Puri pays tribute to Baba Budha Sahib Ji on Janam Dihara
Synopsis
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri marked the Janam Dihara of Baba Budha Sahib Ji, honouring the first Granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib who applied the tilak of Guruship to five Sikh Gurus and served the first six.
Key Takeaways
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri extended greetings to the Sikh Sangat on the Janam Dihara of Baba Budha Sahib Ji on 23 October 2026 .
Baba Budha Sahib Ji is recognised as the first Granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib , the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
He applied the tilak of Guruship to five Sikh Gurus and served the first six Gurus with devotion.
The tribute is part of a broader pattern of Indian political leaders marking significant dates in the Sikh religious calendar .
On the occasion of the Janam Dihara of Baba Budha Sahib Ji, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri extended greetings to the Sikh Sangat on Friday, 23 October 2026, honouring the revered saint who shaped the spiritual foundations of Sikhism.
Minister Puri's message saluted Baba Budha Sahib Ji as 'the first Granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib' — the sacred Golden Temple in Amritsar — who performed the tilak of Guruship for five Sikh Gurus and served devotedly alongside the first six Gurus. The post reached out directly to the Sikh Sangat, the community of devout Sikhs, on this significant day in the Sikh calendar.
Who was Baba Budha Sahib Ji?
Baba Budha Sahib Ji holds a singular place in Sikh history as the first head Granthi — the keeper and reciter of the holy scripture — at Sri Harmandir Sahib. His tenure spanned an extraordinary era: he personally served the first six Sikh Gurus, a continuity of devotion across generations rarely paralleled in any religious tradition. The honour of applying the tilak of Guruship to five successive Gurus made him both a witness to and a shaper of the faith's early identity.
Political leaders and the Sikh calendar
Commemorations such as this one are a consistent feature of the Indian political calendar. Senior leaders across parties mark key Sikh anniversaries — Gurpurabs, Janam Diharas, and shaheedi dates — as a form of respectful public outreach to one of India's most historically significant communities. For the BJP, a party whose senior leadership includes Puri himself — a Sikh and a former career diplomat — such observances carry personal resonance alongside their political dimension.
Point of View
Puri's messages carry a personal credibility that distinguishes them from purely ceremonial outreach. The consistent observance of such dates across the Sikh calendar reflects how national parties treat religious commemoration as a soft but steady thread of community engagement. It signals no policy shift, but reinforces the BJP's positioning as attentive to Sikh heritage at the highest levels of government.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Baba Budha Sahib Ji in Sikhism?
Baba Budha Sahib Ji was a revered Sikh saint and the first Granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple in Amritsar. He served the first six Sikh Gurus with devotion and performed the tilak of Guruship for five of them.
What is Janam Dihara in Sikh tradition?
Janam Dihara refers to a birth anniversary in Sikh terminology, equivalent to a 'Gurpurab' for a Guru or a commemoration day for a revered saint or historical figure associated with the faith.
What is the role of a Granthi at Sri Harmandir Sahib?
A Granthi is the keeper and reader of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture, responsible for performing prayers and religious ceremonies. Baba Budha Sahib Ji was the first to hold this position at the Golden Temple.
Why did Hardeep Singh Puri post about Baba Budha Sahib Ji?
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, himself a Sikh, posted greetings to the Sikh Sangat on the occasion of Baba Budha Sahib Ji's Janam Dihara as part of a tradition of national leaders publicly honouring significant dates in the Sikh religious calendar.
Which Sikh Gurus did Baba Budha Sahib Ji serve?
Baba Budha Sahib Ji served the first six Sikh Gurus and personally applied the tilak of Guruship to five of them, making him one of the most enduring figures in early Sikh history.
