Guru Nanak Jayanti, one of the most sacred festivals in Sikhism, will be celebrated on Friday, November 15. It marks the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru. This year, it will be his 555th birthday. Guru Nanak was born in 1469 and spread the message of equality. Sikhism is based on the teaching of 10 Gurus (or spiritual leaders) who laid down the cardinal principles of the religion codified in Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal teacher for Sikhs.
Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated every year on Kartik Purnima, which falls in the months of October-November. This year, Kartik Purnima will fall on November 15.
According to Hindu calendar, the Purnima tithi will begin at 6.19 am and continue till 2.58 am on November 16.
Guru Nanak Jayanti it celebrated with great pomp and show across India, as well as outside the country with significant Sikh population.
The day is also known as “Gurpurab” and “Prakash Parv”. On this day, special langar is organised in gurudwaras, in which people of all religions and castes sit together and eat.
Guru Nanak: Life and history
Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism and is revered as the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus. Born in Talwandi, Punjab (now in Pakistan’s Nankana Sahib), he was deeply spiritual from a young age.
At 30, he experienced a divine revelation, leading him to preach a message of universal love, equality, and devotion to one God. Rejecting caste distinctions, he encouraged truth, honest labour and selfless service.
His teachings, recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib, laid the foundation for Sikhism. Guru Nanak’s life and legacy continue to inspire millions with his principles of humility and unity.
