ALL EARS: Devotees listening to the katha-kirtan at the gurudwara at the 536th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Guru Nanak Dev in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. — Photo: K.R. Deepak

VISAKHAPATNAM: More than 5,000 people congregated at the gurdwara in Seethammadhara here on Tuesday to celebrate the 536th birth anniversary of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev.

The mass congregation was marked by the recitation of kirtans and kathas by Napinder Singh and party, who were specially invited from Delhi.

A 48-hour non-stop `akhandpath' of the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib was done before the actual celebrations started.

Women, charming and graceful with their long lustrous hair tied back and heads covered with duppattas, along with their family, were all ears to the `katha' and `kirtan', which preached equality among all human beings and protection of the religion at all costs.

Role for all

Families gathered at the gurdwara from the early hours of the day for the preparations. Men became expert cooks as they whole-heartedly participated in the activities in the kitchen. Giggling young girls and boys gave a helping hand to the elders by dapping the rotis with ghee.

Langar, the community meal that followed, had the unmistakable stamp of equality and brotherhood as people from all castes sat together to enjoy the sumptuous meal. Devotees had taken out processions - `prabhat pheris' - in the past few days in the streets across the city.

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