FARIDKOT SEPTEMBER 22: Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Sing Badal today announced that Baba Farid Aagman Purb would be declared as ‘Heritage Festival’ from the next annual plan on the pattern of Heritage festivals of Patiala, Amritsar and Kapurthala to promote the cultural and ethnic significance of Baba Sheikh Farid’s legacy in far more emphatic manner.
Presiding over the 23rd Baba Baba Sheikh Farid Rural Sports and Cultural Festival here at Nehru Stadium organised by the Faridkot District Cultural Society on the commemoration of the Aagman Purb of Baba Sheikh Farid – one of the great spiritual ambassadors, poet prophet and founder of ‘Sufi’ tradition in India, Mr. Badal said that the Punjab government would make provision of funds for the commemoration of Aagman Purb of Baba Sheikh Farid in the next annual plan so that it could be well organised on a large scale keeping in view its importance being declared as the National Festival by Government of India way back in 1998.
Paying glowing tributes to Baba Sheikh Farid, the Chief Minister said that Baba Farid was a father of Punjabi poetry and his message was of universal relevance and visualised consciously to create a healthy social order where virtues like human love, compassion, equality, humility, humanism and freedom reigned supreme.
Mr. Badal said that Baba Sheikh Farid’s Bani including 112 shaloks and 4 Shabads had been incorporated in Sri Guru Granth Sahib by Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji. He said that Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is a cosmopolitan holy scripture of all faiths, when we bow our head in reverence before Sri Guru Granth Sahib, we pay respects to Baba Farid along with great Gurus with same devotion.
Showing his intense passion for overall development of Faridkot district, Mr. Badal said that he would soon hold a series of Sangat Darshan in Faridkot, Panjgraian and Kotkapura to listen to the grievances of the people and their redressal on the spot. He said that the age old cultural heritage of erstwhile princely state of Faridkot would be preserved at all costs and government would prepare a comprehensive plan for the same.
Dwelling on the importance of sports, Mr. Badal said that sports not only developed one’s overall personality but also inculcate the sense of sportsmanship, dedication and self-discipline. Such sports and cultural activities provide an opportunity to the players and artistes to exhibit their acumen, talent and performance to enable them to compete at the national as well as international level. He said that our younger generations must be acquainted with our rich cultural heritage which was also the need of the hour.
On the occasion, Mr. Badal honoured 5 eminent personalities viz. President INTACH Chapter Faridkot Prof.Baltej Singh Brar, Noted Poet Fuja Singh Brar, renowned playwright Dr.Ajmer Singh Aulakh, Research Scholar Subhash Parihar and District Public Relations Officer Manohar Singh for their outstanding contribution in their respective fields with a cash award of Rs.5100, citation and a shawl. He also honoured 5 top wrestlers of the state including Randhir Singh Dhira, Hari Krishan, Balwant Rai, Harpreet Singh and Mandeep Kaur. He also released a souvenir ‘Faridkot Chronicle’ prepared by the Faridkot District cultural society on the occasion.
Later the Chief Minister inaugurated Rs.2.21 crore fully air-conditioned Farid Auditorium in the local Baba Farid Public School. He announced a grant of Rs.10 lakh for a library and a shooting range in the school.
Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Shekhon, Mr. Mantar Singh Brar, Mr.Gurdev Singh Badal, Mr. Manmohan Singh Brar and Mr.Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon ( all Akali leaders) and Chairman Baba Farid Educational Institutions Inderjit Singh Sekhon.