Georgetown: The Indian High Commission in Guyana has joined the Government of India to celebrate the 550th Birth Anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Devji, this year, throughout the country and across the globe, in a grand and befitting manner along with State Governments and the Indian Missions abroad.
This was disclosed Tuesday by the India High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa during his speech at a special event held by well-known business people Mr And Mrs Kirpalani at Lot 32, Dennis Street, Lamaha Gardens, Georgetown.
He said Guru Nanak Devji’s teachings of love, peace, equality and brotherhood have eternal value.
Noting that commemorative coins and postage stamps have been released by the Government of India to mark the 550th Prakash Parv (birth anniversary) of the great Guru, Baba Nanak who was the founder of the Sikh religion, Dr. Srinivasa said there has been much written by the scholars and intellectuals on the life, philosophy and mission of Baba Nanak.
“These standards of day to day life, Humanistic, Democratic, Socialism, taught by the great Guru, appeal to me the most as a simple human being. As a diplomat and a scholar, Navtej Singh Sarna has written in an article that appeared in the Hindustan Times of November 9 in, “But Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary should not be an occasion for celebration alone. It is also a moment for reflection, for rediscovery and reiteration of his essential message,” the envoy noted.
Underscoring some of the highlights of the celebration, Dr. Srinivasa said the Government of India approved the building and development of the Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to the international border, to facilitate pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of the Ravi river, in Pakistan, where Shri Guru Nanak Devji spent 18 years.
“Pilgrims are now able to visit the holy shrine throughout the year. The corridor will have modern amenities and facilities in coordination with the Government of Pakistan. The agreement was inked last week and we have had the first group comprising of prominent Sikh leaders already visiting the Kartarpur Gurudwara led by Ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Captain Amarinder Singh Chief Minister of Punjab. The delegation was flagged off by Honorable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi on 09 November 2019,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the envoy said a centre for inter faith studies is being set up at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
“Chairs on Shri Guru Nanak Devji will be set up in one University each in UK and Canada. An International seminar on the life and teachings of Shri Guru Nanak Devji is being organised in New Delhi,” he noted.
Further, he said Indian missions overseas have organized many special events to celebrate 550th Birth Anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Devji.
“These are in coordination with many local communities and Gurudwaras. Government of India has sent special cultural troupes and experts on Sikh studies. Special flights have been started between places of high Sikh diaspora presence and India along with special trains and buses internally in India linking to Punjab,” Dr. Srinivasa noted.
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