Guru Nanak Gurpurab, also known as Guru Nanak Prakash Utsav and Guru Nanak Jayanti, is one of the most sacred festivals in Sikhism. It celebrates the birth of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak, one of the most celebrated and important Sikh gurus and the founder of Sikhism.
How is Guru Nanak Gurpurab celebrated?
Sikh communities celebrate the festival with much zeal and gusto, typically over 3 days. The first day, 2 days before the birthday, is the Akhand Path which is held in gurdwaras all over the world. It is practice to read the Guru Granth Sahib, the religious book of the Sikh religion, non-stop.
On the second day, the day before the birthday, there is a procession which is led by the Panj Pyaras. The Sikh flag, known as the Nishan Sahib, and the palanquin of Sri Guru Granth Sahib are part of the procession. Additionally, singers participate in the procession and sing hymns along with brass bands. Gatka teams display their swordsmanship through various martial arts and hold mock battles using traditional weapons as part of this procession. Typically, the roads and passages that the procession passes through are covered with banners. Gates are also decorated with flags and flowers to mark this special occasion.
On the day of Gurpurab, the celebrations typically commence at about 4 to 5 AM and begins with the singing of the Asaa-Ki-Vaar (morning hymns). This is followed by Katha (interpretation of the scripture) and Kirtan (hymns from the Sikh scriptures). On this day, a special langar is arranged in gurdwaras by volunteers. There are also night prayer sessions held in some gurdwaras.
Who is Guru Nanak ji?
Sri Guru Nanak ji was a simple man who knew various regional languages and had a married life and 2 sons. He was the in-charge official of a store in Lodhi, the work of his in-laws, near the area of a Muslim ruler. There he came in contact with an Islamic minstrel who was senior to him and who enlightened him.
This enlightenment led him to start a mission and he prophesized that "There is neither Hindu, nor any Mussulman, but only man. So whose path shall I follow? I shall follow God's path. God is neither Hindu nor Mussulman and the path which I follow is God's."
On this auspicious day, the Crazy Creatives wish everyone a very happy Guru Nanak Gurpurab or Guru Nanak Jayanti!
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