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 Guru Govind Singh’s Jayanti is a major occasion for all the Sikhs of the country. This festival celebrates the birth anniversary of the Guru Nanak Dev, who was born in the month of Karthik. This day is one of the most auspicious days for all the Sikhs. This festival is also known as Gurpurab and is observed with great devotion and enthusiasm.
Guru Govind Singh Jayanti celebration involves long procession in the morning that start from the Gurudwaras. The people sing hymns in praise of the Guru Govind Singh and move around the localities in groups. These hymns are known as shabads. The three-day Akhand path is a major part of the celebration of the Guru Govind Singh’s Jayanti. Lines from Guru Granth Sahib, from beginning to end, are chanted without a break. On the procession, the huge book is also carried out, which is decorated with flowers and streamers. It is then moved throughout the village or the city.
The procession is led by five armed guards. They carry the Sikh flag or the Nishan Sahibs along with them and lead the way. These guards symbolize the Panj Pyares and are an important part of the procession. Local bands are also involved in the procession, which plays devotional music in the name of the Guru Govind Singh. This creates the mood for the celebration.
After the procession gets over, sweets and langar are distributed among the friends and relatives. Community lunches are arranged and here, everyone can feed themselves irrespective of the religious faith. Karseva is practiced by children, men and women and this is done as a mark of the service to the community. People cook food and Prasad, which is known as Karah Prasad.
To celebrate Guru Govind Singh’s Jayanti, one of the major festivals of India, people visit the gurdwaras and take part in the special programs, which are arranged to commemorate this day. Religious songs are sung in the gurdwaras, which are beautifully lit up and decorated. People listen to the beliefs in the teachings of their founder and the messages by the great Sikh gurus and spend the whole day in a great religious way.
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