Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026: Gurpurab Date, Teachings and How to Celebrate

When is Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026?

Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon (Purnima) of the month of Kartik. In 2026 this is Tuesday 24 November. A few calendars and some gurdwaras abroad list 25 November because of time zones, so check with your local gurdwara for programme timings.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469 at Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, now Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, which makes 2026 the 557th Prakash Purab.

Who was Guru Nanak Dev Ji?

Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. He travelled widely across South Asia and beyond on journeys known as udasis, speaking with Hindus, Muslims, yogis and ordinary people about one formless Creator present in all.

His hymns are part of the Guru Granth Sahib, including Japji Sahib, which begins with the Mool Mantar and the words Ik Onkar: there is one Creator.

Guru Nanak's three core teachings

• Naam Japo: remember and repeat the Divine Name, keeping God in your awareness through the day.
• Kirat Karo: earn an honest living through your own effort.
• Vand Chhako: share what you have with others, especially those in need.

How Gurpurab is celebrated

• Akhand Path: a continuous 48-hour reading of the Guru Granth Sahib that ends on the morning of Gurpurab.
• Prabhat Pheris: early-morning processions singing shabads through the neighbourhood in the days before.
• Nagar Kirtan: a procession led by the Panj Pyare carrying the Guru Granth Sahib, usually the day before.
• Kirtan and katha at the gurdwara, followed by langar, a free community meal open to everyone.
• Homes and gurdwaras are lit with diyas and lights in the evening.

Simple ways to celebrate at home

• Recite or listen to Japji Sahib in the morning.
• Sit for 10 minutes of Naam Jap, softly repeating Waheguru with the breath.
• Do one act of seva: cook for someone, volunteer at a langar or donate to a cause you trust.
• Reflect on one line of Gurbani and how you could live it this week.
• Share Gurpurab wishes with family and friends: 'Gurpurab diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan.'

Key moments in Guru Nanak's life

• 1469: born to Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta at Talwandi. His elder sister, Bebe Nanaki, is remembered as the first to recognise his spiritual gifts.
• Sultanpur Lodhi: while working there, he went to bathe in the Vein river and was not seen for three days. When he returned, his first words are remembered as 'Na koi Hindu, na koi Musalman': there is no Hindu and no Muslim, only one humanity before the one Creator.
• The udasis: over many years he made long journeys with his companion Bhai Mardana, who played the rabab while Guru Nanak sang his hymns. Sakhis (stories) place him across India and as far as Mecca, Baghdad, Tibet and Sri Lanka.
• Kartarpur: in his later years he settled at Kartarpur on the Ravi, where the community farmed, prayed and ate together. This shared life of work, worship and langar became the pattern for Sikh life.
• 1539: before he passed away, he chose Bhai Lehna as his successor, naming him Guru Angad Dev Ji, the second Sikh Guru.

The Mool Mantar and its meaning

Japji Sahib, recited by Sikhs every morning, opens with the Mool Mantar, the root statement of Guru Nanak's vision:

Ik Onkar, Satnam, Karta Purakh, Nirbhau, Nirvair, Akal Murat, Ajuni, Saibhang, Gur Prasad.

In simple English: there is one Creator; Truth is its name; it is the Doer of all; without fear; without hatred; beyond time; unborn; self-existent; known by the Guru's grace. Each word is a doorway for reflection, and many people take one word a day to contemplate during Gurpurab week.

Guru Nanak's message for modern life

Guru Nanak's teachings were radical for his time and still feel fresh. He rejected caste, insisted that every person sits on the same floor at langar, and honoured women at a time when they were widely looked down on. In Asa di Var he asks why we would call woman lesser, when kings themselves are born of her.

He did not ask people to leave the world for the forest. His path is a householder's path: work honestly, live in the world, care for family and community, and keep the Divine Name in your heart while you do it. For anyone juggling work, family and stress, this balance of practical life and inner remembrance is deeply relevant.

Equality, honest work, sharing, and calm remembrance are also a quiet antidote to the restlessness of modern life. Naam Jap, in particular, is a simple meditation anyone can try: softly repeating Waheguru with the breath for a few minutes steadies the mind much like any mantra practice.

Gurpurab wishes to share

• Gurpurab diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan. May Guru Nanak Dev Ji's light fill your home with peace.
• On this Prakash Purab, may we remember Naam, work honestly and share with love.
• Wishing you and your family a blessed Guru Nanak Jayanti. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.
• May the teachings of Ik Onkar guide every step you take. Happy Gurpurab!

Questions people ask

What is the date of Guru Nanak Jayanti in 2026?

Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026 is on Tuesday 24 November, the Kartik Purnima. Some calendars abroad list 25 November because of time zones.

Which Prakash Purab is it in 2026?

It is the 557th Prakash Purab, as Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469.

Why is Guru Nanak Jayanti called Prakash Purab?

Prakash means light. The day celebrates the coming of Guru Nanak's light and wisdom into the world.

What are Guru Nanak's main teachings?

Naam Japo (remember the Divine Name), Kirat Karo (live honestly) and Vand Chhako (share with others), all grounded in Ik Onkar, the oneness of the Creator.

Try it in Nirvan

• Read the meaning of Ik Onkar