Sikhism is the 5th largest religion which is spread all over the world. The most rare thing about the religion is that they believe in the supremacy of Gurus (Preacher or Teacher). Guru Nanak Dev Ji (गुरु नानक देव)was the first preacher in Sikhism who led to the foundation of the religion which emerged as Sikhism.
There are majorly 10 gurus in the religion among which the Guru Nanak Dev is the first one. The day of Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated all over the world with lots of joy and happiness. The Jayanti of Guru Nanak usually falls in November or December and is celebrated as a festival among the Sikhs.
The festival is usually called as Guru Parv which means festival of Guru and sometimes people also call it as Prakash Utsav which means Festival of Light.
Historical Context of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jayanti
The celebration happens on the occasion of the birth of Nanak Sahib. He was born on April 15th in the year 1469. The present-day location of the birthplace of Nanak Sahib is Nankana Sahib which is situated in Pakistan but pre-independence it was an integral part of India and was called ‘Talwandi’. His birth anniversary is celebrated according to the Nanakshahi Calendar on the Full Moon or Purnima of Kartik Maas.
His whole life journey was remarkable and he played a significant role in the expansion of Sikhism all over the World. He was the founder of this religion and his teaching always taught the oneness of God.
Ideology of Nanak Sahib
Nanak Sahib was a kind hearted person who spread the awareness of Oneness of God, importance of service (Seva) and humanity towards all living beings. Although it is never enough to describe his ideology in words but below are some points which will give an idea of his preachings.
- Oneness of God (Ik Onkar): The first most principle of Sikh religion is Ik Onkar which means God is One. According to the Sikh ideology, God is one, timeless, omnipresent and formless.
- Equality of All Humans: Today the world fighting on the basis of religion, caste, race, ethnicity and gender. But even the main moto of most of the religions are to unite humans.
- Naam Japna (Meditating on God’s Name): In hindi ‘Naam’ means ‘Name’ and ‘Japna’ means ‘repeat’. The Guru Nanak Sahib emphasized on connecting with the divine by taking his name repeatedly.
- Kirat Karni (Earning an Honest Living): Even if someone is on the path of detachment still the person would need some money to at least fill their bellies. But not getting indulge with your own earning and earning the wealth with honesty is the path to connect with the supreme.
- Vand Chakna (Sharing with Others): Sharing with others is one of the pillar of Sikhism. Guru Sahib focused on sharing that is why till now Langars happen in Sikhism.
- Community Service (Seva): Guru Nanak always valued to serve others. To serve others is the real service which can be offered to the God.
Impact of Guru Nanak all over the world
The impact of the preaching of Guru Nanak Dev Ji is not limited to a specific location or religion. The preaching is spreading all over the globe. Apart from India there are many countries who follow Sikhism. Most of the Sikh people now a days reside in Canada, United Kingdom, United States, England, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries.
People enjoy celebrating Guru Nanak Jayanti which is followed by reciting of prayers, decoration of Gurudwaras and Langars(Community Meal).
Conclusion
Guru Sahib’s teaching has surpassed all the religious boundaries and created a pathway of religious dialogue between people of different faiths. He’s teaching has promoted love, compassion, equality, humanity and service for others. The main essence of celebrating any Jayanti or festival lies in the core values we learn from it. Guru parv is not only about celebrating the birth anniversary of Nanak Sahib but it is all about respecting him as a person and follow his preaching with the whole heart.
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