Today i.e. on 15th November, 555th Guru Nanak Jayanti is being celebrated with great pomp across the country. Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated every year on the full moon day of Kartik month. This day is also known as Guru Nanak Prakash Parv. This festival is a major festival for the Sikh community, which is celebrated with great enthusiasm. Guru Nanak ji is considered the first Guru of Sikh Religion. But do you know, Guru Nanak Dev did not choose his sons but someone else as his successor. The story behind this is also very interesting…

The first religious leader of the Sikhs i.e. Guru Nanak Dev Ji had two sons. Along with this, he also had four special disciples. Nanak Dev often used to stay with his four disciples and sons. Not only this, he also used to test all of them from time to time.

Talwandi is a place in Punjab province of Pakistan. A Brahmin family lived here. Guru Nanak Dev was born in this family on the day of Kartik Purnima in the year 1469. It is believed in Sikhism that Nanak Dev Ji was blessed with special powers since childhood. He got to learn a lot from his sister Nanaki. At the age of 16, he got married to Sulakhni.

Sulakhni was a resident of Lakhauki in Gurdaspur district of Punjab (India). They had two sons, Srichand and Lakhmi. Shortly after the birth of his sons, Nanak ji left on pilgrimage. He traveled very long distances. Mardana, Lahna, Bala and Ramdas also accompanied him on this journey. He traveled till 1521. During this journey, he used to preach to everyone and make them aware against social evils. He visited many places in India, Afghanistan and Arabia. These journeys are called “Udasiyaan” in Punjabi.

test of bringing a bowl from the drain

Once upon a time, Guru Nanak Dev thought why not take a small test of his disciples. According to this story popular among Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev Ji deliberately threw his bowl in a dirty pond. Everyone thought that perhaps he had accidentally dropped the bowl in the dirty pond. At that time, along with his four disciples, Nanak ji's two sons were also present.

Nanak Dev then asked everyone one by one to bring that bowl out of the drain. One by one the entire group disappeared from there. But Nanak ji's disciple remained there with him. He got into the pond without any delay. Then he took the bowl outside and came out. Seeing this, Nanak ji was very happy with him. There was more space for Lahna in his heart.

When fruits and sweets fall from the tree

Another similar story is also popular. Once upon a time. He used to serve langar at Guru Nanak ji's place. The langar was over that day. Then some more devotees reached Nanak ji's place. Everyone was very hungry. Then Nanak ji told his sons and disciples to climb the tree in front and shake the branch. Fruits and sweets will fall from there and distribute them among the devotees.

Hearing this, everyone thought that maybe Nanak Dev was joking. Because it is absolutely not possible for this to happen. But this time also Lahna climbed the tree. He shook the branch vigorously and exactly what Nanak Dev had said happened. Fruits and sweets started falling from the tree. They were distributed among all the devotees.

The reins were handed over to this disciple

Many similar stories are quite popular in Lahna. This was Lahna's true Guru Prem, due to which even Nanak Dev trusted him the most. Then when the time came to choose a successor, everyone felt that only one of the two sons would become the successor. But this did not happen. Guru Nanak Dev handed over the reins of taking the Sikh sect forward to his supreme disciple Lahna. Later, Lahna became famous by the name of Angad Dev, the second Guru of Sikh sect.