Guru Nanak Dev Ji the founder and first Guru of Sikhism was born in the year 1469, in the village of Talwandi, Punjab.
During his four major spiritual tours, Guru Nanak Dev Ji visited every region of India, Sri Lanka, Arabia, and Persia. He spoke with head priests of various sects of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Parsees, and Muslims while visiting head centres of all major religions. He generated spiritual debates everywhere he went and as a result, had adherents from all different types of religion.
He gave speeches in mosques, temples, and other places of worship. Guru Nanak Dev Ji opposed the caste system, widow sacrifice, empty religious ceremonies, pilgrimages, relying on books to acquire the genuine religion, and all the other aspects that would come to characterise his teachings wherever he went. He never requested that his audience follow him. He urged the Hindus and Muslims to live up to their own faiths.
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Guru Nanak Dev Ji tried a novel experiment after the final of his great journeys: he requested a wealthy disciple to donate a sizable piece of land. On the banks of the Ravi, he constructed a settlement here and called it Kartapur (in Punjab), where he taught for a further fifteen years. People from all around settled in Kartapur to listen to him, sing with him, and be with him. Even though his adherents continued to practise their original religions—Hinduism, Islam, or the one to which they were born—during this time, they came to be known as the Guru Ji's students, or Sikhs. Here, his admirers started to address him as a teacher or guru.
There were to be no priests or hermits, Guru Ji instructed his disciples, and they had to be householders who could not dwell in seclusion. Here, Guru Ji established the communal supper, mandating that everyone eat together, regardless of wealth, caste, or religion. Together, they owned the town and worked there. Lehna, who would eventually become Guru Angad, met Guru Nanak Dev ji at this location.
Guru Nanak is regarded as the second most travelled person in history; the majority of his voyages were undertaken on foot with his travelling companion Bhai Mardana. The four directions he travelled in were North, East, West, and South. It is estimated that between 1500 and 1524, during five major global tours, the founder Sikh Guru traversed more than 28,000 kilometres.
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Guru Nanak observed the pain caused by prejudice, fanaticism, deception, and hypocrisy in the world. The world has become increasingly evil and sinful. As a result, he made the decision that he needed to spread the word about the Almighty Lord and travel to teach others. So, in 1500, he embarked on his journey to restore humanity to this planet. He brought the flame of goodness, divine love, world peace, and joy. He spoke to others in and around his home for a year, sharing his message of love, compassion, righteousness, and truth.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji First Udasi (1500-1506)
Guru Nanak spent around six years travelling during his first Udasi (journey), covering the eastern part of India before returning home. In 1500, he left Sultanpur and travelled to his hometown of Talwandi to greet his parents and let them know about his extensive voyage. The elderly parents preferred that their young son stay home since they sought comfort and security from him as they aged. Guru Ji persuaded them, and thousands and thousands of others were now looking to the Divine Master for solace, love, and salvation. The Guru consequently informed his parents, "There is a call from Heaven, and I must go. I ask for your blessing." At last, they agreed, and Guru Ji began the first of his four journeys.
Guru Nanak Devi Second Udasi (1506-1513)
The journey of Guru Nanak Dev Ji towards the south for the holy mission to disseminate the divine message of peace and compassion to all people is referred to as the Second Udasi or Dooji Udasi. The word "udasi" derives its meaning from the verb "to udas," which means to take leave, go away, or go.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Third Udasi (1514-1518)
The third time Guru Nanak Dev Ji left home on his famous Udasis (journeys) in 1514 he trekked towards the north. He was accompanied by his long-time companion Mardana Ji.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Fourth Udasi (1519-1521)
The fourth Udasi was undertaken towards the west.
Beginning in Punjab, Guru Nanak travelled to Sheikh Braham, who was Baba Sheikh Farid's eleventh successor and lived in Pakpattan, a city located across the Sutlej from Lahore. Sheikh Farid's inspirational holy scriptural writings, whose spiritual message was congruent with his own, were given to Sheikh Braham by Guru Sahib. He also made stops in Lakhpat, Junagarh, and Vadodara. (Lakhpat is around 20 Km from Korini village where there is a large Sarovar in commemoration of the visit by Guru Nanak Dev ji).
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Fifth Udasi (1523 to 1524)
The fifth Udasi was conducted in the province of Punjab. Although the Guru had established in Kartarpur, he continued to make brief excursions within a 200-mile radius of the city. He travelled much and spread the Naam gospel. Many of these locations saw the emergence of disciples of the Guru who built Gurdwaras in his honour
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