Auckland, July 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian community during his visit to New Zealand on Saturday. In his speech, he honored the bravery, courage, and sacrifice of Guru Granth Sahib, the four Sahibzadas, and their mother, Mata Gujri. He urged attendees to visit the sacred ‘Joda Sahib’ in Patna Sahib when they come to India.
Modi emphasized, “Another aspect of India’s growth is our heritage. Just as India values its economy and ecology, it also focuses on its heritage. An example of how India operates is the sacred form of Guru Granth Sahib. When a crisis arose in Afghanistan, we brought the sacred forms of Guru Granth Sahib back to India with great respect.”
He noted that the great Sikh Gurus imparted messages of service, courage, equality, and compassion to all humanity. Gurudwaras around the world serve as centers of assistance. Anyone who is hungry receives food, and those in crisis find support. In this context, some members of the Sikh community reported issues related to FCRA for services at Sri Harmandir Sahib. We promptly resolved those issues.
PM Modi further mentioned the well-known Hemkund Sahib, located in the heights of the Himalayas, which remains snow-covered for most of the year. The journey there is challenging. To facilitate visits, the government is constructing a ropeway to Hemkund Sahib. Our government has also initiated the annual ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ on December 26 to honor the valor and sacrifice of the Sahibzadas. Today, this day has become a source of inspiration across the country, with awareness growing from Kerala to Assam about the sacrifices of the Sahibzadas and Mata Gujri.
He stated that ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ has instilled unwavering courage in countless children across India. I also want to talk about the sacred Joda Sahib. One of my colleagues in the government, Hardeep Puri, is a descendant of the sevadars of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Hardeep Puri informed me that his family has preserved the ‘Joda Sahib’ of Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Sahib Kaur for 300 years.
He shared that during the partition, the Puri family safely brought the sacred ‘Joda Sahib’ to Delhi. The family wishes to hand over the sacred ‘Joda Sahib’ to the Sikh community so that more people can have the opportunity to visit. We decided to take these sacred items to Patna Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh. I am pleased that the sacred ‘Joda Sahib’ now rests on the holy land of Patna Sahib. It is my privilege to have witnessed this sacred occasion. Whenever you visit India, make sure to pay your respects at Patna Sahib.
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