The anti-North India rant by certain quarters in Mumbai, often unsuccessfully espoused in the name of the “Marathi Manoos,” appeared a misnomer on Friday when hundreds of Marathi litterateurs and politicians descended at Ghuman in Punjab to showcase the spiritual connection between the two states.
The otherwise sleepy village, about 50 km from Amritsar, wore a festive look on Friday as it marked the beginning of the 88th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (Marathi literary fest), organised for the first time in Punjab.
The selection of Ghuman in the Gurdaspur district epitomises the essence of the event. Renowned 12th-century Saint Namdev from Maharashtra spent 20 years spreading the message of peace and brotherhood here. He is believed to have founded Ghuman.
The village has a sizeable number of Saint Namdev worshippers. At least five Sikh shrines here have his imprints. The sacred Guru Granth Sahib also has a chapter on “Namdev ji ki Mukhbani”. But it’s a Marathi literary festival, and so the effort is to offer a glimpse of Marathi literary heritage to an unfamiliar audience.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari, former Union minister Sharad Pawar, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and several other dignitaries were present at the event.