The Book of Nanak - by Navtej Sarna

This year will mark the 550th Guru Nanak Gurpurab. It is not only an important day for Sikh community world-wide, but also for Indian subcontinent at large, which gave birth to and nurtured this great soul. As the negotiations for opening of Kartarpur corridor are being held between India and Pakistan, it is necessary to understand importance of Kartarpur for Sikhs.

However, before doing that, it is important to trace Guru Nanak's central teachings - which is symbolized by Kartarpur. First and foremost principle is 'Ek Onkar', that is, there is but one God. Service, Love and Charity are essential means to meeting Him. The Service(Kirat Karna) is to do one's work and live a honest life. Guru Nanak didn't subscribed to life of asceticism or renunciation. Instead, one must live in the reality with all it's problems and joys. The love(Nam japna) for supreme being is to be expressed through meditating his name, individually(Paath) or in congregation(Kirtan). Finally, Charity(Vand chakna) is about improving the lives of fellow human beings.

For Guru Nanak, human institutions like marriage, family, et cetera were not antithetical to religious pursuits. In fact, it was central to his conception of life that human beings should live. Salvation was to come via good deeds practiced in one's daily life and overcoming worldly evils of lust, greed, anger, ego, and attachment via meditation and discipline. Furthermore, Guru Nanak stood for equality of human beings, irrespective of caste, religion and gender. For him, it was essential to shed the ritualism and superstitions that chained the human body and soul.

To spread his message far and wide, he traveled across length and breadth of Indian subcontinent as well as far towards West Asia and Arabia. These udasis(journeys) were carried out over more than two decades and in all four directions. It is at the end of this long travel that Guru Nanak finally settled in Kartarpur in early 1520s.

Kartarpur, meaning 'city of creator', was founded around 1516 just before Guru Nanak left for his third udasi(journey) towards north into Himalayas. Located on the right bank of Ravi river in Pakistan,a patch land was selected by Nanak for his eventual settlement. As time went by, people from all walks of life and faiths migrated in to become part of their guru's expanding community. After finishing his udasis, Nanak himself settled in as a householder like any other person. Thus, his ideas that he preached on his udasis were first put to practice by Guru Nanak at Kartarpur.

It is also at Kartarpur that Guru Nanak started the tradition of Kirtan and Langar - today, both are central features of Sikhism. Former signifies the expression of love for one's God by singing of compositions by congregation of devotees(sangat). Langar(i.e. community kitchen) serves the purpose of realizing ideas of equality and humanity. During his stay there, Guru Nanak also made many distinguished followers. Baba Buddha Ji, who served as first Granthi at Golden Temple in 1604, met and became Guru Nanak's disciple at Kartarpur.

Significantly, it was at Kartarpur that 2nd Guru of Sikhs, Guru Angad Dev Ji, also became disciple of Nanak. His anointment as successor by Nanak also happened here. Finally, in 1539, when Guru Nanak passed away, he was at Kartarpur. It is at the place of his demise that Kartarpur Sahib is said to be built. Given that Guru Nanak's 550 Gurpurab is around the corner, it is the duty of India and Pakistan to undo the historical wrongs committed during Partition. To this end, opening of Kartarpur Sahib is one big step towards that direction.