25,000 people may donate blood during Hola Mohalla celebrations

Amritsar, Feb.27 (ANI): To set a unique example by a community, various Sikh originations are going to hold world's largest blood donation camp on the occasion of the Hola Mohalla celebrations on March 10 at the Sikh shrine of Keshgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib.

About one million devotees are expected to arrive here on the occasion of Hola Mohalla celebrations here, when the huge blood donation camp will be organized.

Large number of Sikhs and members of other communities are expected to arrive at Anandpur Sahib from all over India and Punjab to participate in the festival and donate blood.

According to the Akal Purakh ki Fauj (meaning the Army of the Almighty), the camp will be one of the biggest blood donation camps in the world.

"The participating organisations had fixed the target for donating blood by 25,000 people in the first 24 hours, which would make it the biggest camp in the world," said Jaswinder Singh Advocate, Head Anand Pur Ki Fauj.

The Guinness Book of World Records has been invited for the historic and biggest-ever blood donation camp, he added.

The blood camp will be organized on the campus of the Khalsa College at Anandpur Sahib.

The motivation behind organizing this camp is Giani Gurbachan Singh, jathedar, Akal Takht, who has appealed donating blood, eyes and other parts of the body for the benefit of humanity.

Anandpur Sahib is the place where the tenth Sikh Guru (master), Gobind Singh, had founded the 'Khalsa' (The Pure) on April 13, 1699. The modern Sikh religion, known for its bravery, sacrifice and entrepreneurship, derives much of its inspiration from the 'Khalsa Panth'.

Hola Mahalla (also Hola Mohalla or simply Hola) is a Sikh festival which begins on the first day of the lunar month of Chet in the Nanakshahi calendar. It most often falls in March, and sometimes coincides with the Sikh New Year.

The festival lasts for a week, and consists of camping out and enjoying various displays of fighting prowess and bravery, followed by kirtan, music, and poetry. y Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)