Celebrated by
the Sikhs, the birthday of their tenth and last guru, this day
witnesses’ large processions and special prayer
gatherings at all Gurudwaras.
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Nanak (Sikh Guru), was born at Patna
Sahib on December 22, 1666, (Poh Sudi Saptmi). His birthday generally
falls in December or January or sometimes twice within a year as it is
calculated according to Hindu
Bikrami Calendar, which is based on the lunar calendar. According to
the Nanakshahi Calendar, the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib falls
annually on January 5.
Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708 C.E.)
lived during an extremely dangerous time. His father, Guru Tegh
Bahadur, had sacrificed his life to protect the freedom of worship
by Hindus, who were being threatened with conversion or death by
zealous Muslim
rulers. Abduction of women and pillage of goods were rampant, but the
people were too timid and terrorized to resist. In the midst of this
political situation, Guru Gobind Singh gained great stature as both
Saint and soldier a leader of firm spiritual principles and intense
devotion to God, and at the same time, fearless dedication to
protecting all people from oppression and injustice through the
practice of Kshatradharma
In 1699, He dramatically initiated
five men from the lower castes as His Five Beloveds, blessing them
with great courage as well as nearness to God. They became models for
the Khalsa, the Order of the Pure, which Guru Gobind Singh created to
stand on the front line against injustice. The Khalsa were held to a
very strict moral and spiritual discipline and under Guru Gobind
Singh's courageous inspiration, helped to turn the tide against Mughal
oppression in India.
In addition to his spiritual and military leadership, Guru Gobind
Singh was a gifted intellectual and had many poets in his court. He
was inspired to write many powerful spiritual compositions that
infused a martial spirit
in the people.
This included the Jaap Sahib, but He did not include them in the Sikh
scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. His writings have instead been
collected in a separate volume, called the Dasam Granth. Upon His
passing away, He instructed his Sikhs to regard the Guru Granth Sahib as
their teacher. 'Granth' literally means 'volume' (especially, a Holy
volume). 'Sahib' is a term of reverence used for anything sacred. The
Guru Granth Sahib is the perpetual guru of the Sikhs today.
The prasad of Ugadi/Gudi Padwa is the bitter leaves of the neem tree
with jaggery. There are special foods prepared for this festival. In the
southern states, puligore, bobbatlu, holige and Ugadi Pachadi made of
jagerry, raw mango pieces, neem flowers and tamarind is prepared. In
Maharastra, shrikhand -a fragrant yogurt dessert, with poori is
prepared.
