Birthday of Sri Guru Nabha Dass Ji in Punjab Date in the current year: April 8, 2024

Nabha Dass was born on April 8, 1537 in Bhadrachalam, then a village, now a town in Telangana. His parents were faithful devotees of Lord Sri Rama, one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu and a major Hindu deity. According to legend, they were childless and prayed for Rama to bless them with a son who would grow up to be a scholar and theologian.

Their prayers were heard, but, sadly, Nabha Dass’s parents did not live to see him grow up. They died when the was five, leaving their son orphaned. He was taken in by two saints, Keel Dass and Sri Agar Dass Ji, who brought him to a temple hear Jaipur, where Nabha Dass was blessed and tasked with serving pilgrims.

As Nabha Dass gained knowledge and wisdom, he wrote his magnum opus, the Bhaktamal. It is a poem that comprises short biographies of more than 200 bhaktas, i. e. devotees of God. Although some consider the Bhaktamal a hagiography (an idealized biography of a saint), it contains no accounts of miracles.

Most Hindu scholars believe that the Bhaktamal is the earliest unbiased account of many bhaktas across many Hindu denominations, which makes it an important source for the history of religion in northern India. Nabha Dass wrote his poem in the Braj language, primarily spoken in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. It was subsequently translated into Hindi, Bengali, and some other Indian languages.

The Bhaktamal was released in 1585 at Ghalta Dham temple near Jaipur, where Nabha Dass had grown up. Following its release, Nabha Dass embarked on a religious journey throughout India. His first stop was the temple of Rama in his home village, where his parents had sought Lord Rama’s blessing. From there, he traveled across the country, visiting many places, including Punjab.

Sri Guru Nabha Dass Ji’s birth anniversary is celebrated in Punjab. It is normally one of the so-called restricted holidays. The term refers to the holidays additional to the gazetted list; Punjabi government employees can choose two of these additional holidays to observe each year. Occasionally, the government of Punjab includes the birthday of Sri Guru Nabha Dass Ji in the list if gazetted holidays.

The birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nabha Dass Ji is marked by religious ceremonies and other public events to honor the memory of this renowned scholar and saint.