By R. Paul Dhillon
SURREY – Members of the Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha, including president Bill Basra and committee member Lamber Rao, met with members of the Punjabi Press Club on Monday at Surrey’s Red Rose restaurant to announce the 6th annual Burnaby Nagar Kirtan, which will mark the 636th birth anniversary of Shri Guru Ravidass Ji and 30th anniversary of the Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha (Vancouver). The 6th annual Nagar Kirtan will take place on Saturday, May 18,at 10:00 am to 5:00 PM.
Members of the Press Club encouraged the temple membership to get the wider Sikh community, including a call out to all the Sikh Societies in BC, to come together to celebrate the great philosopher Ravidass, who’s writing are included and widely admired in the Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahibji.
The temple committee said they are thankful to the media and their encouragement and they are very open to inviting all Sikh societies to come together on May 18 for the Nagar Kirtan to be held in the city of Burnaby.
This year‟s Nagar Kirtan is dedicated to the 636th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidass, a proponent of a „casteless society‟ where everyone lives in peace and harmony with
each other regardless of their social or economic status.
“We are very pleased with the support we are con tinuing to receive from the officials of
the City of Burnaby, the Police, the BC Transit, neighbours and local businesses and we express our appreciation and thanks whole heartedly”, said Bill Basra, president of Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha (Vancouver) under whose presidentship the Nagar Kirtan was first started 6 years ago to mark the silver-jubilee celebrations of the Sabha.
The Nagar Kirtan, also known as “Shobha Yatra”, will leave the Guru Ravidass Temple
on Gilley Avenue around noon, turn right on Rumble, then right on Royal after having a
brief stop on Rumble and Royal, then again right on Imperial and then will take a brief
stop after turning right on MacPherson, and then return to the temple via Beresford.
Along the route, supporters and well wishers will also have food stalls and play religious
or spiritual music.
According to the organizers, all are welcome to participate in the celebrations and reflect on the teachings of Guru Ravidass and promote the concept of peace and equality
“Our goal is to celebrate Guru Ravidass Ji’s vision of peace and equality and promote brotherhood among all communities regardless of one‟s faith, language, or cultural
background”, said president of Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha (Vancouver).
In addition to religious and community representations, some singers are also expected
to arrive from India and perform religious and community-spirited songs throughout the parade.
Coincidently, the Nagar Kirtan this year occurs on the Victoria Day long weekend and in
honor of Queen Victoria, youth of the organization are working on having a special float.
In addition to the main float that will carry the Holy Book, Sri Guru Granth Saheb Ji,
some of the floats that have been are expected to be are of: Mehak Punjab Dee float
dedicated to Jalianhwala Bagh and dedication to Gadri Babe; Mamta Foundation‟s float
dedicated to abandoned children; “We are all “Untouchables”; Shri Guru Ravidass
Society of Calgary; and Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha of Sacramento.
For more information, please contact
Bill Basra at 604-725-4048,
Lamber Rao at 604-649-3286, or
Jai Birdi at [email protected]
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