Dhubri, Dec. 3: Sikh sangats (groups of devotees) across the country and abroad today thronged Dhubri gurdwara and took out a nagar kirtan (road procession) that "transformed" the town into a small city of Punjab.

On the occasion of the 341st Shahid Divas (martyrdom day) of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth guru of the Sikhs, nearly 50,000 devotees from the region and the country participated in the nagar kirtan.

As part of the three-day celebrations that began yesterday, Sikh Pratinidhi Board (eastern zone), Lions Club and other Sikh youth and students' organisations conducted health camps and other social welfare activities in and around Gurdwara Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib (Dhubri gurdwara), which was established by the ninth guru."A large number of sangats from different parts of the country arrived at the gurdwara and participated in various programmes yesterday and nagar kirtan today. Tomorrow is the last day of the celebrations," secretary of the board, Sardar Kulwant Singh, said.

Elaborate arrangements were made to accommodate the devotees on the gurdwara premises by the board while guru ka langar was served in its backyard.

Harbhajan Singh of Dibrugarh, who visits Dhubri gurdwara every year on the occasion of Shahid Divas with his sangat, said they visit it as it is one of the holiest shrines of the Sikhs and remember the supreme sacrifice of the ninth guru.

"The guru laid down his life to save the people from the atrocities of the Mughal emperor and we observe this day as Shahid Divas since then," Singh said.

Avtar Singh and Hardarshan Singh, along with their sangats from Tinsukia and Nagaon respectively, took part in the three-day rituals.

A function to felicitate the guests, who have come from different parts of the country, will be held at Darbar Sahib tonight.