Sikh TV stars share their thoughts on Guru Nanak Jayanti

Today is Guru Nanak Jayanti, the birth anniversary of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak. We asked some Sikh TV stars what Guru Nanakji's teachings mean to them and what they were doing on this day.

 

Aarti Singh: I visit the Gurudwara every Thursday. I respect all religions including Sikhism, the religion I was born into. All religions are after all the same, they all teach you to love one another. I will be visiting the Gurudwara today for sure. I have been to the Golden Temple at Amritsar. The ambience of the temple is really nice, soothing, peaceful and pure.

 

Daljeet Bhanot: Guru Nanak Jayanti brings back the best times of my childhood memories. After Diwali we used to have some crackers for this auspicious day, so we used to call it our second Diwali. Guru Nanak Dev Ji has given good teachings to the Sikhs. He said he was not God but the messenger of God. He has given the direction of life in the Guru Granth Sahib. I definitely try and follow his teachings and principles. I have been to the Golden Temple. The experience cannot be jotted down in words. It's simply breathtaking.

 

Shaleen Bhanot: When Sikhism was founded, the Sikhs were the warriors to protect the Hindus so that the people could be safe and at peace. I am more on the peace side of Sikhism; so to me the biggest teaching of Guru Nanakji is to love every human being on Earth and to protect the weak.  My wife Daljeet and myself visited the Gurudwara today and had kadha prasad and langar.

 

Manmeet Singh: Guru Nanakji founded a religion which showed the most practical way of life. He said in the Punjabi language- kirat karna (to work and earn by the sweat of the brow, to live a family way of life, and practice truthfulness and honesty in all dealings), naam japna (the remembrance of God by repeating and focussing the mind on His name or identity) and vand chakna (to share and consume together).

As Guru Nanak Saheb ji had taught I wake up early in the morning and say the name of the Almighty God and then go to work. In accordance to Sikh teachings I share 10% of my earnings with the poor and the needy. Sikhism takes away all superstitious beliefs. For instance we don't believe in mahurats. Nor do we fast. We also believe in Chardi Kala- that is to be in high spirits in even the worst adversities in life.  'All is well' used by Aamir khan in his movie Three Idiots is what the followers of Guru Nanak Sahebji have been believing in practical life since Sikhism came into existence from the very start.

I woke up early in the morning and attended the Guru Nanak procession. I was given the permission to arrive at the set at 10:30am today. I kept my word and arrived ten minutes earlier at 10.20am sharp. There I gave people who couldn't walk or were tired, specially the elderly, a lift in my car to the gurudwara. Tonight I will have dinner at the Gurudwara's langar where both the rich and poor sit down together to eat. 

I have been to the Golden Temple at Amritsar- it has four gateways which indicates that people from all religions are most welcome to enter. After entering they have to climb down the stairs which indicates that they should forsake their egos. I just loved to sit at the Golden Temple's parikrama to listen to the holy word for hours.

Nanak Naam Chardi Kala Teray Bahanay sarbat da bhalla - Guru Nanak 

Reporter and Author: Pallavi Bhattacharya