Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the Indian diaspora in Auckland, New Zealand, revealed a deeply moving and lesser-known chapter of Sikh history involving Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's family. The family secretly preserved the sacred Jode Sahib (footwear) of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji for over three centuries before handing them over to the global Sikh community.
PM Modi lauded the family's ultimate decision to entrust the relics to the Sikh Sangat, noting that they now reside permanently at Takhat Sri Harmandir Ji Patna Sahib in Bihar, the birthplace of the tenth Sikh Guru.
Family's 300-Year Custodianship
The Prime Minister detailed the relics' survival through the 1947 Partition. "My colleague Hardeep Singh Puri ji's ancestors were devoted servants of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. His family cherished and preserved the Jode Sahib for 300 years. During Partition, Puri Sahib's family brought them safely to Delhi," Modi said.
The Puri family held the right shoe of Guru Gobind Singh Ji (11 inches by 3.5 inches) and the left shoe of Mata Sahib Kaur Ji (9 inches by 3 inches) in private custody. The last direct custodian, Jasmeet Singh Puri, lived in Karol Bagh, New Delhi. After his passing, his family requested Hardeep Singh Puri, as the eldest male member, to find a permanent public home.
Scientific Verification and Committee Formation
Recognizing the deep spiritual resonance, the family approached the government. A high-level expert panel of Sikh scholars, historians, and leaders was formed. The Ministry of Culture entrusted the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) with scientific analysis, including Carbon-14 testing. In April 2024, IGNCA issued a report confirming the 300-year antiquity, matching Guru Gobind Singh Ji's timeline.
In September 2025, Hardeep Singh Puri met PM Modi to present the committee's recommendations. They decided the most sanctified destination was Takhat Sri Harmandir Ji Patna Sahib.
The Guru Charan Yatra and Enshrinement
On October 22, 2025, after a formal Ardas at Puri's residence, the relics were handed over to the Panth. The next day, the "Charan Suhawa - Guru Charan Yatra," a 9-day, 1,500-kilometre spiritual procession, began from Gurdwara Moti Bagh Sahib in Delhi. Escorted by the Panj Pyaras, it traversed Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. On November 1, 2025, the Jore Sahib was ceremoniously enshrined at Takhat Sri Patna Sahib for public Darshan.
PM Modi recounted his personal privilege of witnessing the occasion. "I am delighted these sacred Jode Sahib are now on the holy soil of Patna Sahib. It was my privilege to be present," he said.
Call to the Diaspora
Closing his address, PM Modi urged the Indian-Kiwi community to make a spiritual pilgrimage. "Whenever you visit India, you must go to Patna Sahib to pay your respects," he stated.
New Zealand's Sikh population, numbering over 19,000 in 2013, has grown significantly since the 1990s. The community established its first gurdwara in Hamilton in 1997, with seven more in Auckland and others across the country.
