Gurupurab Proposed to be Declared “World Pedestrian Day”

• 01 Nov 2021

Why in News

Recently, Punjab Police has proposed to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways that the birth anniversary (Gurpurab) of Guru Nanak Dev be declared as ‘World Pedestrian Day’ to spread awareness on road safety.

• In 2021, Guru Nanak’s 552^nd Gurpurab will be celebrated on 19th November.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • To spread the message of oneness and to break barriers across faiths by engaging in spiritual dialogues, Guru Nanak Dev, travelled far and wide during the 15^th and 16^th centuries.
    
    • It is believed that during those times, when early modes of transport were limited and were mostly restricted to boats, animals (horses, mules, camels, bullock carts), Guru Nanak Dev, along with his companion Bhai Mardana, undertook most part of his journeys on foot.
• Journey of Guru Nanak Dev:
  
  • From Mecca to Haridwar, from Sylhet to Mount Kailash, he visited hundreds of interfaith sites related to Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Jainism throughout his journeys (also called udaasis).
  • At some sites, gurdwaras were constructed to commemorate his visit. Later his travels were documented in texts called ‘janamsakhis’.
  • These sites are now spread across nine nations as per current geographical divisions — India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, China (Tibet), Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.

• Significance of the Proposal:
  
  • It highlights the government’s commitment towards “Right to walk” or pedestrian rights. It will encourage citizens’ participation to introduce the ‘Save Pedestrian’ pledge for giving pedestrians the first right on the roads.
  • A community which safeguards its pedestrian is treated as developed and contributes to sustainable development goals.
  • On an average, at least a thousand pedestrian deaths are reported in Punjab alone each year.

About Guru Nanak

• He was born in 1469 at Talwandi Rai Bhoe village near Lahore.
• Sikhism was established by Guru Nanak and subsequently led by a succession of nine other Gurus.
• His teachings attributed to that there is only one God, and that all human beings can have direct access to God without rituals or priests.
• His teachings denounces the caste system and teaches that everyone is equal, regardless of caste or gender.
• He introduced the concept of god- that is ‘Vahiguru’, an entity that is shapeless, timeless, omnipresent and invisible. Other names for God in the Sikh faith are Akal Purakh and Nirankar. He advocated the 'Nirguna' (devotion to and worship of formless divine) form of bhakti.
• He died in 1539 at Kartarpur, Punjab (Now Pakistan).
• Guru Granth Sahib, the holiest book of the Sikhs, contains 974 poetic hymns composed by Guru Nanak.

Source: IE