Why do some Singhs hug one another and do Simran?

When a Singh meets another Singh or a Singhni meets another Singhni, they might greet each other through ‘Naam Di Galvakari’, commonly known as a ‘Naam Hug’, before exchanging the Guru’s Fateh (“Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh”). Meeting other Gursikhs with hugs is not just a custom of Gurmat but of humankind between people who love each other. Gurbani says:

ਆਵਹੁ ਸੰਤ ਮੈ ਗਲਿ ਮੇਲਾਈਐ ॥ ਮੇਰੇ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਕੀ ਮੈ ਕਥਾ ਸੁਣਾਈਐ ॥
“O Saints! Come and embrace me. Recite to me the Sermon of Beloved Vaheguru’s praises.”
(Ang 95)

There are many other tuks (lines) in Gurbani that talk about Gursikhs meeting and embracing one another When Gursikhs meet, the two Naam Khandas (internal vibrating Naam) meet as well and the Gursikhs can get spiritual upliftment from each other. In fact, if someone meets a very Abhiyaasi (spiritually elevated) Gursikh even after the Naam hug someone may feel it has left an impact on their own Simran. It works almost like a ‘boost’.

Otherwise, it’s a beautiful custom that is practised by some Sikhs and Sikhs in general since the time of Guru Sahib. It was much more common than it is now. However, Gursikhs of the past were more discrete than we see now. They didn’t do it very loudly, and almost no one could hear it except the two Gursikhs.