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Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib

Nankana Sahib is named after Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder of the Sikh faith. Guru Nanak was born here on Baisakh sudi 3, 1526 Bk/ 15 April 1469.

Nankana town is part of Nankana Sahib District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. This district is adjacent to Sheikhupura district and until 2005 was part of this district.

The old name of this town was Talvandi Rai Bhoe Ki or "Talvandi of Rai Bhoe", a Muslim Rajput of the Bhatti clan and a retainer of the Delhi rulers of the early fifteenth century.

His descendant, Rai Bular, the chief of Talvandi, was a contemporary of Guru Nanak. The town has nine gurdwaras including the Gurdwara Janam Asthan which marks the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev.

The first 15 or 16 years of Guru Nanak's life were spent at Talvandi. Later, he shifted to Sultanpur Lodhi, in present day Kapurthala district of the Punjab, where his sister Bibi Nanaki lived. From there he set out on his long preaching odysseys, visiting his parents at Talvandi only now and then, his last visit to his native place being in 1510. Several shrines in the town, raised long after his death, mark the places where he was born, where he played with other children, where he studied and where he tended his father's cattle. .....More

Guru Nanak Sahib

In December 2004, while I was studying in London, I visited the Gurdwara Sahib in Southall and Giani jee was doing Katha (discourse on Gurbani). Giani jee's words stuck in my mind. He explained how Gurbani says, "Waheguru resides WITHIN ALL and that Waheguru FORGIVES and CLEANS the sins or filth of a sinner."

He went on to explain how at the end of Ardas we all say together, "naanak naam chardee kalaa, tere bhaane sarbat da bhalaa". Yes, we say, ‘SARBAT DA BHALAA’. We ask for the blessing of ‘ALL’. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib did NOT say, "I ask for the good of all EXCEPT for AURANGZEB who cowardly murdered my two young sons." No. When we do Ardas we do not say, "Sarbat Da Bhalaa, but NOT that person who swore at me last week… I don’t want his bhalaa (good)."

Picture Feature:

Nihang Sikh warriors discussing the next move - watercolour
See Flickr's Jathedar's watercolours and more.

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Section for Young Sikhs:

Guru Amar Das

Guru Amar Das (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਮਰ ਦਾਸ) (5 May 1479 - 1 September 1574) was the third of the ten Gurus of Sikhism; he became Guru on 16 April 1552.

Interestingly, he was aged of 73 when he was enthroned as Sikh Guru following in the footsteps of Sri Guru Angad Dev Sahib Ji, who left for his heavenly abode on 29 March 1552 aged 48.

Becoming a Sikh Guru at the age of 73 made Guru Amar Das ji the oldest person to attain Guruship.

Guru Ji was the eldest son of Sri Tej Bhan ji a farmer and trader and Mata Lachmi Ji, his devoted mother. He was a shopkeeper and lived in a village called Basarke which is near Amritsar.

The third Sikh Guru was married to Mata Mansa Devi and they had four children - Two sons named Bhai Mohan and Bhai Mohri and two daughters named Bibi Dani Ji and younger daughter named Bibi Bhani Ji. Bibi Bhani later married Bhai Jetha who became the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das. See article Platforms of Jetha. .....More

Important Links:

Learning Gurmukhi/Punjabi

• Listen & Learn Gurmukhi Letters (Pain'tee)
• Click, Listen and Speak each letter
• Link to the Learning Index
• Full Punjabi Learning Course
• Animated Stories in Punjabi
• Click & Listen: Numbers in Punjabi
• Guru Granth Sahib with English translation pdf file
• Blog: Project: Gurmukhi

The Guru's Message...

Guru Nanak Dev

Speak and Live Truthfully:- The Sri Guru Granth Sahib tells us that, those ".. devotees are happy and peaceful forever" who "... see the Truth; speak the Truth; and their bodies and minds are True. True are their teachings, and True are their instructions; True are the reputations of these true ones. Those who have forgotten the True One are miserable - they depart weeping and wailing." (page 69)

Do Not See Bad in Others:- Maharaj's hukam is: The "..one who eliminates his self-centeredness, eradicates his ego and night & day sings the songs of the Lord's Love....his body is golden, and his light merges into the Light of the Fearless Lord. ... With a single, impartial eye, look upon all alike, and see God pervading in everyone - The Light of the Lord's ... permeates all; the Gurmukh knows this unknowable." (page 833)

Interfaith Dialogue

The delegation of Religious Leaders of Europe at the NCA building in Birmingham, UK

An important Interfaith Conference was held recently at a Sikh Gurdwara in Birmingham, UK. The conference which was hosted by Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh, Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha was held over three days from 12 to 14 February 2007. At this prestigious meeting, discussions about delicate issues pertaining to the current volatile world environment took place. The assembly looked at the situation facing Muslims in Britain through four focused presentations; “Muslims in Britain, what’s the problem”, “terror and fear”, “religion and education” and “religion and the public sphere” – issues of major importance to Europeans and others all over the world.

Before the formalities began, nearly 30 prominent religious leaders from Europe toured the Gurdwara, first visiting the Darbar Hall where prayers were said for the success of the delegation's noble mission which was about to commence. Following this, the delegation, as per the custom in the house of Guru Nanak partook Langar, many for the first time. The council members were impressed with the warmth and hospitality of the Gurdwara Sevadars.

"Global religious tensions should be tackled at a local level", an MP said in Birmingham today. John Battle, the Prime Minister’s faith envoy, said that "the religious challenges facing the world were now evident in neighbourhoods across the UK." …Continued

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