HAPPY GURU GOBIND SINGH JAYANTI
A Sikh holiday known as Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti honors the birth of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th Sikh guru, and is also written as Govind Singh. It is a religious event during which prayers are made for prosperity.
Has Guru Govind Singh Jayanti been declared a public holiday?
2023 does not observe Guru Govind Singh Jayanti as a public holiday. Most businesses and schools are open. During the Guru’s birthday celebration, a lot of Sikhs visit the temple.
Celebrate the Day
On Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, a big procession is a frequent occurrence in Indian markets. During the parade, people chant religious songs and pass around treats, cool drinks, and sharbats among the young and old. Additionally, unique prayer services are performed at gurudwaras, which are houses of worship.
Poems are performed and historical lectures are presented as part of honoring the Guru upon his birthday. During the celebrations, unique meals made especially for this occasion are cooked and served.
What’s Open or Closed?
Due to the restrictions placed on the holiday, businesses, banks, & public transit are all still open on the Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti. These openings vary depending on where a person resides and how close the services are to the events. Depending on the students’ religious observance, some schools continue to operate.
About the Day
Guru Gobind Singh Ji was Nanak’s tenth Sikh Guru. He was born on December 22, 1666, in Patna, Bihar, India. On occasion, according to the Gregorian calendar, his birthday falls in either December, January, or even both of those months. The Nanakshahi calendar serves as the foundation for the annual commemoration of the Guru’s birthday.
Guru Tegh Bahadur’s son, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, sacrificed his life to uphold religious freedom. When he turned nine and became a Guru, he succeeded his father. Sikhs are greatly influenced by the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
During his lifetime, he opposed the Mughal Emperors and battled injustice. Five men from a lower caste of society were chosen by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699, and they were baptized as His Five Beloveds, giving them immense bravery and a commitment to God.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji founded the Khalsa, a military army of saint-soldiers whom he educated, as a result of his devotion to God, his courage, and his desire to shield the people from oppression.
The Khalsa adhered to a rigid moral code and practiced spiritual discipline under the direction and inspiration of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. His bravery inspired the people to rise out against the Mughal emperor’s persecution during his time in India.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji was a great writer who produced a significant amount of literature in addition to being a spiritual and military commander. Prior to his death in 1708, he proclaimed the Guru Granth Sahib, the religion of Sikhism, to be the everlasting Sikh Guru.
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh, also known as Gobind Das or Gobind Rai, was the tenth Sikh Guru and was also a poet, philosopher, and spiritual leader. when Guru Tegh Bahadur’s father was put to death by Aurangzeb. The Sikhs’ tenth and last human Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, was solemnly appointed as their leader when he was nine years old. His four biological sons perished during his lifetime—two were killed in combat and two were put to death by Wazir Khan, the Mughal administrator.
His establishment of the Khalsa, a society of Sikh warriors, and the Five Ks, the five symbols of faith which Khalsa Sikhs wear at all times, are among his most important contributions to Sikhism. The Dasam Granth, whose songs are an important component of Khalsa rites and Sikh prayers, is ascribed to Guru Gobind Singh. He is also credited with finalizing and establishing the Guru Granth Sahib as the central text of Sikhism and its immortal Guru.
Sikh Scriptures
The Kartarpur Pothi (manuscript) of the Guru Granth Sahib, the core scripture of Sikhism, is assigned to Guru Gobind Singh in the Sikh faith. The final version featured his father Guru Tegh Bahadur’s works and rejected the unnecessary hymns in earlier versions.
This scripture was also proclaimed by Guru Gobind Singh to be the Sikhs’ immortal Guru.
The Dasam Granth is another work attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. It is a contentious religious literature that some Sikhs regard to be the second scripture, while other Sikhs reject its legitimacy.
The text’s standard version has 17,293 verses spread across 1,428 pages and 18 divisions. The Dasam Granth contains hymns, mythological stories from Hindu texts, erotic fables, an autobiography, liberal stories from Puranas & the Mahabharata, letters to other people like the Mughal emperor, and reverent discussions of warriors and theology.
It also celebrates femininity in the form of goddess Durga. The Bansavlinama, a book by Kesar Singh Chibbar that was published in 1755, states that Sikhs asked Guru Gobind Singh to combine the Dasam Granth with Guru Granth Sahib.
When asked, Guru Gobind Singh said, “This is the Adi Guru Granth; the root book. Dasam Granth is simply for my entertainment. Maintaining this separation will help keep the two distinct.”
Devout Khalsa Sikhs place a high value on the Dasam Granth in both their daily lives and their initiation. Its writings include holy liturgical lyrics used in the initiation of Khalsa Sikhs as well as daily prayers (Nitnem), such as the Jaap Sahib, Tav-Prasad Savaiye, and Benti Chaupai.
Contributions in various fields
Religious contribution: He also established the Khalsa ideals, often known as the five “Ks,” and the turban to cover the hair. The Five “Ks,” or Khalsa Principles, were established by Guru Gobind Singh.
- Kesh (uncut hair)
- Kanga (wooden comb)
- Kara (iron or steel bracelet)
- Kirpan (dagger)
- Kachera (short breeches)
He established the guidelines for Khalsa fighters, including the prohibition of cigarettes, alcohol, and non-halal meat as well as the need to defend the rights of the innocent. He identified the Guru Granth Sahib as the holy book of the Sikhs and the Khalsa.
Martial contribution: He lost his mother, who was hanged, and his two young kids at the battle of Anandpur in 1704. In the conflict, he also lost his oldest son. In 1705, he engaged in combat with the Mughals in the Battle of Muktsar.
Literary contribution: His literary achievements include Jaap Sahib, Benti Chaupai, Amrit Savaiye, among a number of others. He also penned the Zafarnama, a letter sent to Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor.