Sikh Celebrates 553nd Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

God is neither Hindu nor Muslim and the path which I follow is God’s

Guru Nanak Jayanti, also known as Guru Nanak’s Prakash Utsav and Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jayanti, celebrates the birth of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak, and is celebrated on November 8 this year. It is one of the most sacred festivals in Sikhism.

The festival is celebrated on the day of Kartik Purnima, which is the fifteenth lunar day in the month of Kartik as per the Hindu calendar, and usually falls sometime in October or November as per the Gregorian calendar. Guru Nanak Dev Ji celebrations are generally similar for all Sikhs — only the hymns are different.

The celebrations usually commence with Prabhat Pheris, the early morning processions that begin at the Gurudwaras and proceed around the localities singing hymns. Generally, two days before the birthday, Akhand Path – a forty-eight-hour non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs is held in the Gurdwaras.

The day before the birthday, a procession referred to as Nagarkirtan, is organized. This procession is led by the Panj Pyaras – Five Beloved Ones. They head the procession carrying the Sikh flag, known as the Nishan Sahib, and the Palki-Palanquin of Guru Granth Sahib. They are followed by teams of singers chanting hymns and devotees sing the chorus.

There are brass bands playing different tunes and ‘Gatka’ teams display their swordsmanship through various martial arts and mock battles using traditional weapons. The joyful procession passes through streets decorated with flags and flowers, with the leader spreading the message of Guru Nanak.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born on April 15, 1469 at Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi, near Lahore, which is the modern-day Sekhpura district of Pakistan. A Gurudwara was built on his birthplace and the city is also known as Nankana Sahib and is located in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Guru Nanak Dev Ji is regarded as a spiritual teacher who founded Sikhism in the 15th century.

He wrote 974 hymns which late became part of the Guru Granth Sahib.

In the Sikh faith, festivities revolve around the anniversaries of the 10 Sikh gurus. These gurus were responsible for shaping the beliefs of the Sikhs. Their birthdays, known as ‘Gurpurab’, are occasions for celebration and prayer among the community. Guru Nanak Jayanti is marked with prayer processions, hymns, free sweets, martial arts – ‘Gatka’, as well as services to the community.

Five Amazing facts about Guru Nanak Dev Ji

The four Udasis and other locations visited by Guru Nanak Dev Ji

A gifted student

Guru Nanak Dev Ji started going to school at the age of seven and it is believed that he surprised his teacher by explaining to him the symbolism of the first letter of the alphabet, which is a straight stroke in Persian or Arabic. It resembled the mathematical one as it symbolized God being one and united.

A family man

At the age of 18, Guru Nanak Dev Ji married Mata Sulakkhani and had two sons, Sri Chand and Lakshmi Chand — Guru Nanak’s son Sri Chand became the founder of the Udasi religion.

A man with a vision

At the age of 30, Guru Nanak had a vision. One day Guru Nanak Dev Ji failed to return from his bath and his clothes were found on the bank of the stream. The locals thought that he died. After three days he returned back and stayed silent. Later he said that he had been taken to God’s court where he was offered a cup full of ‘Amrit’ and was blessed.

On a different path

Guru Nanak Dev Ji said, ”There is neither Hindu nor Muslim so whose path shall I follow? I shall follow God’s path. God is neither Hindu nor Muslim and the path which I follow is God’s.”

Spreading the message

Guru Nanak Dev Ji traveled the world with the objective to spread the holy message. He traveled to Mecca, Tibet, Kashmir, Bengal, Manipur, Rome, etc. on foot with his Muslim companion and friend Bhai Mardana.

Shrines related to Guru Nanak Dev Ji

The Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan, commemorates the site where Nanak is believed to have been born.

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Narowal, Pakistan, marks the site where Guru Nanak is said to have died.

Images courtesy of (Image: Pinterest), (Image: Sikh Missionary Society), (Image: Learn Religions) and (Image: Youlin Magazine)

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