The Prakash Purab of Shree Guru Nanak Saheb Ji celebrates the birth anniversary of Shree Guru Nanak Ji, the first Guru & founder of the Sikh religion, which ranks as the fifth biggest followed religion among other religions of the world.
The festivities in The Sikh religion revolve around the birth, death & ascending to the Gurugaddi (holy throne held by the Guru) anniversaries of the 10 Sikh Gurus.
The Gurus have given shape to the religious beliefs of the Sikhs; the word Sikh means a disciple.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born on the Puranmashi of the Khattak month in the year 1469 in Rai-Bhoi-di- Talwandi in Pakistan; the area is now known as Nankana Saheb is in the present Shekhupura District of Pakistan.
Today is a government gazetted Holiday in India.
The celebrations start at least a week early, with early morning groups singing hymns around their area of residence commencing & ending in the Local Gurudwara.
A few days before the Gurprab a massive procession of Sikhs in orange or Kesri turbans & white dresses, the ladies adorning a matching coloured dupatta take out a vast procession moving around the entire city while continuously singing hymns spreading the love & universal message of Shree Guru Nanak Saheb Ji is called a “Nagar Kirtan”.
During the Gurupurab, the entire day “Kathas” (Religious Discourses) are given from a set stage & hymns are sung with enthusiasm in the auspicious presence of Shree Guru Granth Saheb Ji.
On completion of the Religious discourses, food is served from the langar (Community Kitchen ) open to all & everyone irrespective of their caste, class, colour or religion.
Guru Nanak Ji spread universal love & brotherhood among all, believing that there is only one God who creates the entire universe.
The Guru propagated three simple ways of holistic living, the first being “Naam Japna”, which means utter the name of the lord and always remember him, the second being ” Kirat Karna”, which means to earn your livelihood honestly & through hard work, the third being “Vand Chakna” which says that out of your honest earnings you have to share with anybody who needs it.
Thus began the concept of Langar or the community Kitchen, which has been going on since the idea was incepted by the great Guru Saheb Ji.