Pramod Sharma,Chandigarh,9th November, 2008 : Train journeys are always fun for children and they become more magical for those who board them for the first time. And today it was first exposure trip in a train for majority of 45 girls and 15 boys of Bapu Dham Colony who got a chance to travel by train to Kiratpur Sahib.
Organized by volunteers of an NGO-Yuvsatta, as part of their activities with adolescent children of this slum area, the trip cost was sponsored by social activists like Ranee Kochhar and Advocate Harinder Singh Sidhu.
Expressing her joy Anjana-the Captain of Junior Cricket Team of Bapu Dham said that "Even with the eyes open, the doors and windows appeared to be moving away like the trees and the electric poles from a moving train". "The journey itself was more enjoyable than the final destination" remarked Ashok the volunteer with ‘Kitab Ghar’-the children’s library of Bapu Dham.
"Their enthusiasm for little amounts of joy in life is touching", said Pooja Sharma, Member, Chandigarh Social Welfare Board, who accompanied the children on this trip. For another 11 year old Madhu and Preeti who were always fascinated by trains, "There is something magical about seeing an engine pulling the bogies against the background of the countryside".
Vikramjit Singh, another volunteer was today’s guide of the trip who explained to the children about the historic importance and relevance for Sikhs of city of Kiratpur Sahib. Situated on the banks of river Satluj, it is a sacred place for the Sikhs. Guru Nanak Dev is said to have visited this place when it was little more than a wilderness. Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru spent the last few years of his life here. Both Guru Har Rai and Guru Harkrishan were also born at this place and they were blessed with the Gurgadi (Guruship) at this place.