Nagpur: The 70,000-strong Sikh community in the city is all set to celebrate the 549th Prakash Parv or Guru Nanak Jayanti on November 4. The announcement about the event was made through a large procession called Nagar Kirtan taken out on November 1 from the gurdwara at Budhaji Nagar to the one at Ramdaspeth.Baba Guru Nanak Dev, the first guru of Sikhs, holds the highest position among the 10 gurus worshipped by the community. "It is wrong to consider only sardars as Sikhs as the word actually means shishya," says Prakash Singh general secretary of Gurdwara Singh Sabha at Ramdaspeth. "People of all religions worship Guru Nanak Dev as his preaching's say that all men are equal," he adds.Though there are 14 gurdwaras in the city but major celebrations are held at one place and this year they are being organized by Gurudwara Guru Nanak Darbar at Gurunanakpura. "The celebrations revolve around 'sangat and pangat', informs president of the gurdwara, Parvindar Singh Vij. "Three preceding days see kirtan and sermons at various gurdwaras but the biggest event on November 4 will be held at KP ground where 25,000-strong congregation will take part," says Vij. "From 5am to 7am, kirtan and Gurbani will be recited by professional kirtankaars, Jaskaran Singh from Patiala and Gyani Gurdeep Singh from Kapurthala," says Vij. "These activities will continue from 9am to 2.30pm and will resume again at 6pm and will go on till 10pm," he adds.Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served to everybody during the day as langar forms an integral part of the celebrations. "Sitting together to eat symbolizes that all men are equal," says Vij and adds that members of the community pitch in through donations of money, services and food items. These celebrations have been going on in the city for the past 60 years after the first big gurdwara was built in 1953."Our community is structured around the gurdwara which serves as a multipurpose institution for us," says chartered accountant Tejindar Singh Rawal. "As visiting the gurdwara with entire family is a habit with us, the children too do not require much initiation when it comes to participation in Prakash Parv events," he adds. "Seva or service to all is the highest act according to our Granth Sahib. We don't require any telling to perform it," adds law student Harjyot Singh.Volunteering for the langar seva at the gurdwara, 22-year-old Karan Lamba, who is pursuing MBA, says, "The youth are deputed for langar seva and we remain at the community kitchen helping with the cooking which is done the previous night of the main celebrations. Since childhood, we have been performing these acts of service and it comes naturally to us."

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