Saka Nankana Sahib

In News -The centenary of the Sri Nankana Sahib massacre, which is popularly known as Saka Nankana Sahib was marked on  February 21 this year.

Background

• The Nankana Sahib Massacre refers to the grim episode during the Gurdwara Reform Movement/ Akali Movement in which a peaceful batch of reformist Sikhs was subjected to a murderous assault on 20 February 1921 in the holy Gurdwara at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji.
• It was the site of the first big agitation by the SGPC to take back control of gurdwaras from mahants backed by the British.

Reasons

• During the early twentieth century, the control of the Golden Temple and gurdwaras continued to be in the hands of ‘mahants’ (priests) who enjoyed the tacit support of the British government.
•  These ‘mahants’ often treated the gurdwaras as their personal fiefdoms and encouraged practices such as idol worship and discriminated against Dalits, both in violation of the tenets of Sikhism.
• The SGPC came into existence in November 1920 and It started the gurdwara reform movement which was aimed at taking possession of historical Sikh Gurdwaras
• Newly formed SGPC asked Mahants to improve the administration of gurdwaras in October 1920. However, the mahants took it as a challenge to his authority and started equipping themselves with arms.
  • They fortified the gurdwara and attacked reformists.
    •  Total number of casualties stood between 150 to 200.

About Guru Nanak Dev:

• Early Life– He was born on April 15, 1469, at Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi, near Lahore, which is in the Sheikhpura district of modern-day Pakistan.
• He was born into a middle-class Hindu family and raised by his parents, Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta.
• Founder of Sikhism- He was the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus and the founder of Sikhism in the 15th century.
• He started writing the Guru Granth Sahib and completed 974 hymns.
• His Teachings– He advocated the ‘Nirguna’ (devotion to and worship of formless divine) form of bhakti.
  • Advocated the existence of one God and taught to reach out to God through meditation and other pious practices.
  • He set up rules for congregational worship (Sangat) involving collective recitation.
  • His verses also preach selfless service to humanity, prosperity and social justice for all, irrespective of differences.
    • Guru Nanak travelled across South Asia and the Middle East to spread his teachings.
• A Gurdwara was built at his birthplace in the city now known as Nankana Sahib which is located in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

• Guru Nanak Jayanti-It is also known as Gurpurab, is the most important festival for the followers of the religion of Sikhism.
  • The festival is celebrated on the day of Kartik Poornima, which is the fifteenth lunar day in the month of Kartik according to the Hindu calendar, and usually falls in the month of November by the Gregorian calendar.

• Kartarpur corridor: The corridor was built to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, founder of Sikhism on 12th November 2019.

• It is one of the holiest places for Sikhs where Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji settled and preached for the last 18 years of his life.

Source: IE