The article sheds light on the role of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism and his immense contributions to societal growth and development. The President of India recently commemorated Guru Nanak Jayanti, a significant festival in the Sikh community that marks the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
Birth and Early Life of Guru Nanak Dev
Guru Nanak Dev was born in 1459 in Talwandi Rai Bhoe, a village near Lahore. This village was later renamed as Nankana Sahib. He was the first of the ten Gurus of Sikhism, who made significant contributions to the religion and to society at large.
Contributions of Guru Nanak Dev
Guru Nanak Dev was active in fostering inter-faith dialogues during the 16th century. He held conversations with various religious denominations of his time. He also wrote compositions that were included in the Adi Granth, which was compiled by Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru. These writings later came to be known as Guru Granth Sahib after further additions by the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. One of his key teachings was advocating the ‘Nirguna’ form of devotion and worship of a formless divine entity. Rejecting sacrifices, ritual baths, image worship, austerities, he set up rules for congregational worship (Sangat) involving collective recitation.
He provided the basic mantra of ‘Ek Onkar’ to his followers and insisted on treating all human beings equally, without discriminating on the basis of caste, creed and gender. He passed away in 1539 at Kartarpur, Punjab.
Relevance of Guru Nanak Dev’s Teachings in Modern India
The teachings of Guru Nanak Dev are still pertinent today and play an essential role in building an egalitarian society. He proposed various social institutions promoting equality, such as collective cooking and sharing of food (Langar), eating food without distinction of high and low caste (Pangat), and collective decision making (Sangat).
Guru Nanak Dev’s Teachings for Social Harmony
Guru Nanak Dev believed that the entire world is God’s creation and all beings are born equal. His teachings emphasized on forgiveness, patience, forbearance, and kindness.
Creating a Just Society: Guru Nanak Dev’s Teachings
Guru Nanak Dev placed great importance on the values of work, worship, and sharing (kirat karo, naam japo and vand chhako). He transformed the idea of spiritualism into an ideology of social responsibility and change.
Guru Nanak Dev and Gender Equality
According to Guru Nanak Dev, women and men share the grace of God and are equally responsible for their actions towards him. This teaching underscores the importance of gender equality.
The Role of Guru Nanak Dev’s teachings in Promoting Peace
Guru Nanak Dev’s ideas can significantly contribute to the promotion of peace, equality and prosperity worldwide. In 2019, the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev was celebrated, marking an important step towards easing tensions between India and Pakistan with the inauguration of the Kartarpur corridor.