GURU NANAK, the veteran poet of Punjabi language and the central figure of Bhagti movement aimed in promoting inter-religious harmony and promoting humanity.

He was born on the 15th of Kartik Puranmashi, the full moon of the Kartik month of the regional calendar in the small town of Punjab, Talwandi in the district of Sheikhupura in 1469.

Talevandi is now called Nankana after the great sage. Guru Nanak was born in the times of the renaissance in the sub-continent and the poets took cudgels on behalf, reviving the moderate teachings of every religion to counter extremism and fundamental religious approaches.

Guru Nanak revived the forgotten message of oneness of Lord, equality, brotherhood, purification of the soul and philanthropy in religion. He used poetry to protest against the caste system.

Guru Nanak travelled almost half of the world and observed the malpractices of the clerics. Not only was he a reformer and poet but also a revolutionary, a musician and a composer also. With his Muslim disciple Mardana he composed myriads of musical compositions of high merit. He condemned the bloodshed of the innocent, the captivity of women and children by Babur emperor and was sent to jail in the year 1520. He was soon released when Babur realized his mistake.

It is high time for the government to play its part in making the teachings of such mystic saints common to promote inter-religious harmony and tolerance. When Sikhs from every nook and corner of the world set their feet on the land of Waris Shah and Bule Shah to celebrate 544th birthday of the great sage, they should be warmly received so that when they go back to their countries they should project the philanthropist, mystic and tolerant image of the country.

VIJESH KUMAR Ghotki