Birthplace and Central Message of Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak was born on the day of Kartik Purnima in 1469 at a place called Talwandi in India. A grand Gurdwara has now been built at this site, known as Nankana Sahib. This place lies in the Punjab province of Pakistan, near the India–Pakistan border. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Sikh devotees from India visit this sacred site for pilgrimage.
Guru Nanak, the first Guru of Sikhism, institutionalized the eternal tradition of the Guru and the disciple within the Sikh faith. This Guru–disciple tradition remained spiritually alive until 1708, during the time of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. The Sikh religion follows the Guru’s command as set out in its primary sacred scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib.
The Guru Granth Sahib is regarded as complete after the inclusion of the sacred verses of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. In accordance with the Guru’s instruction, the tradition of accepting a human as Guru came to an end, and the Guru Granth Sahib has since been revered as the living Guru Maharaj.
With the core principle that there is only one Supreme Being, the Lord of all living beings, Guru Nanak devoted his life to the remembrance and devotion of the One Omkar, the One Divine. The essence of Sikhism lies in the continuity of the eternal Guru–disciple tradition, and the word “Sikh” itself means “disciple.”
Through the foundational mantra “Ik Onkar Satguru Prasad,” Guru Nanak Dev introduced the system of the community kitchen (collective langar) to bind humanity in unity and to end social and religious discrimination such as caste divisions and untouchability. This practice remains active in thousands of Gurdwaras, the courts of the Guru, across the world in service to humanity.
Udasi Journeys and Routes Linked to Nepal
Distressed by human suffering, hunger, illiteracy, and ignorance, Guru Nanak led an Udasi (itinerant) life for 25 years from 1499 to 1524. During this period, in the guise of a yogi and accompanied by his childhood companions Bala and Mardana, he undertook five Udasi journeys in all four directions: east, west, north, and south.
Researchers have noted that in the course of these Udasi journeys, Guru Nanak is believed to have walked more than 28,000 kilometers. Guru Gorakhnath and Baba Nanak are regarded as revered contemporary spiritual masters of the Himalayan region of India.
It is said that during the third of Baba Nanak’s Udasi journeys, he traveled through Kashmir, Mount Sumeru, Tashkent, Tibet, and Kathmandu, continuing onward to Sikkim.
It is believed that Guru Nanak’s visit to Nepal took place between 1514 and 1518 as part of this third Udasi journey, which is said to have lasted five years. According to these accounts, Guru Nanak, seeking the answer to what God’s true message for humanity is, and in search of the true essence of Shiva (realization of Shivahood), assumed the guise of a yogi, withdrew from worldly attachments, and began his Udasi journeys with the aspiration of drawing nearer to God.
During that time, historical indications related to the Udasi tradition and the Guru Granth Sahib are said to be associated with the Pashupati area, the Thapathali–Bagmati river area, Balaju, Gyaneshwar, and the surroundings of Singha Durbar. Further research on these aspects is still considered necessary.
Historical Traditions and Guru Granth Sahib in Kathmandu Valley
Within Guru–disciple traditions, there are narratives that Guru Nanak:
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Organized langar at Thapathali for saints, holy figures, and spiritual leaders.
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Stayed in a cave at Gyaneshwar, where he is said to have shot an arrow and brought forth water from Gyan Dhara.
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Held discourses on matters of governance and statecraft for the royal household.
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Engaged in scriptural debates with saints at the Charavriksha site in Balaju.
At five locations—Gyaneshwar, the Pashupati area, Thapathali, Shobha Bhagawati, and the ancient Guru Nanak Math Udasi Math—copies of the Guru Granth Sahib are present, some printed and some handwritten.
It is regarded as a matter of pride that handwritten Guru Granth Sahib volumes, representing Sikh religious tradition and civilization and not available for worship in all Guru Darbars across India, are enshrined in the Udasi monasteries and temples of Kathmandu.
The preservation of the historical religious scriptures and treasures of Guru Nanak and Sikhism is both a responsibility and a duty of the state and all citizens. In accordance with the Guthi Corporation Act, 2033, these sites have been functioning as assigned Guthis under the Guthi Sansthan, upholding this tradition.
Sikh Community in Nepal and Global Context
Although official statistics show a relatively small number of Sikh adherents in Nepal, it is estimated that around five thousand Sikhs reside in areas including:
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Kapilvastu
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Rupandehi
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Butwal
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Bhairahawa
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Banke
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Lalitpur
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Parsa
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Sunsari
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Dhangadhi
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Mahendranagar
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Kathmandu
Globally, there are about forty million Sikh followers, with approximately twenty-five million in India and about fifteen million in other countries. For these followers, if the physical infrastructure of such invaluable and unique cultural, social, and religious heritage sites can be developed and linked with religious tourism, it is seen that this could contribute to the overall economic development of the country.
In addition to Kathmandu, Gurdwaras are located in Lalitpur, Dhangadhi, Nepalgunj, Krishnanagar, Butwal, and Birgunj. On the occasion of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary, the Government of Nepal has also declared a public holiday on Wednesday for Sikh followers.
Spiritual Message, Heritage Preservation, and Religious Tourism
The core aspiration is that the message of “Ik Onkar Satguru Prasad”—that there is only one God, the true Guru of all humankind—and the teaching of the Guru Granth Sahib that the Supreme Being for all is Akal Purakh, the fearless and formless One, may spread throughout the world.
“Sat Sri Akal, Jo Bole So Nihal” expresses the sincere reverence of this formless, fearless One Supreme Being. For the creation of strong religious and social bonds, mutual harmony between the Guru–disciple tradition and different faiths, and cohesive spiritual relationships, the social influence of:
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Guru Vani
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Guru Kirtan
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Guru Bhajan
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Langar Prasad
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Akhand Path
is profoundly original, deep, and intimate.
If the state, communities, and citizens ensure proper preservation, promotion, support, and dissemination of such invaluable religious and cultural heritage and treasures within the country, economic progress and social harmony can be advanced through the expansion of religious tourism.
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