Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2019: Date, Significance Of The Festival And How To Prepare Sacred Kadha Prasad

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2019 will be celebrated on January 13 and will coincide with Lohri. The event marks the birth anniversary of the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh. Although the Jayanti falls on January 13, 2019, the birth date of Guru Gobind Singh is January 5, 1666. He was spiritual master of the followers of Sikhism, as well as a poet and philosopher. His father was Guru Tegh Bahadur- the ninth Guru of the Sikhs- who was beheaded for refusing to convert to Islam, following which Guru Gobind Singh was established as the leader of the Sikhs at the tender age of nine years. Guru Gobind Singh is known, among other things, for having established the Sikh warrior community of Khalsa in the year 1699, as well as for introducing the five Ks- the five articles of faith that are worn by the Sikh warriors.

(Also Read: Lohri 2019: Date, Significance, Celebration And Festive Foods Of This Punjabi Festival)

Guru Gobind Singh is said to have fought 13 battles against the Mughals and the kings of Siwalik Hills, but he believed in the concept of the Dharam Yuddh- a war for righteousness. He believed that war must be waged as a last resort, not for a wish for revenge or greed, or for any other destructive goals.

Also Read: Love Punjabi Food? Here's How You Can Make A Six Course Fun Punjabi Meal At Home

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2019: Significance and Celebration

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti is an important festival for followers of Sikhism all over the world. The birth anniversary of the tenth Guru of the Sikhs is marked with a number of events, including offering prayers for personal prosperity and peace, as well as processions and 'Prabhat Pheris'. The Hindi word 'prabhat' means dawn or early morning and 'pheri' means tiny processions, so Prabhat Pheris are small processions that are held within the neighourhood. Devotees gather at the break of dawn and sing bhajans, to the accompaniment of certain musical instruments including dholak. The procession or parade ends at the house of one aficionado, who acts as the host for the gathering.

(Also Read: Makar Sankranti 2019: Date, Time, Significance and Foods to Celebrate The Festival)

The processions are characterised by the singing of devotional songs and a vibrant display of Sikh culture and Sikh martial arts. Members of the Sikh community also put up temporary stalls, which offer food and drinks, including sweets and sweet rose milk. Gurudwaras also host prayer meetings and the Golden Temple in Amritsar especially holds langar with hot meals offered to anyone and everyone who visits. Numerous devotees and other visitors are treated to delicious langar meals, which also include the sweet Kadha Prasad, made from semolina, whole wheat flour, ghee (clarified butter) and sugar.

Also Read: Visiting the Golden Temple: Tales of Langar, Kada Prasad and More

^{Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2019: Kadha Prasad is a sacred food for the Sikhs}

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2019: Significance Of Kadha Prasad and How To Make It

Kadha Prasad is a soothing sweet or halwa that is served at Gurudwaras. Not only is the sweet dish extremely delicious, but it also holds a special significance for the followers of Sikhism. The dish is something all attendees of Gurmat seminars look forward to eating and it is said that Karah or Kadha Prasad is to be only accepted while sitting, with head bowed, hand raised in a cupped position, as a sign of humility and respect. To the Sikhs, the Kadha Prasad is a sacred food, which is an important part of their inherent hospitality protocols.

Although it is said that to taste the real and authentic taste of the delicious Kadha Prasad, you must visit a Gurudwara and duly accept it from the sewadar, the recipe may be recreated at home as well. Kadha Prasad has a rich and velvety texture and is very soothing in taste. An important part of preparing Kadha Prasad is the recital of the five holy baanis- Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Tav-Prasad Savaiye, Chaupai and Anand Sahib. These banis are recited by all devoted Sikhs in the morning and when recited during the preparation of the Kadha Prasad, the banis are said to lend a unique devotional and spiritual energy to the halwa.

Here's how you can prepare the Kadha Prasad at home (NDTV Food Recipe by Niru Gupta):

1. Melt some ghee in a pan and add the whole wheat flour to it. Cook the flour until it turns deeper golden brown in colour. At this point, the ghee will appear to separate from the flour, a little bit.

2. In another pan and on a separate flame, add sugar and water together and cook until the sugar has completely dissolved.

3. Add the sugar syrup to the cooked flour, stirring all the time and bring the mixture to a boil, until the water has evaporated.

For the detailed step-by-step procedure and information on quantities of ingredients required, refer to the original recipe here.

Happy Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2019!