Guru Nanak, also referred to as Baba Nanak, was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. Born in 1469, in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the first guru and founder of the Sikh religion – the fifth-largest religion in the world. Born into a Hindu family of a high caste, Guru Nanak had a revelatory experience at a young age, denounced his faith and caste, and realized that “there is one God and one human race.” He gave people the message of Ik Onkar ‘one God’, who dwells in every one of his creations and constitutes the eternal Truth. Guru Nanak emphasised that all human beings can have direct access to God without rituals or priests.

The peoples of the world were confused by the conflicting message at that time of period, given by priests, pundits, qazis, mullahs, etc. In 1499, he decided to set out on his sacred mission to spread the holy message of peace and compassion. It is believed that Guru Nanak is the second most travelled person in the world; most of his journeys were made on foot with his companion Bhai Mardana. He travelled in all four directions – North, East, West and South. The founder Sikh Guru is believed to have travelled more than 28,000 Kms in five major tours of the world during the period from 1500 to 1524. He travelled towns of Kashmir, Punjab, U.P., Pakistan, to Cyclone, Tashkent, Sikkim, Tibet and also to Mecca and Arab countries. He is the only non-Islamic person allowed in holy town of Mecca.

He spread his belief that we can find the divinity within each of us through prayer, humility, service, meditation, and virtuous living. He was a poet, a mystic, a philosopher, and a singer who denounced ritualism as well as discrimination against women and those of lower socio-economic status. He talked about women’s equality, emphasized that discrimination against women is a denial of the oneness of all beings. Nanak’s followers became known as Sikhs, which means seekers of truth.

Nanak’s words are registered in the form of 974 poetic hymns, or shabda, in the holy text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib, with some of the major prayers being the Japji Sahib (‘to recite’); ji and sahib are suffixes signifying respect, the Asa di Var (ballad of hope). It is part of Sikh religious belief that the spirit of Nanak’s sanctity, divinity, and religious authority had descended upon each of the nine subsequent Gurus when the Guru ship was devolved on to them.

Guru Nanak did not subscribe to the theory of incarnation or the concept of prophet hood. He spread pivotal concept of Guru. Nanak is not an incarnation of God, not even a prophet. He is an illumined soul
Guru Nanak emphasised upon bhakti (love, devotion, or worship) and taught that the spiritual life and secular householder life are intertwined. In his perspective, the everyday world is part of an infinite reality, where increased spiritual awareness leads to increased and vibrant participation in the everyday world. Guru Nanak described living an “active, creative, and practical life” of “truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity” as being higher than the metaphysical truth.

Through popular tradition, Nanak’s teaching is understood to be practised in three ways. Vand Shhako (share & consume), Share with others, help those who are in need, so you may eat together. Kirat Karo (work honestly), Earn an honest living, without exploitation or fraud; and Naam Japo (recite His name), Meditate on God’s name, so to feel His presence every moment.

When Guru Nanak passed away, there is a story that there was debate over whether he would be cremated in the Hindu tradition, or buried according to Muslim tradition. He had already professed his death and left instructions, that Hindus should leave flowers on his right side, and Muslims should leave flowers on his left. Whichever flowers were fresh the next day would determine the ritual to be used. Instead, when people came to check on his body 3 days later, his body was in the exact condition that it was before, and found that a bed of flowers had fully bloomed under and around his body. It was after this that he was cremated.