Guru Nanak Dev Ji
(1469-1539)
Guru Nanak's Enlightening Life Story
Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhi and the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus. He was born in 1469 in the village of Rāi Bhōi dī Talvaṇḍī, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore in present-day Pakistan.
From a young age, Nanak was fascinated by religion and existed in a state of detachment from the world. He would spend time meditating and reflecting. At the age of 30, he had a revelatory experience while bathing in a river and disappeared for 3 days.
When he reappeared, he began preaching his new ideology which focused on a formless divine figure, rejection of the caste system, selfless service to humanity, and truthful living.
Nanak embarked on long udasiya (journeys) to spread his message to different parts of South Asia and beyond. He denounced empty religious rituals and emphasized internal devotion through nam simran (remembrance of God’s name) and singing of hymns.
In his travels, he was accompanied by his Muslim rabab player Mardana. Guru Nanak promoted equality between different religions and rejected claims of religious superiority.
He installed a simple system of worship involving sangat (fellowship) and pangat (community kitchen) rather than rituals and priests. He appointed his most devoted follower Angad as his successor.
