Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrated at White House

Guru Nanak Jayanti was celebrated at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the South Court Auditorium of the White House yesterday.

The celebration, which marked the 548th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, was attended by around 150 members of the Sikh community along with senior officials of the White House.

The programme started with an 'ardass' (prayer), followed by welcome remarks by officials from the office of President Barack Obama. The congregation was then addressed by community relation official Paul Montro, Friends of American Sikh Congressional Caucus Director Harpreet Singh, Maj. Kamal Preet Singh Kalsi and Waris Ahluwalia.

While addressing the audience, the speakers expressed their concern over crime against Sikhs under mistaken identity.

Dr. Pritpal Singh, convener at the American Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee, said they were hoping that the coming government would help the community on their own hoping awareness drives about Sikhs in the U.S.

Guru Nanak, first among the 10 Sikh gurus, was born in Talwandi village in Sheikhupura district near Lahore in Pakistan.