Two Days Seminar on Guru Nanak Dev and Sant Namdev
Aligarh : The Marathi and Punjabi Sections of the Department of Modern Indian Languages, Aligarh Muslim University, in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh Punjabi Academy, Lucknow, under Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav organized a two-day national seminar, entitled “Sant Namdev Ji’s hymns in Sri Guru Granth Sahib”, marking the birth anniversaries of Guru Nanak Dev and Sant Namdev.
Speaking as the chief guest of the inaugural session, AMU Vice Chancellor Prof Mohammad Gulrez said that selfless service and unconditional love of humanity was the essence of Guru Nanak and Sant Namdev’s life. He was always ready to cleanse the spiritual, social and cultural life by speaking against superstitions, false conventions and customs. “Guru Granth Sahib is the only scripture in the world which has the status of Guru. Although the original language of Guru Granth Sahib is Punjabi, it has the influence of Marathi, Bengali, Sanskrit, Braj, and Persian etc, owing to belonging to different regions. Namdev was a Marathi saint, whose stories of sadhanas and exploits were not confined to Maharashtra but reached other parts of India”, he said.
Professor Satnam Singh Jassal, former Dean and Research Director of Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, Punjab said “the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib are timeless. It is the code of conduct for the Sikhs with a message of truth, peace and brotherhood. The goal of Bhakt vani recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib was to challenge social ideas. At the time of the Bhakti movement, there were superstitions and religious rituals, and this movement tried to break this trap”.
Professor Mona Chimote, Head of Department of Marathi, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati said that India is a country of various languages and cultures and they are interconnected. The main basis of interaction between them is not only religious and cultural, but ideological and philosophical also. Sant Namdev ji’s journey from Maharashtra to Punjab, his stay and his hymns in Sri Guru Granth Sahib illustrates our Indian tradition and unity. Respect for humanity is the message of Sant Namdev Ji, Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Sahitya Akademi Award-winning poet Dr. Vinita, Department of Punjabi, Delhi University said that the evils of greed, anger, greed, ego and pride are rampant in the present world. Contrary to them, Sant Namdev taught to raise the flag of humanity. This message needs to spread to every corner of the world.
Dr Pramod Botre, Principal, GSM College, Kondava, Pune, said, “Gyaneshwari, composed by Sant Gyandevji, was very dear to Namdev ji. It had an impact on his thought and life. On the request of Sant Gyan Dev, Nam Dev Ji went on a Tirth Yatra with the Sant Mandali, which he mentioned in the Marathi portions of “Teerthavali”. Sant Gyandev, Namdev, Eknath, Samarth Ramdas and Tukaram of Maharashtra are called as ‘Panchayatan’. Among them, Sant Namdev is one of the prominent saints not only of Maharashtra but of the whole of India”.
Mr. Arvind Narayan Mishra, Uttar Pradesh Punjabi Academy, Government of Uttar Pradesh said that the timeless voice of Guru Granth Sahib has significance for Indian culture not only in medieval times but in every era.
The inaugural session was presided over by Professor Arif Nazir, Dean of the Faculty of Arts. He said that during the Bhakti movement era there was a lot of discrimination between high and low due to the caste system. Bhakti poets awakened people to reform anti-human customs. Sant Namdev was one of the pioneers of this movement.
Professor MA Zargar, Chairman of the Department delivered the welcome speech.
Director Dr. Tahir H Pathan introduced the theme of the seminar.
Seminar Coordinator Prof. Krantipal proposed a vote of thanks.
Dr. Tahir Pathan’s book “Sant Sahitya: Samaj Shristi va Maulya Drishti” was also released on the occasion. The session was conducted by Dr. Shakir Ahmad Naikoo.
AMU Tarana was presented by Johnny Foster in Marathi, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Hindi, Malayalam, and Bengali languages.