3 books on writings of Guru Nanak Dev released to commemorate his 550th birth anniversary

Union ministers Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' and Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Thursday launched three new books on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism to commemorate his 550th birth anniversary.

Originally published in Punjabi, the three books have been translated into 15 major Indian languages.

The books titled "Guru Nanak Bani", "Nanak Bani", and "Sakhian Guru Nanak Dev" was released by HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' and Union Food Processing Industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal at Delhi University's Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College.

While "Guru Nanak Bani", compiled by Bhai Jodh Singh, is a collection of selected verses from the original Bani of Guru Nanak Dev, the "Nanak Bani", compiled by Manjit Singh features five prominent writings (paanch bania) of the Sikh guru.

The 'Janamsakhis' literally meaning birth stories, are writings which profess to be the biographies of Guru Nanak. 'Sakhian Guru Nanak', compiled by Jagtarjit Singh, is a book based on these life stories of Guru Nanak Dev.

Guru Nanak Dev, born in 1469 in Sri Nankana Sahib in present day Pakistan, undertook spiritual journeys across India, South Asia, Tibet and Arabia, to promote equality.

His messages are penned down in the in the holy text of Sikhism, the "Guru Granth Sahib".

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November last year had passed a resolution to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in 2019 throughout the country and across the globe together with state governments and the Indian Missions abroad.