Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that Guru Nanak Dev showed the country the path of "courage, compassion and kindness" and he was clear in his understanding of the danger that Babar's invasion posed for India.
Addressing Gurpurab celebrations of Guru Nanak Devji at Gurudwara Lakhpat Sahib, Gujarat, he said the Gurudwara has been a witness to flow of time.
Noting that Lakhpat Sahib has seen upheavals in the past, PM Modi said the place was a major centre for trade to go to other countries in earlier times.
The Prime Minister noted that after the 2001 earthquake, he had the privilege of serving this holy place as Gujarat chief minister.
He recalled that then artisans from different parts of the country restored the original glory of this place and Guruvani was inscribed on the walls using the ancient writing style. This project was also honoured by UNESCO then.
He said in recent years efforts were made at every level for the message of Guru Nanak Dev to reach the whole world with new energy.
The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, which was awaited for decades, was completed in 2019 by the government and 400 years of Prakash Utsav of Guru Teg Bahadur are being celebrated, he said.
The Prime Minister said the government has been successful in bringing the 'Swaroop' of the revered Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan to India.
The Prime Minister said when he went to the US a few months ago, America returned more than 150 historical objects to India there.
He said there is also a peshkabz or small sword, on which the name of Guru Hargobindji is written in Persian. "It is the great fortune of this government to be able to do all this," the Prime Minister said.
He noted that it has always been a matter of pride for Gujarat that the fourth Gursikh of the Panch Pyare, Bhai Mokham Singh, was from the state and he played an important role in the establishment of the Khalsa Panth. Gurudwara Bet Dwarka Bhai Mohkam Singh has been built in his memory in Devbhoomi Dwarka.
The Prime Minister recalled the contribution of the great Guru Tradition to Indian society in the times of subjugation and attacks by the invaders.
"The contribution of Gurus was not limited to the society and spirituality. The country's security, its thought, its faith, its integrity is safe today, then in its core, there is the dedication of Sikh Gurus," he said.
Guru Nanak Dev was clear in his understanding of the danger that Babar's invasion posed for India, he added.
The Prime Minister said Guru Nanak Dev came with a message of brotherhood when society was ridden with obscurantism and divisions.
Guru Arjan Dev, by integrating the voice of the saints of the entire country, brought a sense of unity to the nation.
Guru Harkishan showed the path of service of humanity which still guides Sikhs and the rest of humanity. The Prime Minister noted that Guru Nanak Dev and "our different gurus not only kept the consciousness of India ignited but also made a way to keep India safe".
Guru Teg Bahadur's entire life is an example of 'Nation First', the Prime Minister emphasised. The Prime Minister said just as Guru Tegh Bahadur always stood firm for his concern for humanity, he gives the vision of the soul of India.
The way the country gave him the title of 'Hind ki Chadar', shows the attachment of every Indian towards the Sikh tradition, he said.
He added that Guru Tegh Bahadur's valour and his sacrifice against Aurangzeb "teaches us how the country fights against terror and religious fanaticism". Similarly, the life of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib is also a living example of tenacity and sacrifice at every step, he said.
The Prime Minister lauded that the valour with which Sikh brothers and sisters fought for the country's independence under British rule, freedom struggle and noted that the land of Jallianwala Bagh bears witness to those sacrifices.
This tradition, the Prime Minister said, is still alive and becomes all the more important in these times of 'Amrit Mahotsav' when "we are remembering and taking inspiration from our past".
The Prime Minister said from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kutch to Kohima, the whole country is dreaming together, striving for accomplishments together.
He said the mantra of the country is - 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' and its goal is a new capable India.
Paying tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary, the Prime Minister recalled the affection of the late leader for Kutch. "Atalji and his government stood shoulder to shoulder in the development work done here after the earthquake," the Prime Minister said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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