Why is it in the news?

• President of India extends greetings on Guru Nanak Jayanti, celebrating the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.

About Guru Nanak Dev

• Guru Nanak Jayanti, also known as Gurpurab, is observed on the fifteenth lunar day of the Hindu month of Kartik, typically in November.
• Guru Nanak Dev (1469-1539) was born in Talwandi Rai Bhoe, near Lahore, later renamed Nankana Sahib.
• Guru Nanak initiated inter-faith dialogue in the 16th century, engaging with various religious denominations of his time.
• Compositions by Guru Nanak were integrated into the Adi Granth by Guru Arjan (1563-1606) and later evolved into Guru Granth Sahib by the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708).
• Guru Nanak Dev’s commitment to equality is reflected in social institutions like Langar (collective cooking and sharing of food), Pangat (partaking in food without caste distinctions), and Sangat (collective decision-making).
• Advocated equality without distinctions of caste, creed, and gender.