Consulate General of India

Jaffna

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Press Release

Celebration of 550th Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Jaffna

Sikhism originated in the North-western part of the Indian sub-continent in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century A.D, and has nearly has 30 million followers all over the world. It is the world's fifth largest organized religion, as well as being the world's ninth-largest overall religion. Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469 and was the first Guru and founder of Sikhism. He was a poet, a religious teacher, a social reformer, and a householder who preached that God is one, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and beyond all form and name. His thought that ‘All men are equal’ led to a social doctrine which was against discrimination based on caste, religion, race, colour or financial status. Sikhism is based on the spiritual teachings of Guru Nanak, the first Guru and the nine Sikh gurus that succeeded him.

The Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, named the scripture ‘Guru Granth Sahib’ as his successor, terminating the line of human Gurus and making the scripture the eternal, religious spiritual guide for Sikhs. Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birth is celebrated worldwide on the full-moon day in the month of Kartik (October–November).

Guru Nanak Dev Ji himself had travelled extensively to all parts of the Indian Sub-continent and West Asia. He is reported to have visited Sri Lanka. During his spiritual journeys, he held discourses with priests of various sects of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Muslims. He was engaged in dialogue with other religions which cemented his belief that God is one and who teaches tolerance. He then set up a unique spiritual, social, and political platform based on equality, fraternal love, goodness, and virtue.

The Consulate General of India commemorated the 550th Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji on 11th November 2019 with its building being decorated with colourful lights. At a function on 11th Nov, the Consul General addressed over 50 participants followed by a screening of two documentaries on the Golden Temple (Gurdwara) in Amritsar, India and life and teachings of Sri Gurunanakdev ji and a gifting of a set of books on Sikhism, which was received by Mrs.Suganthiny Srimuralidharan, Dean, Hindu Studies, University of Jaffna and Mrs.Bamini Guruchandran, Chief Librarian, Vavuniya Public Library. On 12th November, in keeping with the Sikhism’s core principles of service to mankind and recitation of God’s name, a Langar (community service of food) and a gifting of musical instruments (veena, violin, harmonium, flute and mridangam) worth LKR 2,00,000 were organized at Mahadevaswamy’s Children Home, Kilinochchi for the benefit of over 170 children of the Home. Consul General Balachandran spoke on the significance of the day at the function. Mr.Nithyanandam, Chairman of the Home thanked India for the Langar and the donation.

The celebrations followed the opening of the ‘Kartarpur Corridor’ on the 9th November 2019, which is intended to allow religious devotees from India to visit the Gurdwara in Kartarpur, without a visa.

Representative photographs are enclosed.

12 November 2019