More than 2,600 Indian Sikhs left for Pakistan on Thursday to take part in the rituals of Guru Nanak Jayanti. It’s the 548th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak which will be observed on November 4th and the celebrations will continue till November 11.
Recently, the Indian External Affairs Ministry repatriated nine fishermen, some civilians along with a child to Pakistan. In return, Pakistan issued more than 2,600 visas for Sikh pilgrims.
The issue of visas in a way is aimed at promoting religious tourism and interaction. The Sikhs will be celebrating the Guru Parv in Nankana Sahib, located in Hasan Abdal. This is the place where the first Sikh Guru Nanak Dev was born.
Guru Nanak Jayanti
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Guru Nanak Jayanti or Gurupurab is the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism and also the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Katak. The teachings of Guru Nanak are mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib in the form of 974 hymns. It’s believed that His spirit descended upon all 9 subsequent Gurus.
Guru Nanak Jayanti Celebrations in Pakistan
During the celebrations in Pakistan, the Sikhs will be allowed to visit Gurudwara Panja Sahib, Lahore, Gurudwara Sacha Sauda, Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib, Gurudwara Dehra Sahib, Gurudwara Rodi Sahi, and Aimnabad. These are located in different provinces of the country.
Catering to the needs of the pilgrims, the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) would provide security, transport, accommodation and other essential amenities. After the celebrations, the Sikh pilgrims are required to return to India on November 11th before the expiration of their visas.
Guru Nanak Jayanti in Punjab
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Guru Nanak Jayanti is one of the grandest festivals celebrated in Punjab for which the Sikhs start preparations three weeks before the Jayanti. The Gurudwaras, especially Golden Temple of Amritsar, are decorated with flowers, lighting, and flags. One day before the festival, a procession called Nagarkirtan takes place.
On the day of celebration, people wake up at 4 in the morning and start chanting hymns. The time of the day is called Amtri Vela during which Karah Prasad is served. In the evening, fireworks start after which people start their prayers at Gurudwaras. At 1:20 a.m. (the actual time of birth of Guru Nanak) people sing Gurbani.
Celebrations in the rest of India
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Ahead of the anniversary celebrations, the Sikh Community in Mumbai took out a procession by beating drums and performing martial arts warrior skills. Besides, in Hyderabad, two nights of Keerthan Darbars will be organized On Friday and Saturday. It will be attended by around 40,000 members of the Sikh Community.
