Mumbaikars join the celebrations as the Sikh community celebrates their founder’s birth anniversary with seva, and charity
Each time Sardar Ram Singh Rathor picks up shoes of strangers, he feels he has followed the teachings of Guru Nanak. Founder of Sikh religion, Guru Nanak was born in 1469 and on Monday, the Sikh community across the world celebrated the founder’s 547th birth anniversary. Over a lakh people came to take seek blessings of Guru Granth Sahib — the central religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the eternal living Guru following the lineage of the 10 human Gurus of the religion — to mark the festival at Garodia Nagar, where the apex body of Sikhs in city, Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Dadar organises celebrations.
“When you pick up shoes of people, you finish your ego. There are rich and poor who come for darshan and picking of shoes is a seva that is symbolic to all people being one,” said Ram Singh who as a mukh sevedar (chief serviceman) along with his volunteers kept shoes of thousands of others who kept coming to through the day.
Into the business of making bullet proof cars and honorary secretary of Mumbai Hockey Association, Ram Singh heads Sevak Jatha and takes a two days off. “This is the real seva (service) when you come here and serve people in whatever way. Sitting in office you do not get that bonding of one community. Out here, you not just pick up their shows and slippers but also sit with all people alike to have langar (food). Guru Nanak Devji stood for abolishing caste system and taught that world is one community. He was for bond and not bondage,” he added.
“Guru Nanak Dev emphasised on seva, Jap and charity. The idea of celebrating his birthday is to ensure that we follow his teachings,” said Manmohan Singh, general secretary of Sri Guru Singh Sabha that organises the event.
Special Kirtankars who are authorised to do Kirtans in Golden Temple are called on this day besides a number of social activities like blood donation, health check up, free download of music and serving of Langar is done as part of seva.
“This is the first time we have come. Today we will be giving Kirtan on the life of Guru Nanak Dev and what he did and how he lived,” said Sahib Singh, head Kirtankar who had come from Golden Temple for the kirtan.
Amit Sawant, too came for the first time said came after his friend invited him over. “We came and prayed here. My friend is from the community and he had invited me,” said Sawant who liked the idea of having langar and the concept of seva.
“Our day starts early and we come here for Darshan. Once we have done that, we listen to Kirtan and stay around till the people come here for langar,” said Gyan Singh who had come to serve food to people. “Serving is satisfying hunger of our soul on this day. We look forward to do this,” said Sulakham Singh, another sevedar.
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