The most sacred day of Sikhism which is celebrated across India as a mark of first Sikh who laid the foundation of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, this day is known as Guru Nanak Jayanti or Guru Nanak Gurupurab. Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated on every year around November.
The word Gur, which mean Guru or master and Purab comes from Hindi word meaning parv or day, so ‘the day associated with Master’. Guru Nanak Dev was the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus who founded Sikhism and his birthday is celebrated World wide. Devotees offer prayers and sing hymns from the Sikh scriptures. It is said that he was born on April 15, 1469, in Rai Bhoi di Talwandi village, which now falls in the Shekhupura district of Pakistan, known as Nankana Sahib.
The Guru Nanak Jayanti is a three day festival, two day prior to Guru Nanak’s birthday Akhand Path is held in Gurudwaras. A gurudwara is a place of workship for Sikhs. For forty-eight hours devotees read Guru Granth Sahib, the religious book of Sikh religion.
On the day of the Guru Nanak Jayanti, people get up early in the morning and sing Asa-di-Var or the morning hymns from the Sikh scriptures. Priests recite poems in praise of the Guru in the Gurudwaras. In the afternoon, Langar or special community lunch is prepared for everyone and people eat these together with family members and friends.
The main objective of this lunch is to offer food as a form of service and devotion for everyone irrespective of caste, class or creed.
The main objective of this lunch is to offer food as a form of service and devotion for everyone irrespective of caste, class or creed.
In some Gurudwaras, night prayer sessions are also held which begin around sunset when Rehras- evening prayer is recited followed by Kirtan till late at night. The devotees start singing Gurbani at about 1:20 a.m., which is the actual time of birth of Guru Nanak. The celebrations ends around 2 a.m.
A look into Life of Guru Nanak:
Guru Nanak was the son of Kalayan Das Mehta and Matta Tripat, from an early age, had a spiritual quest. He would not wear the sacred thread which his parents asked him to wear. He never believed in superficial aspects of religion and said that he would rather wear God’s name in his heart which would never get impure.
When he grew up he worked as storekeeper in the granary of Daulat Khan Lodi in Sultanpur. There he came in contact with Mardana, a Muslim servant, with whom, organised gatherings for Hindus and Muslims where they sang hymns to praise the creator.
The turning point in his life came at the age of 28, when he disappeared for three days and upon returning acknowledged that there is no Hindu and no Muslim, there is a God, who has no form and can be worshiped by anyone irrespective to caste or religion. The constant remembrance of God, also refereed as naamsimran is the only way to liberation, he preached.
What he taught was in contrast with the religious practices of his time and then became a part of Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy book of Sikhs.
Guru Nanak Gurpurab is celebrated as the day to remember the holy guru and is a reminder for the devotees to follow his teachings and overcome the five vices - lust, greed, attachment, anger and pride and devote one's life in the selfless service of God.
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