by Eve Redstone

Created on: September 05, 2009

Nanka Jayanti marks the birthday of the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak Dev. Guru Nanak Dev was born in the month of Kartik in 1469 at Tolevandi, in what is modern Pakistan. He was raised as a Hindu, but was also exposed to the Muslim religion, particularly the Sufi branch. At the age of thirty he mysteriously disappeared for three days, and when he returned he began preaching his new religion. He spent the rest of his life travelling around preaching, teaching and learning.

The festivals of the Sikh calendar mark the lives of its ten gurus, and are known as Gurpurbs. As the founder of the religion the festival of Guru Nanak is one of the most important to most Sikhs. It is celebrated on Kartik Puranmashi (full moon in the month of Kartik), according to the traditional Indian calendar. This is usually early in November (the 9thin 2009) but can fall in October. Jayanti means birthday, hence the festival marks the birthday of Guru Nanka.

All Sikh festivals are marked in a similar way. The temples, known as Gudwaras, are decorated with flowers and banners. (Sikhs believe that there is one God, and he is formless, and so do not worship idols.) The celebration begins forty-eight hours before the date with teams of believers taking turns to read the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh Holy Scriptures). This is known as an Akhand path. The reading is timed to end on the morning of the birthday.

On the day of the birthday processions may be held. These are led by five people representing the Panj Piare (beloved ones) carrying the Sikh flag. Five is a significant number in the Sikh religion, recurring in many important ways. The beloved ones are said to represent the first five Sikhs to receive the rite of the double edged sword from Guru Gobind Singh, but there have traditionally been five elders in an inner council, and the five khands are the steps to spiritual development in the Sikh religion. Five is also the number of the Khalsa (emblems) that are important to the Sikh religion. The five are followed by singers and musicians performing hymns. The Guru Granth Sahib may also be carried around the locality in this procession.

On the morning of the Jayanti the days begins at four or five in the morning with the singing of hymns specific to the festival in the temple. This is followed by scripture lessons, scripture readings and poems praising the Guru lasting until lunchtime. The congregation is then served a dish of sweetened semolina and ghee that has been blessed. A special free communal lunch is then served (Langar). Free food is offered to all participants in the spirit of service (seva) and devotion (bhakti.) Celebrations may go on into the evening with fireworks and more prayers and hymns.

http://www.indianpublicholidays.com/2009/07/guru-nan ak-jayanti-birthday/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Nanak_Jayanti

http://festivals.iloveindia.com/gurunanak-jayanti/in dex.html

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