Devotees at the Gurudwara Singh Sabha in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. 

Community feast, prayers and a spread of peace and harmony marked the 547th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak. Around 8,000 people came to pay respect to the founder of Sikhism and the first of their 10 gurus. People from all ages and professions performed seva (service) at the communal kitchen or langar — an inherent concept in Sikhism. Religious scriptures about Guru Nanak Dev were also read out. 

Youngsters from colleges also visited the gurudwara and took part in the festivities. 

Guru Nanak founded Sikhism in the 15th century as a religion that denounced casteism and rituals and propounded the idea of Ek Onkar (a monolithic God).

Text: Anwesha Ambaly
Picture: Sanjib Mukherjee