Guru Nanak's wedding procession, from a manuscript of the Janam Sakhi (Life Stories)

In all his teachings, Guru Nanak advocated a path of devotion to god while living in this world, and rejected the path of asceticism or of giving up society to meditate in isolation. Nanak emphasized one’s responsibilities to family and community, which constituted the foundation of a morally guided society. His marriage to Bibi Sulakhani, with whom he had two sons, was an important episode in his life as a family man and is frequently represented in Janam Sakhi manuscripts.

This painting shows the groom’s party arriving at the bride’s house at night, with Nanak finely dressed in gold robes and riding a horse. The mood is festive: members of the bridal party carry golden lamps, one man lights fireworks along the way (at bottom), and others play music. Other paintings in this manuscript, not on view here, depict additional scenes of the wedding celebration. Such a subject reminds devotees of the guru’s teachings regarding the duties and responsibilities of every member of a family.