Reverence in the Skies: Guru Granth Sahib Saroops Respectfully Flown to Hong Kong
In a remarkable act of devotion and religious adherence, physical copies (saroops) of the Guru Granth Sahib were transported from New Delhi to Hong Kong, with the entire business class section of the aircraft reserved exclusively for the sacred scriptures. A video capturing the moment—featuring priests performing sewa by waving the Chaur Sahib (ceremonial whisk) over the scriptures—has gone viral, receiving widespread praise across social media.
Captain Sarab Jaspreet Minhas, one of the pilots on the flight, was seen humbly participating in the sewa. He later shared his experience online, thanking the Hong Kong gurdwara committee, airport authorities, and airline staff for their cooperation in ensuring proper religious conduct was maintained during the journey.
The gesture drew admiration from across communities. One netizen, Asif Khan, commented, “A truly noble act of devotion. Kudos to Captain Sarab Jaspreet Minhas and everyone involved for ensuring the utmost respect in transporting the saroops of Guru Granth Sahib.” Another, Vinayak Prabhu, said, “What a beautiful moment. I’m not Punjabi, but this makes me proud and deeply moved.”
Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, President of the Chief Khalsa Diwan, a century-old Sikh educational body, also appreciated the respectful handling of the scriptures.
The transport was carried out in line with directives from Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority in Sikhism, which requires that Guru Granth Sahib saroops be flown abroad—never transported by road or sea—and seated individually in adherence to full religious decorum.
In 2019, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had reinforced this protocol, stating that such transfers should occur only via chartered air transport to maintain the sanctity of the holy scripture.
Currently, only two institutions in India are authorized to print the Guru Granth Sahib: one in Amritsar, operated by the SGPC, and the other in Delhi, managed by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. A proposed printing facility in North Carolina, USA, announced in 2010, never materialized.
This latest instance of respectfully transporting the Guru Granth Sahib stands as a testament to the enduring devotion and meticulous care observed by the Sikh community in preserving the dignity of their sacred scripture.
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