Festival
Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026
Also known as Gurpurab · Prakash Utsav
Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026 at a glance
Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026 is on Tuesday 24 November. Celebrations begin two days before with the Akhand Path, and the main procession and prayers take place on the day itself, from the early hours before dawn.
When it falls
Kartik Shukla Purnima
- 2026 · Tuesday, 24 November 2026
- 2027 · Saturday, 13 November 2027
Significance
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469 in Nankana Sahib, in what is now Pakistan. He is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus and the founder of Sikhism. His birthday is called Gurpurab — a word that joins Guru (teacher, the one who brings light to darkness) and purab (a sacred occasion) — and it is the most widely celebrated day in the Sikh calendar.
The tradition holds that from an early age Guru Nanak was drawn toward the divine and away from worldly convention. The story goes that one morning, while bathing in the river Bein, he disappeared beneath the water and was gone for three days. When he returned, he said simply: Ek Onkar — there is one God. He then set out on long journeys across South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia, meeting people of every faith and station. He taught that God is without form and without caste, that honest labour, sharing with others and constant remembrance of the divine are the three pillars of a good life. These three pillars — Naam Japna (remembering God's name), Kirat Karni (honest work) and Vand Chakna (sharing with others) — are still the core of Sikh practice today.
His birth is celebrated not with solemnity alone but with joy, music, community and the open sharing of food.
How it’s observed
The celebration stretches over three days. Two days before Gurpurab, the Akhand Path begins — an unbroken, continuous reading of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (the Sikh holy scripture) that takes roughly 48 hours and concludes on the morning of the festival itself.
The day before, a Nagar Kirtan (a processional hymn-singing through the streets) is held in many cities. The Panj Pyare — five beloved ones — lead the procession, and kirtan (devotional singing) fills the route.
On the day itself, Sikhs rise before dawn for Amrit Vela (the early hours before sunrise), the time Guru Nanak taught is most conducive to prayer. Gurdwaras hold Prabhat Pheris (dawn processions) and long kirtan programmes. The langar — the free community meal that is central to Sikh life — is served to all who come, without distinction.
Diaspora families in the UK, Canada, the US and Singapore join their local gurdwara for the Akhand Path completion and kirtan, and many take part in Nagar Kirtans that have become large civic events in cities like Southall, Toronto and Vancouver.
The timing, explained
Guru Nanak Jayanti falls on Kartik Shukla Purnima — the full moon (purnima) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the lunar month of Kartik. This almanac uses the Amanta reckoning, in which months run from new moon to new moon; under the Purnimanta reckoning common in north India, the same day is also called Kartik Purnima.
The day is determined by sunrise: whichever day the full moon tithi (lunar day) is running at the moment of local sunrise is the day on which Gurpurab is observed. Because the lunar calendar is shorter than the solar year, the date moves through October and November each year.
Questions people ask
What is Guru Nanak Jayanti called?
It is most commonly called Gurpurab, meaning a sacred occasion connected to a Guru. It is also called Prakash Utsav — the Festival of Light — referring to the light that came into the world with Guru Nanak's birth.
When does Guru Nanak Jayanti usually fall?
Usually in November, sometimes in late October. It follows the lunar calendar, landing on the full moon of the month of Kartik, which moves through the solar year.
What is the Akhand Path?
An unbroken, continuous reading of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Sikh holy scripture, from beginning to end. It takes approximately 48 hours and is begun two days before Gurpurab so that it completes on the morning of the festival.
Can non-Sikhs attend Gurdwara on Guru Nanak Jayanti?
Yes. Gurdwaras are open to everyone, of any faith or background. Visitors are asked to cover their head and remove their shoes before entering. Langar — the free community meal — is served to all.
What is a Nagar Kirtan?
A procession through the streets in which the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is carried, often on a decorated float, while the congregation sings kirtan (devotional hymns). It is held the day before Gurpurab and has become a large community event in many diaspora cities.
Keep reading