Manchester United, Liverpool, English teams wish fans on Gurupurab: ‘Full of joy, faith and blessings’

Premier League teams and lower division sides took to social media to wish Sikh fans on Gurupurab, a sacred festival which celebrates the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism. It is one of the most important Sikh festivals and is also known as Guru Nanak Jayanti or Guru Nanak Prakash Utsav. Prayers, hymns and community feasts called langars are observed during the festival.

The celebrations revolve around Guru Nanak’s teachings of equality, love and selfless service. The festival features events such as processions, scripture recitations, and special nighttime prayer sessions.

This year, the festival was observed on Wednesday (November 5), and it takes place on a full moon day in the month of Kartik.

Here are the wishes from English football teams:

The celebration begins two days early, with Akhand Path in Gurudwaras. It is a forty-eight-hour, non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs. A day before, they carry out processions called Nagarkirtan.

It is led by the Panj Pyaras, also known as the Five Beloved Ones, and devotees recite hymns. On the day of Gurupurab, Prabhat Pheris (early morning processions) begin at the Gurudwara. Meanwhile, devotees sing hymns and recite kathas, followed by a langar.