Guru Nanak Jayanti

Observed every year exactly fifteen days after Diwali, Guru Nanak Jayanti is one of the most largely celebrated birth anniversaries of the first Sikh Guru, who enlightened men about the existence of a single, omnipresent god and brought reformation into a tainted society with his teachings.

The procession constitutes a large number of people singing hymns whilst they follow a palanquin carrying the Guru Granth Sahib. This is their way of recapitulating the lessons imparted by Guru Nanak Sahib.(Image via: oneindia)

####Background and significance

Guru Nanak Jayanti marks the birth of the first Guru of Sikhism. Celebrated on the Poornamashi or the full moon’s eve falling in the month of Kattak (Karthik in Sanskrit), for many, this day not only commemorates the adiguru’s (first teacher’s) physical birth into the world but also the emergence of a spiritual leader. Also known as Guru Purab and Prakash Jayanti, the birthday of Guru Nanak is celebrated with much grandeur throughout the Sikh community and is also treated as a national holiday in India.

The Sikhs consider the word of their Gurus to be their holy text, i.e., the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Ji's contribution towards this holy text has been immeasurable, dictating the Sikh manner of livelihood and action. Not only do their values of morality spring from this text, but is also considered to be the highest and absolute of the Gurus of Sikhism. The Sikh values of compassion, prosperity, equality and justice stated in the holy Granth are reintroduced on Guru Nanak’s birthday and the celebrations for the same are no less monumental.

####Celebratory rituals

To honour the legacy of Guru Nanak, the celebrations for his birth anniversary start as early as two days prior to the Gurupurab. While the Prabhat Pheri procession marks the commencement of the festival. A ritual called the Akhand Path is carried out where a front-to-back reading of the Guru Granth Sahib is done by a group of readers called granthis. The reading can last for almost forty and eight hours and is significant even in events like marriages, funerals and other such occasions.

On the day before the birth anniversary, the followers of Sikhism indulge in a procession called Nagar Kirtan led by the Panj Pyare’s carrying the Sikh Flag, the Nishan Sahib. This procession constitutes a large number of people singing hymns whilst they follow a palanquin carrying the Guru Granth Sahib. This is their way of recapitulating the lessons imparted by Guru Nanak Sahib. Groups of bass drum players along with stunt men performing the art of Swordsmanship and staging coordinated battles are also a common sight.

The inauguration of the Prakash Utsav itself starts at the earliest crack of dawn referred to as Amrit Vela and is characterized by the Katha and Kirtan (Stories and hymns) narrated during this period. This is followed by the serving of a feast open for people of all classes, communities and religions and is called the Langar. Generosity through Seva (service) and Bhakti (devotion) make up one of the building pillars of Sikhism, and the same is reiterated through this feast. An evening prayer leads the celebrations well into the night and peaks at around 1:20 a.m. which is believed to be the birth hour of the Guru. The conclusive rituals are carried out by 2am, after which the followers often disperse.

The Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Ji is celebrated at a majestic scale worldwide every year. Despite its various rituals, the value of selflessness keeps this event grounded as does its people coming from various backgrounds. As such, Guru Nanak Jayanti may be one of the festivals that has managed to unite the people under the belief in one god and one spirit of humanism.