Richmond Hill’s Sikh community celebrates spiritual leader on the 550th anniversary of his birth

Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at the Sikh Cultural Society on Sunday to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. Eagle photo by Victoria Merlino.

By Victoria Merlino

South Richmond Hill’s expansive Sikh community welcomed Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. 

“Today is a joyous day. It is a joyous day for this community, but it is a joyous day for this city, for this whole world, because we celebrate Guru Nanak,” de Blasio told a hall full of residents at the Sikh Cultural Society.

Sikhism was founded over 500 years ago by Nanak in the Punjab region of South Asia. Sikhism, which is the fifth most popular religion in the world, features tenets of equality, social service and spiritual devotion. 

“We celebrate a belief system, we celebrate a way of seeing the world as one. A way of seeing us all united. A way of seeing us as a single humanity,” de Blasio continued. “We know there are so many times where intolerance and racism and hatred pervade our society. But Guru Nanak represented the highest aspirations of humanity. And 550 years later, his message is as strong as ever.” 

The city has strived to be more inclusive of the Sikh community during de Blasio’s tenure as mayor, most notably allowing Sikh NYPD officers to wear turbans as part of their uniform — important religious garments in Sikhism — and launching a pilot program to teach children about Sikhism in schools. 

He issued a proclamation declaring Sunday “Guru Nanak Dev Ji Day” in New York City and gave community leaders a physical copy of the declaration. 

Borough President Melinda Katz was also on hand to celebrate the occasion. She thanked those in the Sikh community who supported her bid for Queens District Attorney earlier this year. 

“Many of you had support for me when you had no reason to except that I said I would do a good job and you believed me,” she said. “And I promise you that in this county, there will be fairness. There will be equity. And you will always have someone in the District Attorney’s Office who has your back.”