Photo: Daljith Singh
Sikhs in New Zealand and the world on Friday celebrated the 555th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh faith and its first guru.
The anniversary - also known as Guru Nanak Jayanti or Gurupurab - falls on the full moon of the Indian lunar month Kartika, which typically falls in October or November.
The day is typically celebrated with devotion and reverence and is an annual public holiday in India.
Sikh communities everywhere mark the day with grand processions featuring shabad keertans (ceremonial carrying of the Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib on a decorated vehicle) and nishan sahibans (religious flag-bearers) accompanied by displays of a traditional Sikh martial art called gatka.
Photo: Daljith Singh
Many Sikh temples mark the occasion with a 48-hour uninterrupted reading of Guru Granth Sahib called the Akhand Path, leading up to the anniversary.
On this day, gurdwaras are decorated with flowers, flags and lights.
And, as is Sikh tradition, langar (communal meals) are served to temple visitors. The day customarily ends with a firework display.
Major celebrations take place in the Indian state of Punjab where many Sikhs live, especially at Golden Temple in Amritsar, Nankana Sahib - located about 80km from Lahore in Pakistan, where Guru Nanak was born in 1469, and at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur (also in Pakistan), where Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life.
In New Zealand, many temples, including Takanini Gurdwawa Sahib in Auckland and Gurdwara Sri Guru Amardas Sahib Ji in Rotorua, have organised a 48-hour Akhand Path that ends on Friday evening.
