Devotees celebrate Baisakhi along Kali Bein as MP Sant Seechewal calls for action on water pollution

Sultanpur Lodhi: On the occasion of Baisakhi, five religious congregations were held at various sites along the banks of the sacred Kali Bein, where devotees took holy dips.

During these events, environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal congratulated the Sangat on the anniversary of the Khalsa Panth’s foundation and spoke about the environmental degradation of natural water sources.

Addressing the congregations, Sant Seechewal recalled that on the day of Baisakhi, Guru Gobind Singh had prepared Amrit using pure water from the Sutlej River.

“Today, standing at the banks of the same river has become difficult due to pollution,” he said. He highlighted how, in earlier times, people celebrated Baisakhi by natural water bodies without polluting them, maintaining a deep spiritual and social connection with these sources. However, over time, these waters — once revered as paternal by ancestors and Sikh Gurus — have become so polluted in the name of development that even drinking water now comes at a cost.

He warned that nearly all rivers in the country are now polluted, and such neglect is having severe consequences on human health. Sant Seechewal appealed to devotees to keep natural water bodies clean and sacred.

Devotees began arriving at the source of the Kali Bein near Nirmal Kutia, Galowal, early in the morning to bathe. Similar congregations were held at Nirmal Kutia Bholath, Nirmal Kutia Subhanpur, Nirmal Kutia Bhawanipur, and Nirmal Kutia Sultanpur Lodhi, with proper arrangements made for Baisakhi bathing rituals.

An evening congregation was held at Bholath, where Sant Sukhjeet Singh said that after the historical environmental efforts along the Kali Bein, these Baisakhi gatherings have revived Punjab’s traditional cultural spirit.

Students from Sant Avtar Singh Memorial School, Bhai Tajinder Singh (Sarpanch, Seechewal), and various Dhadhi, Kavishri, and Kirtan groups participated.

Devotees bathe at Budha Dariya after decades

Marking a significant revival, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal led Baisakhi celebrations and Khalsa Panth’s foundation day at a newly constructed bathing site along the Budha Dariya near village Bhukhri Khurd (Ludhiana).

A large number of devotees took part in the bathing ceremony. Sant Seechewal appealed to the people of Punjab to join hands in cleansing the rivers and said that the effort at Bhukhri is the beginning of purifying the Budha Dariya — a mission that will continue until the river is fully restored.