Guru Nanak’s Jayanti on 30th Nov 2020
Guru Nanak’s Birthday
Guru Nanak’s Birthday is a Public holiday falls on November 30th, 2020 Monday as per Govt. Dopt 2020 holiday list which is one of the most cherished festivals of Sikhs.
Importance
This holiday is one of the most significant festivals of the Sikh community and commemorates Guru Nanak Sahib who was the founder of Sikhism and the first Sikh Guru.
The celebration of the guru’s birth anniversary begins two days prior to the actual date. On the first day of the celebrations, Sikhs read the Sikh holy book – the Guru Granth Sahib – from beginning to end.
As is the tradition on the second day, the holy book is paraded through the streets of Amritsar in a hand-held carriage. The procession is led by five people representing the original Panj Pyare (“the Five Beloved Ones”) who helped shape the religion.
On the day, to commemorate his birth, followers begin Gurupurav with ‘Prabhat Pheri’, an early morning procession. Through the day, devotees chant and sing hymns. A special prayer known as ‘Rehrasi’ is organised at sunset. According to Sikh tradition, it is believed that Nanak was born at around 1:20 am. Therefore, evening prayers continue till then, as worshippers sing ‘Gurbani’ (hymns from Guru Granth Sahib) in his praise. The festival draws to a close about 2:00 am.