Nagpur: Guru Nanak Jayanti was celebrated in Nagpur on Friday, November 19, with religious fervour and gaiety. This is one of the most auspicious Sikh festivals and falls on the day of Kartik Purnima according to the lunar calendar. Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, who was the founder of Sikhism and also the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus. Guru Nanak Jayanti is also known as Guru Purab.
Various religious programmes including a procession called Nagar Kirtan, which involves five people and also known as Panj Pyaras, was organized one day before Guru Nanak Jayanti. In this ritual, five people lead a procession where they hold a palanquin which carries the holy book. Along with carrying the sacred Guru Granth Sahib, one person also carries the Sikh flag, known as Nishan Sahib.
In Gurudwaras, an early morning procession was held. Later on, the Akhand Path, a non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib is held for 48 hours in Gurudwaras during the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti. On the occasion, religious hymns, prayers, Gatka performances by martial artists, katha and kirtan also take place in Gurudwaras.
