Air India puts 'Ik Onkar' symbol on its jet to celebrate Guru Nanak's birth anniversary
In a unique gesture to mark Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev's 550th Gurpurab celebrations, Air India has put the Sikhs' religious symbol 'Ek Onkar' on its aircraft tail. 'Ek Onkar' symbol is a central tenet of Sikh religious philosophy.
The national carrier has put the religious symbol on its Boeing 787 aircraft which will fly on October 31 from Amritsar to Stansted, United Kingdom (UK).
"Heartwarming to see 'Ik Onkar' painted on the tail of @airindiain's Boeing 787 Dreamliner as part of the historic celebrations on the #550thPrakashPurb of Sri Guru Nanak dev Ji," Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh tweeted on Sunday.
Air India will fly its aircraft thrice a week on the Mumbai-Amritsar-Stansted route to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. The international flight from Amritsar to Stansted in London will facilitate Sikh pilgrims visiting Punjab on the occasion.
Punjab prepares for Gurpurab
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday urged SGPC to join the government in celebrating Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary on November 12 at Sultanpur Lodhi. Chief Minister Singh also said President Ram Nath Kovind will attend this event.
The main function on November 11 at which the Union Home Minister is expected, could be held under the purview of the apex gurdwara body-Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. The move is seen as a new formula to break the impasse on joint celebrations of the 550th celebrations between the state government and the SGPC.
Guru Nank Dev's 550th birth anniversary is being celebrated as PrakashPurb. 
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the first Guru and founder of Sikhism. Prof Harbans described Guru Nanak as a poet, a wandering religious teacher, a social reformer, and a householder. The experience of one God, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and beyond all form and name, determined every thought and deed of Guru Nanak. The social doctrine denying caste which Guru Nanak preached must be seen in the light of his experience of a God before whom all men are equal.
(Inputs from 550yearsofgurunanakdevji.com)
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