Puri Greets Sikh Sangat on Gurgaddi Diwas of Guru Ram Das Ji
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
On the sacred occasion of the Gurgaddi Diwas of Sri Guru Ram Das Ji, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri extended warm greetings to the Sikh Sangat on Thursday, September 24, 2026, honouring the legacy of the fourth Sikh Guru — the visionary who gave the world the holy city of Sri Amritsar Sahib.
In his message, Puri wrote: 'Warmest greetings to the Sikh Sangat on the sacred occasion of the Gurgaddi Diwas of our fourth Patshah, Sri Guru Ram Das Ji. The founder of the holy city of Sri Amritsar Sahib, Guru Sahib Ji blessed humanity with a life of humility, devotion, service, and compassion.' He invoked the Guru's core teachings — Seva (selfless service), Simran (devotional remembrance), and Sarbat da Bhala (welfare of all) — as a living compass for humanity.
The Guru who built a city and a creed
Sri Guru Ram Das Ji, the fourth of the ten Sikh Gurus, is venerated not only as a spiritual master but as the architect of one of the world's most visited sacred sites. It was Guru Ram Das Ji who established the city that would grow into Amritsar — literally 'the pool of the nectar of immortality' — and laid the groundwork for the construction of the Harmandir Sahib, later known globally as the Golden Temple. His contributions to Gurbani, the sacred scripture-song of the Sikhs, remain central to daily worship across the faith.
Gurgaddi Diwas and the tradition of public tribute
Gurgaddi Diwas marks the anniversary of a Guru's ascension to the spiritual throne — a deeply significant occasion in the Sikh calendar. Across India's political landscape, greetings on major Sikh anniversaries have become a regular part of community outreach by leaders of all parties, particularly given the significant Sikh population in Punjab and the diaspora's global reach. Puri, himself a Sikh and a senior face of the BJP, brings personal resonance to such tributes beyond the ceremonial.
The values Puri spotlighted — humility, compassion, and the spirit of Sarbat da Bhala ('welfare of all') — form the ethical core of the Sikh faith and carry a universality that Guru Ram Das Ji's teachings have always projected outward, far beyond any single community.