Guru Nanak Jayanti 2021 Date, Significance, Teachings and Everything you need to know

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the founder of the 7th biggest religion in this world, Sikhism. The Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji is celebrated as Guru Nanak Jayanti, Guru Nanak Gurpurab, and Guru Nank Prakash Parv. Guru Nanak Jayanti is one of the biggest festivals of Sikhism. Not only by Sikhs but the festival is also celebrated by people of every religion in India. On Guru Nanak Jayanti, People walk down the streets chanting beautiful hymns and prayers. The Nagar Kirtan is led by a Palki or Palanquin of Guru Granth Sahib. Langars are set up in cities on this day, where people are fed for free.

Guru Nanak Jayanti 2021 Date

Let us tell you, as per the Hindu calendar, Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated on the Purnima of Shukla Paksha of Kartik Month. This year (2021), the Purnima Tithi is falling on 19 November. So the auspicious festival of Guru Nanak Jayanti or Gurupurab will be celebrated on 19 November.

Significance

The celebration of Guru Nanak’s Birth Anniversary starts 15 days before the Gurupurab. 2-days before the festival, a nonstop 48-hour reading of the holy book of Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib is held in Gurudwaras (Temple of Sikhs). Also one day ahead of the festival, Nagar Kirtan is organized. This Year, we will celebrate the 552nd Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Also Read: Guru Nanak Jayanti 2021: The lessons that Guru Nanak has taught will remain relevant in all era

Life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

There are total of 10 Gurus in Sikhism – Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan, Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Rai, Guru Har Krishnan, Guru Tegh Bahadur, and Guru Gobind Singh.

As per historical pieces of evidence, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born 15 April 1469 in Nankana Sahib Gurudwara near Lahore (currently in Pakistan). Nankana Sahib Gurudwara was established by Raja Ranjit Singh. Guru Nanak Dev had given the message of worshipping a formless God, opposing idol worship. He devoted his life to removing the evils of the immediate society.

Teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Here are 5 teachings of Guru Nanak:

• According to Guru Nanak, one should shun from Ego, Anger, Greed, Attachment and Lust. These 5 Evils are the biggest enemies of a person.

• Guru Nanak also described three pillars of sikhism:
  • Naam Japo – Meditation on God and reciting and chanting of God’s Name — Waheguru. 
  • Kirat Karo – Honestly earn, with hard work, by one’s physical and mental effort, while accepting God’s gifts and blessing.
  • Vand Chakko – Share with others, help those with less or those who are in need.

• Guru Nanak Dev Ji says, living right is much superior to visiting pilgrimage destinations. 

• Being selfless is the supreme duty of human beings.

• According to him, Guru is the voice of God, the true source of knowledge & salvation.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji Quotes

• If there is one God, then there is only His way to attain Him, not another. One must follow that way and reject the other. Worship not him who is born only to die, but Him who is eternal and is contained in the whole universe.

• He who has no faith in himself can never have faith in God.

• Even Kings and emperors with heaps of wealth and vast dominion cannot compare with an ant filled with the love of God.

• I bow at His Feet constantly, and pray to Him, the Guru, the True Guru, has shown me the Way.

• Death would not be called bad, O people, if one knew how to truely die.