Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gurpurab): Date, History, Teachings & Celebrations

Guru Nanak Jayanti — also called Gurpurab or Prakash Utsav (Festival of Light) — celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. It falls on the full moon of the Hindu month of Kartik. In 2026, Guru Nanak Jayanti is on Tuesday, November 24.

Overview
2026 date	Tuesday, November 24
Lunar date	Kartik Purnima (full moon of Kartik)
Celebrates	Birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469)
Birthplace	Rai Bhoi di Talwandi — today Nankana Sahib, Pakistan
Other names	Gurpurab, Prakash Utsav, Guru Nanak Gurpurab
Status	Gazetted public holiday in India
Greeting	Gurpurab diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan!

Life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Guru Nanak was born in 1469 in a village near Lahore. From childhood he was thoughtful and questioning. At about the age of 30, after a profound spiritual experience in the Kali Bein river near Sultanpur Lodhi, he declared: “There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim” — meaning that all people are equal before one God.

He spent more than two decades on long journeys called Udasis, travelling across South Asia and reportedly as far as Tibet, Sri Lanka, Baghdad and Mecca, sharing his message through hymns sung with his companion Bhai Mardana, who played the rabab. In his later years he settled at Kartarpur, where he farmed and built a community. He passed away there in 1539.

The Core Teachings

Teaching	Meaning
Ik Onkar	There is one God, the creator of all
Naam Japna	Remember and meditate on God’s name
Kirat Karni	Earn an honest living through hard work
Vand Chakna	Share what you have with others, especially the needy
Equality	All humans are equal, regardless of caste, religion or gender
Seva	Selfless service to the community

Guru Nanak’s hymns — 974 of them — are part of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhs, beginning with the Mool Mantar and the Japji Sahib.

How Gurpurab Is Celebrated

• Akhand Path — a 48-hour non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, ending on the morning of Gurpurab.
• Nagar Kirtan — a procession the day before, led by the Panj Pyare (Five Beloved Ones), with hymns, martial arts (gatka) and the Guru Granth Sahib carried on a decorated float.
• Prabhat Pheris — early-morning processions singing hymns in the weeks before the festival.
• Langar — free community meals served to everyone, regardless of religion or background.
• Illuminated gurdwaras — the Golden Temple in Amritsar glows with lights and fireworks.
• Pilgrimage to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, where thousands of Sikh pilgrims gather; the Kartarpur Corridor, opened in 2019, lets Indian pilgrims visit Kartarpur Sahib visa-free.

Important Sikh Places Linked to Guru Nanak

Place	Significance
Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib (Pakistan)	His birthplace
Gurdwara Ber Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi (India)	Where he had his spiritual awakening
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur (Pakistan)	Where he lived his final years and passed away
Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple), Amritsar	The holiest Sikh shrine, built later by the fifth Guru

Gurpurab Wishes

• “May the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji fill your life with peace, love and kindness. Happy Gurpurab!”
• “Ik Onkar — one God, one humanity. Wishing you and your family a blessed Prakash Utsav.”
• “On this holy day, may we all work honestly, share generously and serve selflessly.”

👉 Also in November: Bhai Dooj

👉 Plan ahead: All November holidays

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