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‘A beautiful exchange’: Nepal-issued Guru Nanak coins bestowed to Australian Gurdwara
Ravinder Singh Sethi from Nepal has offered three different commemorative coins issued by the Nepali central bank to Blackburn Gurdwara in Melbourne amidst a function last weekend.
Published 16 November 2022 10:48pm
Updated 17 November 2022 10:18am
By Abhas Parajuli
Source: SBS
Image: Ravinder Singh Sethi (C) along with the Nepali and Indian dignitaries during the coins handover ceremony at the Blackburn Gurdwara. (Photo: Abhas Parajuli/SBS)
Australia caught its first glimpse of specially minted Nepali coins and a book dedicated to the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak, at Gurdwara Sahib Blackburn (GSB) on Sunday, 13 November.
The Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha (SGNNS) and the Australia-New Zealand chapter of the Aitchison Yadavindrian Old Students Association (AYOSA) co-organised the event to mark the 553rd birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
Ravinder Singh Sethi, a Nepali businessman with a rich Sikh heritage, said it was a humbling experience to be able to offer exclusive coins.
The 100, 1,000 and 2,500 Nepali Rupee coins were issued in 2019 to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak by Nepal Rastra Bank and feature an important Sikh symbol, ‘Ek Oankar’ (God is one), inscribed on one side of the coins.
Nepal Rastra Bank released the three coins to mark Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary in 2019. (Photo: Abhas Parajuli/SBS)
Speaking to SBS Nepali, the Yadavindra Public School (YPS) alumni said it was a great privilege and honour to bring the people of his heritage and birthplace together in a foreign land where both Nepali and Sikh communities continue to grow and prosper.
“It is great that I have been able to promote Nepal and Nepali culture amongst the Sikhs living here in Australia,” Mr Sethi said.
“I visited this Gurdwara in Blackburn some 10 years back and wanted to offer something to the Gurudwara.”
According to the latest census data, there are over 133,000 Nepali speakers in Australia, and 210,400 people identified themselves as Sikhs.
Thank you: Gurdwara and Nepali Consulate
Mr Anterpreet Singh Arneja, the Chairman of the Blackburn Gurdwara. (Photo: Abhas Parajuli/SBS)
He said the Gurdwara family is happy that Mr Sethi chose the Blackburn Gurdwara to bestow the rare coins and part of a limited-edition release.
“We are lucky that they are presenting us with the three coins,” he said.
Also present at the event were dignitaries representing the Nepali and Indian governments.
Chandra Yonjan, the Honorary Nepali Consul General to Victoria, said both communities could learn more about each other through events like these.
He highlighted SBS’s role in promoting harmony in the community and thanked the public broadcaster for being there.
Chandra Yonjan is the Honorary Consul General of Nepal to Victoria. (Photo: Abhas Parajuli/SBS)
Book donated
The Indian High Commissioner to Canberra, Manpreet Vohra, took the opportunity to hand over a book on Guru Nanak to the Gurdwara family.
Addressing the people present at the function, he said the Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi, on behalf of the government, had sent the book.
The book by Kripal Singh on Guru Nanak's life is a gift from the Indian Government. (Photo: Abhas Parajuli/SBS)
The book by Kripal Singh includes many famous incidents that occurred during the lifetime of Guru Nanak and will be available at the Gurdwara’s library.
Mr Vohra said he believes the book would significantly contribute to the library, and whoever comes there will find it very useful to people who want to learn about Sikhism.
The High Commissioner also thanked the Nepali authorities for issuing the unique coins and congratulated them on being one of the few jurisdictions in the world that have shown respect and recognition for Guru Nanak.
Let’s learn more about each other, say both communities
The Nepali and Sikh communities came together to witness the historic event. (Photo: Abhas Parajuli/SBS)
Dr Raju Adhikari heads a South Asian community group and is an active Nepali community leader.
He noted Nepalis need to emulate the level of service and dedication that Sikhs are renowned for.
“We (Nepalis) also do a lot of work for the wider community, but at the moment, it is all but a scattered effort,” he said.
“We need to learn from the Sikh community about how to come together and relentlessly keep giving back to the wider community on a large scale.”
Nepali community leaders and members at the event in Blackburn Gurdwara. (Photo: Abhas Parajuli/SBS)
Sury Prakash Soni, the president of the Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria (FIAV), talking to SBS Nepali, highlighted the importance of such events, which bring the communities together.
“We need to keep on recognising our history and key persons regularly,” he said.
“I say, let’s have more of these kinds of programs.”
In January next year, Mr Sethi is planning to bestow a further three coins to another Gurdwara in Sydney.
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