By: M Amin Mir
Guru Nanak Gurupurab, also known as Guru Nanak Jayanti and Guru Nanak Ji’s Prakash Utsav, is a prominent festival for people who follow Sikhism. It is celebrated to commemorate the birth of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji and is the most important festival for the Sikh community celebrated with a lot of devotion and reverence. The festival is celebrated on the day of Kartik Poornima which is the fifteenth day in the month of Kartik as per the Hindu Calendar and usually falls in the month of October and November as per the Gregorian calendar.
This year will mark the 553rd Birth anniversary of Guru Nanak dev Ji and was observed on Tuesday- 8th November 2022.
On 15 April 1469, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born at Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi, near Lahore, which is the modern-day Sekhpora district of Pakistan. A Gurduwara was built on his birth place 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 and started writing the Guru Granth Sahib and wrote 974 hymens in it.
The main verses from The Guru Granth Sahib elaborate that the creator of the universe was one. Its verses also propagate selfless service to humanity, prosperity and social justice for all irrespective of any differences. Sikhism also forbids the concept of messengers and reincarnation. The role of a guru as a spiritual and social master forms the base of Sikh religion.
Celebrations start two day prior to the day of Guru Nanak Jayanti in the Guruduwara’s. Forty eight hour nonstop recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib, called Akhand Path, is also held. A day before the occasion, a procession called Nagarkirthan is organized which is led by five men, referred as the Panj Pyare, holding the Sikh triangular flag- Nishan Sahib. The holy Guru Granth Sahib is placed in a palanquin during the procession as people sing hymens in groups and play traditional musical instruments and also display their martial art skills. The joyful procession passes through streets decorated by flags and flowers.
The writer is incharge District Record Room DC Office Anantnag.
