Visakhapatnam celebrates Gurpurab with the right festive spirits

Gurpurab is a Sikh tradition to commemorate the births of the ten Sikh Gurus. Among them, Guru Nanak Jayanti, which is being celebrated today (23 November), is the most auspicious one. The festival marks the birth of the first guru and founder of Sikhism – Guru Nanak Dev, who was born in 1469 in Talwandi, Lahore. The Gurudwara in Visakhapatnam too, much like each year, is upbeat with all the right festive spirits to make the holy occasion all the more special. Here’s what you need to know about the all-famous langar and other festivities at the sacred summit in the city.

Every year, a three-day celebration is carried out with fervour in Visakhapatnam for Guru Nanak Jayanti. The celebrations begin two days prior to Gurpurab with early morning processions (Prabhat Pheris) and 48-hour recitation of hymns (Akhand Path) from the Guru Granth Sahib.  And a day prior to Gurpurab, a procession (Nagar Kirtan) is organised. On the day of Gurpurab, prayers begin at 4 am (Amrit Vela) and the day witnesses with all the members of the community singing the holy hymns in unison for the revered Guru.

After the prayers, the clock strikes time for langar. A langar is an integral part of a Gurdwara, where food is served to all the visitors (without distinction of background. Langars are organised and carried out by volunteers at Gurudwara, where they serve food to everyone.

Kada Prasad, a special sweet dish, is prepared to mark the occasion of Gurpurab and is served today. So, visit Gurudwara Sadh Sangat in Visakhapatnam today and soak into the celebrations of culture and tradition.

Langar timings at Gurdwara Sadh Sangat in Visakhapatnam on 23 November- 7:00 pm-8:30 pm (for dinner).