Power & Glory Will Descend

AMRITSAR: Call it the power of faith. The galaxy of the powerful representing realms temporal and spiritual could not have been more impressive. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President A P J Abdul Kalam, four former PMs, Dalai Lama and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living fame, are sure to light up the 400th anniversary celebrations of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib.
The hidden promise of Parkash Utsav appears to have helped Prime Minister recover from viral fever.Going by information received at the SGPC office here, Dr Manmohan Singh would be coming for the September 1 function. He will share the stage with four former prime ministers — V P Singh, I K Gujral, A B Vajpayee and Chandra Shekhar. It''s hard to say what the current premier and his predecessors will have to say to each other, but V P Singh — who won the trust of the Sikh community when he visited Amritsar during the peak days of militancy and that too in an open jeep — would surely have some revelations to offer.
President Kalam would reach the city, also known as Chakk Ramdas, on Tuesday at 9.30 am at Rajasansi airport. He will arrive at the Golden Temple at 10 am. At 11.30 am, he will be reaching Guru Nanak Dev University where he would address a seminar on the theme of "Relevance of Guru Granth Sahib in New Millennium." His departure is scheduled at 2.30 pm.
The Dalai Lama would be present on the stage on September 1 from 2.15 pm to 4 pm. His advance party has already reached Amritsar. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has also confirmed his visit. According to sources, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, has not been invited. Unconfirmed reports said that the Sangh Parivar leaders had also been invited.
Other religious leaders, including Khwaja Hasan Nizami Sami from Delhi Dargah and Tanvir Ahmed Khadim representing the Ahmadiyas, would also be present for this historic event.