Significance and History Behind Guru Nanak Jayanti
This year followers of Guru Nanak will celebrate Guruparb, the most sacred festival of Sikhs today, on November 12 (Tuesday). Guru Nanak Jayanti also known as Guru Nanak Prakashotsav is celebrated on the full-moon day of Kartik month, hence also known as Kartik Poornima.
Guru Nanak Jayanti: Significance
According to the Sikh tradition, Guruparb is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikh was born on 15 April 1469 in the village Talwandi, that was in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. And, now known as Nankana Sahib, situated near the city of Lahore in present day Pakistan. People from various parts of the world visit the Gurudwara in Nankana Sahib on Guru Nanak Jayanti. Instead of celebrating the day in the month of April, people prefer to continue the tradition of celebrating it on the Full Moon Day (Pooranmashi or Purnima) of the Karthik month.
Guru Nanak Jayanti: History
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was an extraordinary child with rational thinking from his early days and showed interest in divinity at the tender age of five years and preached oneness of God throughout his life wherever he travelled. He refused to partake in traditional religious rituals, and often spoke out against several prevalent societal practices such as the Caste System, idolatry, and the worship of demi-Gods. By the age of 16, Guru Nanak had mastered multiple religious texts and languages including Sanskrit, Persian, and Hindi, and was writing what many believed were divinely inspired compositions. This great saint and preacher always preached harmony and liberal social practices. He preached the new concept of God as "Supreme, All powerful and Truthful, Formless (Nirankar), Fearless (Nirbhau), Without hate (Nirvair), the Sole (Ik), the Self-Existent (Saibhang), the Incomprehensible and Everlasting creator of all things (Karta Purakh), and the Eternal and Absolute Truth (Satnam)." These preachings of Guru Nanak can be found in the holy book of Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib.
On Guru Nanak Dev Ji's birthday, Gurudwara in Nankana Sahib is the main that attracts lakhs of people from all over the globe. Lamps are lighted in Gurudwaras and houses, free langars (meals) are organised and prasad (holy food) is distributed among the devotees and visitors on this occasion. Apart from this Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs is recited without stop in all Gurudwaras.
Even the Golden Temple in Amritsar, which is in Punjab, is a major attraction as it is considered one of the famous holy places. And those people who live at such places where there is no Gurudwara in the vicinity, people arrange Kirtans, Ardas, Paths and Langars at their homes.
Guru Nanak Jayanti: Traditions and Customs
On the first two days, Akhand Path (a forty-eight-hour non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib) is held in the Gurdwaras and homes, that ends early in the morning of Guru Nanak Jayanti.
On the second day, followers begin there day with Prabhat Pheri, an early morning possession, in which many people take active participation. During the day, a huge procession called ‘Nagar Kirtan’ is taken out on the roads, which are decorated with colourful banners and flowers. The procession is led by five armed guards called the ‘Panj Pyaares”. Devotees carry Sikh flags called ‘Nishan Sahib’ and walk along a decorated palanquin which carries the Holy Guru Granth Sahib while chanting the sacred hymns.
And on the actual day of Guru Nanak Jayanti, a special prayer is organised at sunset that is known as ‘Rehrasi’. According to legends, it is believed that Nanak was born at around 1:20 am. Therefore, the evening prayers where worshippers sing Gurbani in his praise continues till around 2:00 am.
Kirtan-Darbars or special assemblies are also conducted. On this day, a ‘langar’ or community kitchen is organized, where a wholesome meal is prepared by volunteers that allows followers to offer ‘seva’ (offerings/serving). The lunch is offered to everybody irrespective of caste, religion and creed. And consists of dal, roti, chawal, sabji and ‘Karah Prasad’ (sweet) is also served.
