Guru Nanak's Birthday Celebration, 2003

November 8, 2003

Source: The Hartford Courant

http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-sikh1108.artnov08,1,2566309.story?coll=hc-headlines-local

On November 8, 2003 The Hartford Courant reported that "for Sikhs, today is the most important holiday of the year. It's the birthday of Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh faith, who was born more than 500 years ago in Talwandi, a village now in the Lahore region of Pakistan. Sikhs celebrate the holiday with special prayers that include a continuous reading of their holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, and a festive meal at the gurdwara, the Sikh temple. Susheer Kaur Sareen, 55, a Windsor resident, prepares for the holiday by placing bright lights, like those used for Christmas, inside the house and outside around the doorway. Sweets are also made to give as gifts, and Sareen will bring one of her special dishes to share at the gurdwara. 'People go out of their way to make the best food they can, and they line up to volunteer' to serve in the kitchen of the gurdwara on the holiday, said Sareen, who attends Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar in Southington... There are about 23 million Sikhs worldwide, nearly 100,000 in the U.S. There are two gurdwaras in this state, each with a congregation of several hundred. At the gurdwara, the holiday is marked by a continuous reading of Guru Granth Sahib, which contains the writings of Guru Nanak, beginning Friday evening and ending Sunday."