Thread by @puneet_sahani

#GuruNanakJayanti
Much to doubt if Guru was born in Kattak not Baisakh.
But for me Q of date is trivial —crucial are teachings.
I'd like to dedicate today's celebrations to community, which has best preserved served Nanakpanth despite all the displacement disparagement: #Sindhis!

These pictures sent to me are from the private collection of reputed European ethnographer.
This is how Sindhis, one of the most prosperous and earliest merchant immigrants out of India, still practice their faith to the day.
Above L of Guru Nanak, you see murti of Radha-Krishna.

Don't ask me for location of GuruMandir/Dharmsaal (that's how Sikh spiritual centers were called until early 20th century)
Faced with disruptions/threats by Jattwadis of Bhindranwale, Sindhis practice syncretic Nanakpanthi tradition far from attention/promotion, almost in hiding.

Above: front and top above the Granths, they have images of #Sikh Gurus.
To Right you see partial image of Durga Ma. Further Right, there were idols of Siva, Pravati, Ganesha & Nandi too but don't have a pic.
To Left, murtis of Rama, Sita, Hanuman that you can more focused here.

This is essentially how our ancestors practiced faith too. Which today's SGPC would call blasphemous & protect/celebrate whichever lunatic eliminated them. This is legacy of SinghSabha/VirSingh/KahnSinghNabha, which was indeed perperated on 1000s of H & insufficient/patriotic Ss.

In temple you also find the murti of Jhule Lal, an incarnation of Varuna.
Here shown seated on Pala fish but at other places also on Makara.
Local Muslims also worship him as Zinda Pir or Khwaja Khizr.
Jhulelal & Baba Guru Nanak are arguably two most important deities of Sindhis.

Finally you see 4 books placed reverentially platform?
Above it are portraits of 9 succeeding Sikh Gurus.
Can you guess what are these 4 books? You have 1 week to try!

PS: If you can't stand Jattwad but can't forsake Gurbani either, seek nearest Sindhi Tikano and stay connected.