Visitor:  5409909 Date:  , Nankana Sahib Time :

First Day of Chet Month – Sikh New Year

The first day of Chet marks the beginning of the New Year in the Sikh Calendar. The Sikh calendar commenced in 1469 on the advent of Guru Nanak Sahib, founder of Sikhi, Nanak the Shah (Sovereign).

Chet (Chayt) also means to be awake, aware, conscious of, think of, or turn your attention to; implying to remember or contemplate on the essential things (the One God, the Naam – Spiritual Identity). The First Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak says that in the month of Chet nature blossoms, but man’s mind will blossom, even at this time of the year, only with the remembrance of the God.

Spring is a time of awakening and the Guru calls us to take advantage of this moment. That nature may reflect to us the awakening of soul’s true longing. In spring the young green shoots reach up for the light, and the roots desire nourishment from the earth.

The soul yearns to have the same inner joy that the bees have in the spring; to experience the inner blossoming like the spring flowers; to see more than just the trees. To know the spirit of Oneness behind the whole of nature. Though beauty is showing it’s self in the spring’s unfolding. How can it be enjoyed if the soul-bride deep within feels the body wasting away with the pain of separation. Life seems useless without awakening to Naam – Spiritual Identity with the One.

The bees search for the pollen, The plants seek for the light, and the soul-bride is thirsty for Darshan (Divine vision). She desires inner communion with her Beloved (Husband-Creator-God). We are awakened to the perception of the Oneness in all of nature when we meditate on Naam In the company of Saints; those who live in loving remembrance of the One.

In Guru Granth Sahib, human being as the votary is depicted in the image of a woman who is restless to meet her lover; the romance of nature makes her very tense.