Guru Nanak Jayanti: Here is why the festival celebrated by Sikhs

Guru Nanak Jayanti is one of the most sacred festivals of the Sikh community and is observed by a huge number of devotees from all over the globe. This auspicious day will be celebrated on November 12, 2019. The Sikhs visit their holy place, called a Gurudwara, during the festival and also enjoy special langar at the Gurudwaras. Here is why the festival is celebrated.

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Why is Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrated?

Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurpurab, also known as Guru Nanak's Prakash Utsav and Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jayanti, is celebrated as the birthday of the first Sikh guru or leader, Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present Shekhupura District of Pakistan. It is said that the first leader of the community was born on the full moon day of the Kartik month according to the Indian lunar calendar.

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On this day, the whole Sikh community gathers at Gurudwaras to sing hymns. The festival starts 48 hours before the full moon day. The Gurus start with 48 hours of nonstop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib. On the day before the birthday, a procession referred to as Nagarkirtan is organised. In this procession, the Panj Pyaras (Five Beloved Ones) carry the flag Nishan Sahib (Sikh flag) and the Palki (the Palanquin on which the Guru Granth Sahib is carried around) in the locality. This is followed by singers singing hymns and devotees singing the chorus. There is music and the ‘Gatka’ teams display swordsmanship through various martial arts and mock battles using traditional weapons.

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The day of celebration starts early in the morning at 4/5 am in the morning when the devotees start singing of Asaa-Ki-Vaar (morning hymns). This is then followed by the ‘Katha’ where different stories are told to the devotees by the Sikh gurus. It is followed by langar, a community lunch at the Gurudawars made by volunteers. The whole day, Guru Nanak Dev Ji is praised through different forms of hymns at different times and all the devotees are seen celebrating the festival till 2 am.

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