Hyderabad: India to celebrate 551th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak — the founder of Sikhism and first of the 10 religious gurus of the Sikhs, today.
Guru Nanak Jayanti, the foremost of all the Gurupurabs or anniversaries of the 10 Sikh Gurus, is the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh faith, who ushered in a new wave in religion. The first of the 10 Sikh Gurus, Guru Nanak was born in 1469 at Talwandi, near Lahore. The disinclination to accept the practice of several religions in society, professing different deities drove the much-travelled leader to break free from the shackles of religious diversity and establish a religion based on a single God who is the eternal truth.
The festive event of Guru Nanak Jayanti includes the three-day Akhand Path, during which the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs is read out from the beginning to the end without a break. On the day of the main event, the Granth Sahib is ornamented with flowers and carried on a float in a proper procession throughout a village or city.
The procession is headed by five armed guards, representatives of the ‘Panj Pyaras,’ who carry the Nishan Sahibs or the Sikh flag epitomising their faith. Religious hymns from the Granth Sahib are sung throughout the procession, marking a special feature of the event. The procession finally leads to a Gurudwara, where the gathered devotees get together for a community lunch, which is called Langar.
Here are a few of his quotes:
“He who has no faith in himself can never have faith in God.”
“I am neither male nor female, nor am I sexless. I am the Peaceful One, whose form is self-effulgent, powerful radiance.”
“Speak only that which will bring you honor.”
“He who regards all men as equals is religious.”
“There is but one God. True is His Name, creative His personality and immortal His form. He is without fear sans enmity, unborn and self-illumined. By the Guru’s grace, he is obtained.”
“Death would not be called bad, O people, if one knew how to truly die.”
“The world is a drama, staged in a dream.”
“Let no man in the world live in delusion. Without a Guru none can cross over to the other shore.”
“What should the yogi have to fear? Trees, plants, and all that is inside and outside is He Himself.”
“Those who have loved are those that have found God.”