Celebrating Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary

More than 30 million Sikhs around the world today mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, with Guru Nanak Jayanti or Gurpurab. Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrated on the full moon day of Kartik month is of huge significance for the global Sikh community. On the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for upholding his teachings and values.

He was participating in a special event organised at Dera Baba Nanak on the occasion of the inauguration of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) and the Kartarpur Corridor. PM also released commemorative coin celebrating 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Prime Minister described Guru Nanak Dev as an inspiration not only to India but also the whole world.

The Sikh faith began in the 15th century in Punjab, a region including Kartarpur which is split today between India and Pakistan, when Guru Nanak began teaching a faith that preached equality. Founder of Sikhism and a preacher of peace and servicing, Guru Nanak was born in a village named Rai Bhoi di Talwandi. It is presently popular as Nankana Sahib, near Lahore, Pakistan. He set up various spiritual, social and political platforms, which were constituted on the principles of quality, goodness, and virtue.

His teachings are preserved in the holy texts of the Guru Granth Sahib. Prime Minister said, on the occasion of the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, several programmes are being held across the country and the world through Embassies. Meanwhile, Hundreds of Indian Sikhs made a historic pilgrimage to Pakistan on Saturday crossing through a white gate to reach one of their religion’s holiest sites, after a landmark deal between the two countries separated by the 1947 partition of the subcontinent.

The shrine to Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak lies in Kartarpur, a small town just four kilometres (two miles) over the Pakistan side of the border where he is believed to have died. Among the first pilgrims to pass through the gate was former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who told Pakistani state media that it was a “big moment”.

The opening has even inspired a singular message of gratitude from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan for “respecting the sentiments of India”. The deal allows for up to 5,000 pilgrims a day to cross.