By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 3 Sept: 336th Mahanirvana Parva of Shri Guru Ram Rai Maharaj was observed with unmatched faith this year, just like every year. On Saturday, 3rd September 2022, Sajjadanashin Shri Darbar Sahib, Mahant Devendra Dass Maharaj, organized special prayers to mark this occasion. Maharaj, at the bank of the pond located near Shri Jhande Ji, offered homage to Shri Guru Ram Rai Maharaj. After that, 17 purohits made a ‘pind’ of rice, milk, honey, Gangajal, ghee and shakkar and carried out the prayers. Then the Prasad was distributed amongst the sangats and other devotees and Maharaj blessed thousands who had come from every part of the country and abroad. Then a special langar (holy feast) was organized. In the evening, Prasad of ‘halwa poori’ and ‘churma’ were distributed amongst the devotees. The people of different age groups who had come from all the parts of the country felt blessed for being a part of this Mahanirvana Parva. The ‘Sangat’ devotees who had come to participate in Mahanirvana Parva followed Covid Guidelines strictly and maintained Social Distancing. The Medical Team of Mahant Indiresh hospital was available all the time at Darbar Sahib to tackle any medical emergencies.
Guru Ram Rai Maharaj was born in 1646 on the ‘panchmi’ of ‘Chaitra Mass’. In the year 1676, Guru Maharaj arrived in Dehradun. Guru Maharaj ji turned Dehradun into a sacred place by making it his place of duty. Dehradun got its name by the ‘Dera’ of Shri Guru Ram Rai Maharaj. On ‘Bhadrasudi 8 Sanwat 1744 (4th September 1687) he went to the abode of the God while remembering him. The sangats regard the soul of Guru Maharaj ji as immortal and serve the Samadhi of Guru Maharaj while observing this day as Mahanirvana Parva.
While showering his divine blessings over the ‘sangats’, Maharaj said that the place of Guru is even higher than that of God. It is because we can reach God by following the path laid down by the Guru. He said that those people who follow the path laid down by the Guru achieve all the goals in life. He also offered ardas for the happiness, prosperity and peace of the people of the country. The devotees flocked in thousands to Shri Darbar Sahib, right from the morning till late in the evening. The ‘Sangats’ took the Darshan of Shri Darbar Sahib and the divine blessings of Maharaj.
