November Festivals

Guru Nanak Jayanti

The birth anniversary of each of the ten gurus of the Khalsa Pantha is celebrated as Gurupurab. Of the ten gurupurabs occurring in a year, the most important is the one that commemorates the birth of Guru Nanak in the month of Kartik. Akhanda pathas, community feasts, kar seva and religious processions form part of the festivities.

The Sikhs believe that Guru Nanak brought enlightenment to the world, hence the festival is also called Prakash Utsav, the festival of light.

Guru Nanak was born in 1469 in a village called Talvandi near Lahore in Pakistan to a kshatriya family. His father was a revenue collector. Nanak was given a traditional Hindu education and exposed to the basic tenets of Islam in his childhood. He began associating with learned men early in his life and under their influence started composing and singing hymns. Always secular in his outlook, he began a canteen where Muslims and Hindus of all castes could come together and eat together.

While in a small town called Sultanpur, it is believed that he had a vision from God directing him to preach to mankind. This, according to a Sikh legend, was fulfilling the prophecy that had been ordained for him.

Fifteen days before the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak celebrations begin. Religious processions called Prabhat Feris are taken from house to house for a fortnight.

A day before the festival, an enormous parade starts from the gurudwara in the afternoon. People old and young join in the trail of goodwill and happiness. Leading the crowd are the Panch Pyare. Behind them, placed on a beautiful tableau, is the Guru Grantha Sahiba. Following it is a troupe of musicians, singing shabads in honour of the guru. As they weave their way trough the markets and residential areas of the city, people come forward to seek the blessings of the Panch Pyare by prostrating before the priests.

The procession gives an opportunity to all to pay homage to Guru Grantha Sahib before it winds its way back to the temple. This eternal guru of the Sikhs is believed to consecrate the ground over which it travels.

On this day Akhanda pathas are organised in Gurudwaras and many other places in the city. A special shabad called Asa ji diWar is sung very early in the morning. Devotees start streaming into the gurudwara at about the same time. They sit and listen to the recitation of excerpts from the Grantha Sahib. After the head priest offers ardas, the entire congregation sings shabads based on the teachings of Guru Nanak, until noon. Food, which has been cooked in the community mess by volunteers, is then offered to the guru in an elaborate ceremony got his blessings. Karah prasad is then distributed to all those present.

Men and women of all ages, belonging to different castes and creeds then sit together to partake of the consecrated food in the Guru ka Langar. Cooked and served by those performing kar seva, this is just one of the methods of community service. At night people light candles and diyas around the house and burst crackers.