About Guru Nanak Jayanti
Falls on Kartik purnima per the Nanakshahi calendar. Celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism and first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
Significance
Guru Nanak Jayanti, also called Prakash Parv ("festival of light"), celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak, whose teachings of one God, equality, and service (seva) founded Sikhism.
History & story
Guru Nanak was born in 1469 in Talwandi (now Nankana Sahib, Pakistan); his travels (udasis) across Asia and the Middle East spread a message of unity that rejected caste and ritualism in favor of direct devotion and honest living.
Rituals & observances
- ◆Akhand Path (continuous Granth Sahib reading)
- ◆Nagar Kirtan procession
- ◆Langar (community kitchen)
Regional variations
Punjab is the heartland; pan-Indian and global Sikh diaspora.
Guru Nanak Jayanti — every year
The date shifts each year on the Gregorian calendar because it follows the Hindu lunar-solar cycle.
Frequently asked questions
What is Akhand Path?
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A continuous, unbroken 48-hour reading of the entire Guru Granth Sahib performed by relay readers in gurdwaras leading up to Gurpurab.
What is langar?
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The free community kitchen found at every gurdwara, embodying Guru Nanak's teaching of equality — everyone eats together regardless of background.
Why does the date follow the Nanakshahi calendar?
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The Nanakshahi calendar is a solar Sikh calendar introduced to fix key dates; Guru Nanak Jayanti is calculated on Kartik Purnima per traditional reckoning, so the Gregorian date still shifts slightly year to year.