Guru Nanak Jayanti: It is a sacred festival of the Sikh community and is widely celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Guru Nanak Jayanti is a holiday that celebrates the birthday of Nanak, the first Sikh Guru.
Guru Nanak Jayanti 2023
Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the first Guru of 10 Sikh Gurus and is the founder of the Sikhism religion. This year in 2023, the 554th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji will be celebrated on 27th November’23, Monday. It is a sacred festival of the Sikh community and is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, who is believed to be born on Poornima (full moon) of the Kartika (8th month of Hindu calendar). Hence his birthday is celebrated worldwide on the day of Kartik Purnima as per Hindu lunar calendar.
In 2024, it will be celebrated on 15th Nov’24, Friday.
In 2025, it will be celebrated on 5th Nov’25, Wednesday.
In 2026, it will be celebrated on 24th Nov’26, Tuesday.
While Guru Nanak Jayanti is a Sikh holiday, the festival is enjoyed by many demographic groups in India, including Hindus and secular people. Of course, it is a particularly major event in the Indian state of Punjab since Sikhs make up the majority of the population there.
Guru Nanak Jayanti is a time for happiness and fun, but the festival also brings attention to the teachings of Guru Nanak. This holiday starts on the full moon day during the month of Katak. Since lunar calendars fluctuate each year, Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated during October or November on the Gregorian calendar.
Celebratory Activities
There are many activities that Sikhs and other Indians participate in to honor the life and teachings of Guru Nanak.
Akhand Path: Before the start of Guru Nanak Jayanti, a series of readings are performed at central locations in major Sikh areas. Known as Akhand Path, this event goes on for 48 hours. During Akhand Path, some of the most important poems from Guru Granth Sahib, the holy text of Sikhism, are recited. At certain times, Sikhs also recite prayers. The most popular prayers for this holiday are Japji Sahid and Sidh-Ghost.
Nagarkitan: During the day before the festival, Sikhs participate in Nagarkitan, a lively procession that attracts visitors from across the world. This procession is led by the Five Beloved Ones and the Sikh flag. The parade also consists of musicians, choreographers, and martial artists. The streets where the procession take place are often decorated with various banners and flower arrangements.
Langar: On the full moon day of the month of Katak, people who observe Guru Nanak Jayanti can enjoy a free community lunch with their friends and family members. After this meal, Sikhs attend various evening prayer sessions.
In Sikhism, a langar is the community kitchen of a gurdwara, which serves meals to all free of charge, regardless of religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity. People sit on the floor and eat together, and the kitchen is maintained and serviced by Sikh community volunteers who are doing seva (“selfless services”). The meals served at a langar are always Satvik (lacto-vegetarian)
Langars are held in gurdwaras all over the world, most of which attract members of the homeless population. The volunteers feed people without any discrimination, alongside the Sikh devotees who gather. Almost all gurdwaras operate langars where local communities, sometimes consisting of hundreds or thousands of visitors, join for a simple lacto-vegetarian meal.
About Gurudwara
A gurdwara or gurudwara meaning “Door to the Guru”) is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as Gurdwara Sahib. People from all faiths are welcomed in gurdwaras. Each gurdwara has a Darbar Sahib where the Guru Granth Sahib is placed on a takhat (an elevated throne) in a prominent central position. Any congregant (sometimes with specialized training, in which case they can be known by the term granthi) may recite, sing, and explain the verses from the Guru Granth Sahib, in the presence of the rest of the congregation.
All gurdwaras have a langar hall, where people can eat free lacto-vegetarian food served by volunteers at the gurdwara. A gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib, the Sikh flag.
5 most famous Gurudwaras in India
1. Gurudwara Harmandir Sahib, Punjab (The Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab): Also known as Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib, The Golden Temple is the most renowned Gurudwara in the world.
The most famous and the biggest Gurudwara in India, Gurudwara Harmandir Sahib holds a special place. The foundation stone of this shrine was laid in 1855 by Guru Arjan, while the Adi Granth was placed in 1604. Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the 19th century covered the upper floors of the shrine with gold sheets so that the Gurudwara remains protected. The temple has four doors which signify that the Sikh religion accepts people from all walks of life.
2. Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand: Located at an altitude of 4329 m from the sea level and surrounded by seven snow-capped peaks, Shri Hemkund Sahib is one of the most scenic Gurudwaras in India. Due to the cold weather and snowfall, the shrine remains closed from October to April.
3. Gurudwara Manikaran Sahib Ji, Manikaran, Himachal Pradesh: Famous for its picturesque charm, this Gurudwara is regarded as the ‘1st meditation place of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.’
4. Sri Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, Delhi: One of the most beautiful Gurudwaras in India, Sri Bangla Sahib Gurudwara was initially a bungalow owned by Mirza Raja Jai Singh, the ruler of Amber kingdom. Found at the heart of Delhi, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib was constructed between the 17th and 18th centuries. The eighth Sikh Guru Har Krishan stayed here and to commemorate his stay, the gurudwara was constructed.
5. Takhat Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib, Patna, Bihar: Located on the banks of Ganga River, this Gurudwara was constructed in the memory of the tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh.
Other famous Gurudwaras in India
Gurudwara Baba Atal Sahib, Punjab
Gurudwara Baba Atal Sahib is a famous gurudwara in India which was constructed to commemorate the death of Guru Hargobind Singh’s son, Baba Atal. You will be able to find the nine-storied tower, which is not only known for its height but also architecture. The gurudwara was constructed between 1778 and 1784. Till date, it is well-frequented by devotees and shrines.
Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Punjab
Takht Sri Damdama Sahib is a significant Gurudwara in Punjab as Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib was written by Guru Gobind Singh here. It is also the place where the faith of the Singhs was tested by Guruji.
Tarn Taran Sahib, Punjab
You can visit Shri Tarn Taran Sahib to see the largest Sarovar among all the gurudwaras in the country. Apart from the beauty of the gurudwara, the Sikh temple is also popular for the gathering of devotees on the day of Amavas every month.
Gurudwara Mattan Sahib, Jammu & Kashmir
Located on the Anantnag-Pahalgam Road, Gurudwara Mattan Sahib was constructed by a Brahmin who converted to Sikhism after being enlightened by the message of Guru Nanak Dev. The Gurudwara is one of the most sacred places in Jammu and Kashmir, not only for Sikhs but also for Hindus.
Takhat Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurudwara, Maharashtra
One of the most beautiful gurudwaras to visit in India is Takhat Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurudwara. This gurudwara was built in 1832 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in memory of the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh as he took his last breath here.
Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Sahib, Karnataka
It is one of the most frequented gurudwaras in India where you can see the Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Sahib. Several devotees and tourists visit the gurudwara thrice a year, which include, Holi, Diwali, and Guru Nanak Jayanti.
GURU NANAK
Guru Nanak also referred to as Baba Nanak was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. Nanak’s words are registered in the form of 974 poetic hymns, or shabda, in the holy text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru Granth Sahib is worshipped as the supreme authority of Sikhism and is considered the final and perpetual guru of Sikhism
Nanak was born on 15 April 1469 at Rai Bhoi Ki Talvaṇḍi village (present-day Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan) in the Lahore province of the Delhi Sultanate.
His father was Kalyan Chand Das Bedi and mother was Mata Tripta. Both were merchants. Nanaki, Nanak’s only sister, was five years older than him. As a young man, Nanak married Sulakhani, daughter of Mul Chand and Chando Raṇi on 24 September 1487, in the town of Batala a city in Punjab. They had two sons named Sri Chand and Lakhmi Chand. Around the age of 55, Nanak settled in Kartarpur, living there until his death in September 1539. According to Sikh hagiography, his body was never found.
A hagiography is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an adulatory and idealized biography of a preacher, priest, founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world’s religions.
Nanak’s teachings can be found in the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib, as a collection of verses recorded in Gurmukhi.
He was an extraordinary child with distinguished divine grace. His thinkings were completely different from others and he refused to partake in traditional religious rituals. He also spoke out against various prevalent social practices including the Caste System, idolatry, and the worship of demi-Gods. Guru Nanak Ji, at the age of 16 mastered various religious texts and languages like Sanskrit, Persian, and Hindi.
