550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak: SAD, Congress start drives to paint holy town

Sultanpur Lodhi was declared a holy town by the Punjab government last year. It is said that Guru Nanak spent the most part of his life here, got married, had children, and delivered the first divine message, called ‘Mool Mantra’, to Sikhs here. He set off on his four historic journeys (Udasis) from this town. The government is celebrating his 550th birth anniversary in a week-long function from November 5 to 12. The commemoration will conclude with a mega event, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 12.

SAD inaugurated its ‘painting sewa’ on September 5 and has already given out the contract of painting shops and houses to a private company. Most structures, tree trunks, tree guards and even poles on the road leading to historic Ber Sahib gurdwara having been painted white.

Meanwhile, the government has pumped in around Rs 200 crore on various projects and celebrations.

“We had planned it earlier. But we delayed it as there are still two months left for the function. We want the paint to look fresh at that time. We are starting it now. But we will not insist on white paint as there are big houses in town and the owners would not like the facade to be white. We will appeal to people to just give their houses a fresh coat of paint so that the city looks clean,” said Navtej Singh Cheema, Congress MLA from Sultanpur Lodhi.

Tejwant Singh, a Congress leader and vice-president of the municipal council, said, “We are starting the drive in 2-3 days. We had earlier decided on it. The message has been conveyed to people. About 75 per cent people are saying they will get the fresh coat of paint on their own. We will help the rest who are not financially strong…”

According to municipal council records, there are over 3,800 houses in the town, said Singh, and they are yet to make an estimate of the expenses.

The town’s murals — done by the local administration on walls of government-owned buildings — are another bone of contention. On Tuesday, a coat of white was applied over some of the murals. “We have spoken to the Akalis. We did not take any action against them as the occasion for which we got the murals done is a holy one. But we have told them now that they will have to fund the repainting the murals,” said Cheema.

SAD spokesperson Parambans Singh Romana said, “We are painting the entire city white. This is the brief to the company that has given the workers.”

Romana said SAD workers are funding the drive. “We have also asked for donations. It can be anything, from Rs 10 to any amount. We are getting them from across the state. We have formed a team. They go to every shopkeeper and resident to take permission. There is no resistance,” he added.

Residents seem pleased. “Nobody from this town would ever say no to anything being done for Baba Nanak. I have got my shop done,” said Iqbal Singh, a shopkeeper near Ber Sahib gurdwara.