Guru Nanak jayanti wishes

Today - 24 th Nov 2007 - Sikhs celebrates Guru Nanank birthday. Let us try to learn and follow the great teachings of Guru Nanak.

Guru Nanak (1469 - 1538) : Indian Guru who tried to put an end to religious strife, teaching that 'God is one, whether he be Allah or Rama'. His followers are the Sikhs. The major pilgrim centre is Golden temple, Amritsar, India. The Sikh prayer halls are called Gurudwara and the Holy book is Guru Granth Sahib.

Sikhism, founded in Punjab by Guru Nanak in the 15 th century, began as a reaction against the caste stsyem and Brahmin domination of ritual. Sikhs believe in one god and although they reject the worship of idols, some keep the pictures of the 10 gurus as a point of focus. The Sikh's holy text, the Guru Granth Sahib, contais the teachings of the 10 Sikh gurus, among others.

Like Hindus and Buddhists, Sikhs believe in rebirth and karma. In Sikhism there is no ascetic or monastic tradition ending the eternal cycles of rebirth.

Fundamental to the Sikhs is the concept of Khalsa, or belief in a chosen race or soldier-saints who abide by strict codes or moral conduct (abstaining from alcohol, tobaco and drugs) and engage in a crusade for 'dharmayudha' (righteousness). There are five kakkars (emblems) denoting the Khalsda brotherhood : Kesh (the unshaven beard and the uncut hair symbolising the saintliness); kangha (comb to maintain the ritually uncut hair); Kaccha (loose underwear symbolising the modesty); kirpan (sabre or sword symbolising power and dignity); and karra (steel bangle symbolising fearlessness). Singh, literally 'Lion', is the name adopted by many Sikhs.