BHOPAL: The state government and the Sikh community will hold grand celebrations on 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev – the founder of the Sikh religion and its first Guru.
A government panel headed by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, has taken a string of decisions to mark Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary- Prakash Parva.
The Bhopal Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee launched a series of programmes on the occasion. Many of them are long-term and are aim to ensure welfare of society.
The Committee has urged the members of Sikh community to illuminate their homes and business establishments on the day.
The government has decided that all its buildings and offices will be decorated with lights on Prakash Parva.
On November 12, the government offices of the state will be decorated with lighting. The Mantralaya and the Assembly building will also be decorated. Health camps, seminars and sports competitions will be organised.
The state government will also establish Guru Nanak ‘peeths’ in all universities. A statue of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh will be installed in Indore.
Bhopal Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (BGPC) has set up an acupressure park and launched Yoga classes. “The idea is to make the people aware of the need to keep fit and healthy”, he said.
He said that a team from the Prabandhak Committee had travelled to different districts in the state “To make the people aware of the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak and to urge them to celebrate it with gusto.”
Wazir said that they have been holding various events to mark the day since October 11.
“We expect around 20,000 visitors at Hamidia Road Gurudwara on November 12 as besides Sikhs, Sindhis and other Punjabis also hold Guru Nanak in reverence,” he said.
He said that prabhat pheris are underway for the past 40 days. Children participating in the event on were given prizes at a function on Friday.
Scholars of Sikh religion will give lectures on Guru Nanak and a team of singers from Moga (Punjab) will perform kirtans, he added.
Wazir, is also a member of the committee constituted by the state government for the celebrations. He said that he had put up 18 demands before the Chief Minister, of which seven were accepted. “The chief minister has agreed to appoint Gurumukhi teachers in all districts of the state,” he said.
Sikh museum at cost of Rs20 crore: At a meeting of the committee constituted for celebrations of Prakash Parva held at the Mantralaya on November 1, it was decided that a Sikh museum and research centre would be built at a cost of Rs. 20 crore in Jabalpur.
Rs 12 cr for developing major Sikh shrines: Along with this, Rs. 12 crore will be spent on developing six major Sikh religious shrines in the state associated with Guru Nanak as tourist places. Rs. 2 crore each will be spend on the expansion and development of Tekri Sahib located in Bhopal, Imli Sahib, Betma Sahib in Indore, Gurudwara in Omkareshwar, Gurunanak Ghat Gurudwara of Ujjain and Gwari Ghat Gurudwara in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh
Langar: He said that a langar is underway at Hamidia Road Gurudwara since November 5 from 6 to 9 pm- where dishes including pav-bhaji pulao and Idli-Sambhar are being served to the around 5,000 people daily.
Medical tests at 60 per cent discount: BGPC president Paramveer Singh Wazir told Free Press various tests would be offered at 60 per cent less charges than the market rate at the pathology lab set up at Idgah Gurudwara to mark the occasion. “The samples will be collected from all over the city at no extra charge,” he said.
