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Sikhs are today celebrating the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith. He was born more than five and a half centuries ago, and he saw great changes over his own lifetime, with society becoming more divided and polarised as time went on. Guru Nanak’s philosophy was simple yet revolutionary, with his three key teachings being to remember the Almighty at all times. To make an honest day’s living through one’s own hard work. And to share whatever one has with others, so that nobody is left behind in society. One of the verses written of his birth says “When Guru Nanak emerged, the fog and mist disappeared, and the world saw light”. His teachings continue to enlighten and influence millions of Sikhs and non-Sikhs across the globe. Gurdwaras will be busy over the coming days as devotees go to pay their respects, and one of the most striking architectural aspects is the flag that flies outside them. The Nishan Sahib. The tall pole is covered in a bright yellow or orange cloth, and many gurdwaras will be having a flag changing ceremony to mark the festivities. The congregation will come together to lower the flagpole, remove the old fabric, and wash the pole carefully. After it has been dried with reverence, the new covering and flag is put onto the pole before it is lifted back up with great pomp and ceremony. The ritual of the flag changing is significant, not just because the flag lets people know that the gurdwara is a Sikh place of worship, but because of what the flag itself represents and inspires. Wherever the flag of the Nishan Sahib flies, there is a langar or community kitchen, with volunteers preparing and serving free food to everyone who comes in, regardless of whether they are Sikh or not. The flag is a welcome sign to say that, no matter who you are, you can come in and spend time in a place of tranquillity away from the chaos of the outside world. And the emblem on the flag reminds us of the need to be willing to put one’s life on the line to defend others, just as up to half a million Sikhs did during the First and Second World Wars. Flags are important, of course they are. But if you don’t put in the hard work and effort necessary to live up to the values and beliefs that the flag represents, then just putting one up for the sake of it is meaningless. Coming together to actively give back to the community, protect the most vulnerable, and raise everyone up in society at the same time. That’s what Guru Nanak taught centuries ago. And that’s what I see when I look at the Nishan Sahib flying proudly outside the gurdwara.