Sacred Travel for Peace, Prosperity and Unity is a journey of many
kinds: It represents a unique collaboration between the Sikhs, Kenyans and the Kenyan government and Rift Valley Railways (formally Kenya Railways). Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ), Kericho and the Sikh Gurudwara Makindu are leading the Kenyan Sikh community for this Historic event.
A specially prepared train named the ‘Sikh Guru Express’ will make a momentous journey from Kisumu to Makindu. It is graced by the unique and honoured presence of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the sacred scripture which Sikhs revere since 1708 as a living sovereign.
The purpose of the trip is to return a magnificent saroop, or copy of the sacred scripture, which has been kept at various Gurudwaras in Nairobi and Kericho for the last three decades, to its rightful abode at Makindu Sikh Gurudwara, the most renowned and first Sikh Gurudwara in East Africa. It represents the preservation of heritage, not only as a historic artifact, but as a treasury of wisdom, values and blessings for the welfare of humanity.
The GNNSJ is honoured to play a role in this historic event, because its founder Saint Puran Singh Ji, was the holy man of Kericho, who became one of the most renowned Sikh Saints of the 20th Century. His legacy is that is of industrious work and service to both the Sikh, and wider community, inspired by the Sikh ideal of loving and serving the creation.
This journey is an opportunity to remember and to celebrate the myriad contributions of the Sikh community in Kenya for more than a century. During the building of the Kenya-Uganda railway from Mombasa to Kampala, many Sikh pioneers worked as skilled labourers.
The journey marks the revival of the railway and the role it plays in the regeneration of Kenyan society. The journey promotes benevolence, community spirit, tribal cohesion, collaboration, and all the non-material ingredients which are just as vital for Kenya’s regeneration.
Whilst GNNSJ continues its work globally, Kenya forever has a special in its heart. This event is a celebration of a shared past and paving the way for a shared future.
