Sikhs across India mark Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary with fervour

New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS) As dawn broke Thursday, hundreds of Sikhs across India thronged gurudwaras for morning prayers to mark the 539th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the world’s youngest religion that also has followers among the vast Indian diaspora worldwide.Taking the lead from the Golden Temple, the temporal seat of the Sikhs in Amritsar in Punjab, most gurudwaras marked Gurupurab, as the day is observed with the singing of Asa-di-var and hymns from Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book.

This was followed by religious discourses, historical lectures, recitation of poems in praise of Guru Nanak and the distribution of “Karah Parshad (sweet pudding)” and “Langar (food cooked in a community kitchen)”.

In many cities across the country, processions led by young children dressed as the Panj Pyaras, or five beloved disciples of the Guru, were taken out even as groups of youths staged martial arts displays.

This year’s Gurupurab was particularly auspicious as the 300th anniversary of the writing of the Guru Granth Sahib has just been observed.

Guru Granth Sahib

Guru Granth Sahib: Holy Book

Guru Granth Sahib

Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) is the holy book of the Sikhs, followers of Sikhism, and was written in Gurmukhi script.

SGGS was compiled by Shri Guru Arjan Dev, who invited saints and Sufis based on several characteristics of the India to contribute. They recited the hymns revealed to them. The hymns that contained the voice and spirit of god got selected to be included in SGGS. Chosen hymns got dictated to Bhai Gurdas Ji, who finally wrote the SGGS.

After it was compiled, the SGGS was installed in the newly put up Golden Temple (also well & known as Harmandar Sahib in Amritsar, India ), in 1604. SGGS is a holy team of expressions the god revealed to the Guru and Saints. They carry a message that go beyond rites and rituals bit are organization in its faith. They imagine in meditation in the and cr of god. Hymns carry the spirit, are aspirational and stand for a yearning to be in the god.

SGGS teaches the spirit of universality – “none is our enemy, none is stranger to us, we are in accord providing one and all.” The teachings reflected in Guru Granth Sahib trepidation writing a peaceful, liberal, free, fearless society everywhere the world.

Guru Granth Sahib: Hindi Version

Guru Granth Sahib

The Chief Minister, Mr Babulal Gaur, released the Hindi version of Guru Granth Sahib here, on Sunday. It has been translated by Dr Jodh Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala, and published by the Sikh Heritage Publishers, Patiala, in four volumes.

Mr Gaur announced that a separate chair would be set up in the honour of Guru Granth Sahib and Guru Nanak at the Barkatullah University in Bhopal. Besides, the state government would bring out special publications to apprise the common people of the glorious Sikh history.

Addressing a symposium on “Guru Granth Sahib Ki Mahima Apaar” organised by the Madhya Pradesh unit of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat to mark completion of 400 years of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Chief Minister said the great book contains poetic compositions of enlightened saints of different religious faiths in their respective regional languages and dialects.

The book thus represents the all-embracing and catholic culture of India. He said the Sikh community has a glorious history of bravery, courage and sacrifices.

Guru Granth Sahib