Fact Box: Guru Nanak (1469–1539 CE)
- Guru Nanak was born in a village called Talwandi ((modern times Nankana Sahib in Pakistan).
- He was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
- When he was 30 years old, Guru Nanak disappeared for three days during a river bath and many people thought that he had drowned.
- Upon returning, Guru Nanak declared that "There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim" and that humankind should be unified, not divided, by religious labels.
- This, in fact, marked the beginning of his life as a spiritual leader, solemnly affirming the unity of God and, equally so, the brotherhood of man.
- Large-scale travels (Udasis): He traveled across India, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Afghanistan, and the Arabian Peninsula.
- He wrote many hymns, which Guru Arjan Dev compiled in the Adi Granth.
- Ten Sikh Gurus: Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan, Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Rai, Guru Har Krishan, Guru Teg Bahadur, and Guru Gobind Singh.
- Sikh scripture, called the Guru Granth Sahib, is referred to as the Final Guru.
- The concept of Sikhism includes:
- Universal acceptance of all humanity
- Belief in one God
- The name of God is Truth, “Sat Nam”
- Equality of all persons irrespective of their caste, colour, gender, nationality and religion
- Equality of the sexes is emphasised
|