Thousands of people from the Sikh community gathered to celebrate the 550th birthday of the founder of their religion.

Sikhs from around Gravesend and Dartford met at the Gudwara temple off Khalsa Avenue, Gravesend, as well as other places in the town to praise Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurupurab's birthday.

The week-long celebration ran from Monday, November 11 to Sunday, November 17.

Many events were held throughout the week, including reciting holy scriptures on Friday, a seven-mile walk organised by the Sikh Relief charity on Saturday and the actual celebration of Gurupurab's birthday on Tuesday.

It is estimated more than 10,000 people visited the Gudwara temple last week to celebrate this landmark in Sikh history.

Kent Equality Cohesion Council (KECC) held a special event on Tuesday at The Woodville, Woodville Place, Gravesend.

Among the 600 guests was Gravesham mayor Cllr Gurdip Bungar, deputy lord lieutenant Dr Bhagwara Vasudaven and council leaders John Burden, from Gravesham, and Jeremy Kite, from Dartford.

KECC chief executive Gurvinder Sandher said: “I was humbled by the positive response we received from communities across Gravesham and Dartford who came out to support this important celebration which marked the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh faith.

"We were really pleased to be able to tie this event in with National Inter Faith Week and to have an inter faith element to the programme.

"Guru Nanak Dev Ji himself was a great advocate of breaking down barriers such as religion, race, social standing and striving towards a shared humanity and these beliefs resonate deeply with the themes of Inter Faith Week.”

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