One of the early mornings while taking bath in the “Vain Nadi”, Guru Ji heard the voice of God and told him to dedicate his life complete life to the service of humanity. Therefore, for the next 30 years, accompanied by Baba Mardana, Guru Nanak Ji traveled and visited four major places in India, South Asia, Tibet, and Arabia covering about 30,000 kilometers.
He preached to people on the journey a new concept of God that is “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)”.
He founded three pillars of Sikhism namely Naam Japna, Kirat Karni, and Vand Chakna.
Key Points
- Guru Nanak Dev:
- Birth: In 1459 at Talwandi Rai Bhoe village near Lahore, which was later renamed as Nankana Sahib.
- He was the first of the 10 gurus of Sikhism.
- Contributions:
- Initiated inter-faith dialogue way back in the 16th century and had conversations with most of the religious denominations of his times.
- Wrote compositions which were included in the Adi Granth, compiled by Guru Arjan (1563-1606), the fifth Sikh guru.
- This came to be known as Guru Granth Sahib after the additions made by the 10th sikh guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708).
- Advocated the ‘Nirguna’ (devotion to and worship of formless divine) form of bhakti.
- Rejected sacrifices, ritual baths, image worship, austerities.
- Set up rules for congregational worship (Sangat) involving collective recitation.
- Gave the basic mantra of ‘Ek Onkar’ to his followers and insisted on treating all human beings equally, without discriminating on the basis of caste, creed and gender.
- Death: In 1539 at Kartarpur, Punjab.
His idea of equality can be deduced by the following innovative social institutions, as given by him:
- Langar: Collective cooking and sharing of food.
- Pangat: Partaking food without distinctions of high and low caste.
- Sangat: Collective decision making.
- According to him, the whole world is God’s creation and all are born equal. There is only one universal creator i.e. “Ek Onkar Satnam”.
- Apart from it, forgiveness, patience, forbearance, and kindness are the core of his teachings.
About SIKH GURUS
The Sikh gurus are the spiritual masters of Sikhism, who established the religion over the course of about two and a half centuries, beginning in 1469. The year 1469 marks the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. He was succeeded by nine other human gurus until, in 1708, the Guruship was finally passed on by the tenth guru to the holy Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, which is now considered the living Guru by the followers of the Sikh faith
Guru is a Sanskrit term for a “teacher, guide, expert, or master” of certain knowledge or field. Bhai Vir Singh, in his dictionary of Guru Granth Sahib describes the term Guru as a combination of two separate units: “Gu” meaning darkness and “Ru” which means light. Hence, Guru is who brings light into darkness or in other words, the one who enlightens. Bhai Vir Singh’s definition provides further insight about Sikhi itself and explains why Guru Granth Sahib is considered the living Guru.
The word Sikh is derived from the Sanskrit term shishya which means a disciple or a student. Thus, Sikhs have a student–teacher relationship with their Gurus since their teachings, written in Guru Granth Sahib, serve as a guide for the Sikhs.
10 SIKH GURUS
| No. | Name | Remarks |
| 1 | Guru Nanak | 1st Sikh Guru and the Founder of Sikkhism |
| 2 | Guru Angad | 2nd Sikh Guru |
| 3 | Guru Amar Das | 3rd Sikh Guru |
| 4 | Guru Ram Das | 4th Sikh Guru |
| 5 | Guru Arjan | 5th Sikh Guru |
| 6 | Guru Hargobind | 6th Sikh Guru |
| 7 | Guru Har Rai | 7th Sikh Guru |
| 8 | Guru Har Krishan | 8th Sikh Guru |
| 9 | Guru Tegh Bahadur | 9th Sikh Guru |
| 10 | Guru Gobind Singh | 10th and last Sikh Guru before the compilations of holy text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib. |
| 11 | Guru Granth Sahib | Holy text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru Granth Sahib is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The text consists of 1,430 angs (pages) and 5,894 shabads (line compositions). The Guru Granth Sahib is written in the Gurmukhi script in various languages including Punjabi, Lahnda, regional Prakrits, Apabhramsa, Sanskrit, Hindi languages (Braj Bhasha, Bangru, Awadhi, Old Hindi), Bhojpuri, Sindhi, Marathi, Marwari, Bengali, Persian and Arabic. |
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