Sikh Sangat met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek his guidance on the future placement of the relics. The Prime Minister, deeply moved by their historic and spiritual significance, described them as “as much a part of the glorious Sikh history as they are of the cultural ethos of our nation.”
“Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s message of service, sacrifice, and spiritual strength continues to inspire our civilisation. The Jore Sahib stands as a sacred embodiment of that heritage,” the Prime Minister said, according to sources present at the meeting.
Following this, formal consultations with Sikh scholars, historians, and religious institutions reached a unanimous conclusion Patna Sahib would be the final home of the relics, allowing lakhs of devotees from India and abroad to offer darshan.
The Nagar Kirtan, to be organised with the cooperation of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), is expected to commence on October 23 or 24, immediately after Deepawali.
DSGMC President Harmeet Singh Kalka stated that the event will be one of the largest religious processions in recent Sikh history, uniting devotees across India in a journey of reverence and remembrance. “This Yatra will be a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual experience for the Sikh community and for all Indians who revere Guru Gobind Singh Ji as a saint-warrior and a defender of dharma,” Kalka said.
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