Guru Nanak Jayanti is an annual holiday celebration for Sikhs in Nepal. Most of the population of Nepal is Hindu, but there is also a Sikh community that celebrates the birthdays of the first gurus of Sikhis.
Guru Nanak Jayanti is the birth anniversary of Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak. Nanak was born in 1469, some say in April and others say in November.
Guru Nanak was born in what is today Pakistan, but he is said to have travelled to Nepal and other countries in the region during his life, spreading his teachings. Today, there are many Sikhs in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and elsewhere.
Two days before the actual birthday of Guru Nanak, Sikhs begin going on processions in local areas near their temples. They sing hymns to their beloved guru as they march around town. In the temples, they read the Sikh scriptures for 48 hours and also spend much time in prayer.
Some pray from sunset till 2am on Guru Nanak Jayanti. They stop to sing hymns at 1:20am, which is thought to be the time of day when the guru was born.
