Guru Nabha Dass

In News

• The Punjab government has announced a gazetted holiday on the birth anniversary of Guru Nabha Dass, a 16th-century saint.

About Guru Nabha Dass

• Born on April 8, 1537 at village Bhadrachalam on the bank of Godavari river in Khammam district, which falls in the present-day Telangana
• Belonged to Mahasha also known as doom or dumna community, which is one of the Scheduled Caste communities.
• Religious gurus — Agar Dass and Keel Dass.
• People from this community are also known as Nabhadassias. They are known for making baskets and grain storage containers with bamboo.
• Guru Nabha Dass wrote ‘Bhagatmal’ in 1585. It has a life history of around 200 saints.

What is his connection with Punjab? 

• Guru Nabha Dass used to visit village Pandori in Gurdaspur district where people of Doom community live. Some gurus of the community also used to live there.
• Neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and Jammu states also have a sizeable presence of the community.
• Kullu Dussehra is celebrated for a week on the directions of Guru Nabha Dass.
• There are around 30 lakh people of the Mahasha community who live in Punjab, including around one lakh in Pathankot itself.

Source: IE