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Guru Nanak heralded New Era in World History: Prof Mann

November 26, 2018 04:41 PM

AMRITSAR: With the advent of Guru Nanak a new chapter was added to the history of the world and the teachings of Guru Nanak would continue to show the path of righteousness, peaceful coexistence and world peace. This was stated by Prof. Gurinder Singh Mann, a retired professor of Religious Studies from Columbia University, New York who also headed Kapany Chair of Sikh Studies at the University of California.

 He was addressing the students at Khalsa College for Education (KCE) during the first seminar on the` Life and Philosophy of Guru Nanak’ as part of the series of lectures and seminars to mark the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The initiative is taken by the Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) to commemorate the anniversary and organise such intellectual deliberations at all the Khalsa institutions.

Taking a realistic view and offering new perspective on the life and times of Guru Nanak, Prof Mann narrated the geographical, socio-economic and religio-political milieu in which Nanak emerged on the spiritual arena and changed the world. ``Guru Nanak travelled for and wide to get the first hand information and then gave us the message which is relevant even today. His teachings are lighthouse and torch bearer for the trouble torn world”, said Prof. Mann whis presently Director of New York based Global Institute for Sikh Studies (GISS).

He also said that from the very beginning Nanak wanted to set up a new panth and nothing was accidental as envisaged by some historians. KCGC honourary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said Prof. Mann is a learnered scholar on Sikh history who had to his name the publications including Goindval Pothis, Making of Sikh Scripture, Sikhism and he is Co-Editor of Encyclopedia of Sikhism. He said Guru Nanak stressed on gaining maximum knowledge to seek truth and truth lies in the name of God and thus we should follow the path shown by Guru.

Principal KCE, Dr. Harpreet Kaur said they were happy to host first lecture on the topic in the series at the College and Prof. Mann gave a new perspective on Nanak’s teachings and how he saw the ills in the society and gave the solutions to the problems being faced by the world.

 


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