Indian musicians on Guru Nanak Jayanti

On Guru Purab today, Indian musicians tell us how they celebrate this festival and what the day means to them.

Mika Singh

I feel proud to be a Sikh. More than being a religion, it’s like a belief. Guru Nanak Dev ji believed ki sabka maalik ek hai. On this day, there are langars in gurdwaras across the world. Har saal, aaj ke din main langar karta hoon at different places. There is a shabad (a verse from the Guru Granth Sahib), Jo Mange Thakur Apne Te Soyi Soyi Deve, which I feel describes the energy of this day.

Sukhwinder Singh

The magic of Guru Nanak Dev ji was in the fact that unhe jo bhi gyaan praapt hua, unhone woh samet ke nahin rakha, balki aam logon se share kiya. He explained the functioning of the universe through his poetry. On this day, I pay respect to him and what he stood for. My shabad, Tu Prabh Daata, from the film Halla Bol (2007), is synonymous to this festival.

Harshdeep Kaur

I have been celebrating Guru Nanak Jayanti since childhood. There are so many memories attached to this day. Going for the prabhat feris early in the morning, singing hymns from the gurbani and eating a lot of karaah prashad and langar, dressing up in traditional wear and visiting the gurdwara was something I looked forward to every time. I feel the energy of this day in my shabad, Satguru Nanak Aaye Ne, which encapsulates the magic of the festival. It portrays the message of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the message of unity in diversity, love and togetherness.

Daler Mehndi

Guru Nanak means breath to me. He means music, travel, poetry, light, wisdom, birth, death and the journey beyond. I feel intrigued, bewildered and embraced with the loving web weaved by him. I feel overwhelming joy on this day, which is unexplainable. My way of celebrating the festival involves attending keertan, celebrating Guru Nanak ji’s kudrat, karaah prashad and langar. Many shabads describe the energy of this day, for example, the starting line of a song called Baba Nanak Mere Naal Naal.