Nagpur: Calling Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom "one of the greatest acts of civilisational courage in Indian history", CM Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the ninth Sikh Guru's sacrifice to defend Kashmiri Pandits from Aurangzeb's forced conversions must be known " from village to village" so that future generations understand why he is revered as the "Hind-di-Chadar — the Shield of India".
Fadnavis was addressing an unprecedented Mahasatsang at Nara, where lakhs ofe devotees had gathered for the 350th Shaheedi Shatabdi Mahotsav of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahibji.
The event witnessed participation from the Sikh community along with Sindhi, Banjara, Valmiki, Labana, Sikligar, Mohyal, & Nanakpanthi groups, illustrating Guru's timeless message of unity across castes and faiths. Kirtans, pravachans, and day-long religious programmes marked the occasion.
The gathering was attended by Union minister Nitin Gadkari, revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, ministers Girish Mahajan, Manikrao Kokate, and Madhuri Misal, MLA Krishna Khopde, district collector Vipin Itankar, police commissioner Ravinder Singal, municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, AB Dharma Jagran chief Sharad Dhole, Sant Gyani Harnam Singh Mukhi, and several other saints and leaders.
Fadnavis also announced a statewide initiative in coordination with Sikh organisations and Gurdwaras to take the Guru's story to every district. Major Shaheedi programmes are planned in Nanded Sahib, Mumbai, and across rural Maharashtra. He said the Guru stepped forward when Kashmiri Pandits faced threats under Aurangzeb's diktat of "convert or die".
The grounds reverberated with cries of "Bole So Nihal… Sat Sri Akal!" as a documentary by Nirvair Production on the Guru's final days was screened.
Concluding his address with bowed reverence, Fadnavis said: "Tilak, janju, dharma, Sanskriti—everything we hold sacred survives because of Guru Tegh Bahadur's sacrifice."
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Proshun Chakraborty is a seasoned journalist with over 25 years o...
Read MoreProshun Chakraborty is a seasoned journalist with over 25 years of experience in civic and urban affairs reporting. Currently Editor-Civic Affairs at The Times of India, Nagpur, he leads coverage on municipal governance, public infrastructure, traffic management, RTO affairs, and urban policy shifts. Proshun has built a trusted network across citizens, bureaucracy and political landscape. He is highly respected for his depth in civic journalism and unwavering commitment to public interest reporting. His hobbies include reading, listening to music and travelling.
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