NEW DELHI: The Centre has scheduled a massive brand building exercise on October 22 to showcase the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, inviting 90 ambassadors of various countries to the Golden Temple.
Sources said ambassadors of Australia, New Zealand, Afghanistan, the Maldives, Fiji, Israel, EU, Iraq, Indonesia, Bolivia, Burkina Fasso and Costa Rica are among the invitees. They will be flown to Amritsar on a special plane from Delhi by Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri.
The diplomats will visit the shrine and thereafter participate in a langar (community kitchen) before visiting a special gallery depicting the rich cultural history of the Sikhs. Special giddha and bhangra performances have also been scheduled to entertain the guests.
Shivdular Singh Dhillon, Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar, said, “The guests will be in town with the Union Minister and 15 officers from the Ministry of External Affairs besides others. This is the first such occasion when so many heads of missions would be visiting the city together. It’s a very special occasion.” Tight security arrangements have been made for the visit, said Amritsar Police Commissioner SS Gill.
A senior SGPC official said, “Each of them is to be honoured with a replica of the Golden Temple, besides a Siropa.” SGPC sources said Akhand Path and Nagar Kirtan has already been initiated by 20 Indian embassies and consulates abroad to mark the Guru Nanak birth anniversary celebrations.
In other half-a-dozen countries, the MEA is trying to organise digital displays on the theme.