CM Nayab Saini Marks Baba Shri Chand's 532nd Parkash Parv
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Faith crossed a state border on Saturday, 26 September 2026, as Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini extended greetings on the 532nd Parkash Parv of Baba Shri Chand Ji Maharaj and the Sarva Dharma Sammelan being held in Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
Who was Baba Shri Chand Ji Maharaj?
Baba Shri Chand Ji Maharaj was the eldest son of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and the founder of the Udasi sect — a monastic order that weaves together Sikh and Hindu spiritual traditions into a distinct ascetic path. His teachings emphasised renunciation, interfaith harmony, and the unity of all seekers, making him a revered figure across communities in the Punjab-Haryana belt and beyond.
The Parkash Parv, marking his birth anniversary, draws pilgrims, saints, and scholars from across northern India. The pairing of this occasion with a Sarva Dharma Sammelan — an interfaith dialogue conference — amplifies its message: that Baba Shri Chand's legacy belongs to no single religion.
Hoshiarpur's Place in Udasi History
Hoshiarpur district in Punjab carries deep historical ties to Udasi centres and has long served as a gathering point for this tradition's devotees. Religious congregations of this scale in the region routinely draw participation — in person or through formal greetings — from leaders on both sides of the Punjab-Haryana boundary.
CM Saini's message fits a well-established pattern: Haryana and Punjab leaders regularly exchange acknowledgements during each other's major religious anniversaries, reflecting the shared Sikh, Hindu, and Udasi heritage that binds the two states culturally even as they are administratively separate.
The Interfaith Dimension
The Sarva Dharma Sammelan format — common in northern India — brings representatives of multiple faiths to a single platform, using a sacred occasion as the anchor. On a day marking the 532nd birth anniversary of a saint who embodied the blurring of religious boundaries, the format carries particular resonance.
When a sitting Chief Minister reaches across state lines to honour a figure venerated by millions of Udasi devotees, the gesture is as much about cultural continuity as it is about politics. The message from Saini lands simply: the legacy of Baba Shri Chand Ji Maharaj is common ground.