Context:

• Recently, the 554th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev was celebrated.

Guru Nanak Jayanti 2023 

• Guru Nanak Jayanti, also known as Gurpurab, is a Sikh festival celebrated on the fifteenth lunar day of the Hindu month of Kartik. This year, it falls on 27 November 2023.
• It marks the birth anniversary of the first of the ten Sikh gurus and the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

About Guru Nanak Dev JI

• Birthplace: Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469 in Talwandi Rai Bhoe village near Lahore, which was later renamed as Nankana Sahib.
• Contributions and Legacy:
  • He composed the hymns for the Guru Granth Sahib and finished 974 of them. 
  • Writings: His written compositions were included in the Adi Granth compiled by Guru Arjan (1563-1606), the fifth Sikh guru.
    • This came to be known as Guru Granth Sahib after the additions made by the 10th guru Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708).
  • Guru Nanak Dev Ji is credited for bringing wisdom to humanity and laying the foundations for the Sikh religion. 
  • His teachings emphasize oneness of god, wealth, social fairness, and selfless service to humanity.
  • Advocated the ‘Nirguna’ (devotion to and worship of formless divine) form of bhakti.

Three pillars of Sikhism: Guru Nanak Dev founded and formalized the three pillars of Sikhism:

• Naam Japna (Meditation on God’s Name): 
  • Sikhs are encouraged to remember and meditate on the name of God (often referred to as “Waheguru” or “Satnam”) as a way to maintain a strong connection with the Divine. 
  • The practice of Naam Japna involves constant remembrance and repetition of God’s name as a means of spiritual growth and realization.  
• Kirat Karni (Honest and Hard Work): 
  • Guru Nanak emphasized the importance of leading an honest and truthful life. 
  • Sikhs are expected to earn their living through honest labor and to avoid engaging in unethical or fraudulent activities. 
  • The concept of Kirat Karni promotes the idea that work should be carried out with integrity and in service to humanity.  
• Vand Chakna (Sharing with Others): 
  • Sikhs are encouraged to engage in selfless service and acts of charity. 
  • This includes sharing one’s wealth, resources, and time with those in need. 
  • The community kitchen, known as “langar,” is a significant manifestation of Vand Chakna, where free meals are provided to all, regardless of their background or social status. 
  • This practice promotes equality and community service.
• Death: In 1539 at Kartarpur, Punjab.
  • Kartarpur Corridor: It is a border crossing between India and Pakistan that connects the Dera Baba Nanak Sahib in the Indian state of Punjab and Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan.

• • • Kartarpur is located at the west bank of river Ravi where Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent last 18 years of his life.
    • Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak is about 1 km from the Indo- Pakistan border and on the east bank of River Ravi.

News Source: PIB