AMRITSAR, June 21– Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) is set to reimagine a central space on its campus as a tribute to the spiritual awakening of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, whose disappearance and reappearance in the Bein river in 1499 gave birth to the principle of Ik Onkar, or the oneness of creation.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Karamjeet Singh has announced a proposal to redesign the university’s Fountain Chowk, a central landmark in the university’s landscape, to reflect the teachings and essence of Guru Nanak’s re-emergence from the rivulet now known as Kali Bein.
“The project is very important to us and everything is currently in the planning phase,” said Prof. Singh. “Nothing is final though. But the idea is to bring alive the message that Guru Nanak gave the world – that there are no divisions, only unity. Ik Onkar was a revolutionary thought at a time when society was steeped in caste and religious boundaries. This project will strive to reflect that vision.”
A rose garden is also being planned in the courtyard of the university’s administrative block to accompany the redesigned Fountain Chowk, as part of a broader vision to integrate spiritual philosophy into public architecture.
According to Prof. Singh, the project is meant not just to honour Sikh heritage, but to serve as an architectural expression of education’s potential to unify humanity. “The idea is to unite the community and the world through education and knowledge,” he said.
The university is in conversation with multiple architectural firms, both domestic and international, to finalise the design elements and symbolism that will underpin the project.
Meanwhile, the university is also commemorating the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, by organising at least 350 events across its main campus and affiliated colleges. These events will span academic, cultural and social spheres, and are planned to continue through December this year.
The university has already established a Guru Nanak Chair to further embed the Guru’s teachings into higher education, a step that Prof. Singh has described as essential to reorienting pedagogy in light of universal values.
