Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026: November 24 Gurpurab, Purnima Tithi, Nagar Kirtan and Nankana Sahib

Guru Nanak Jayanti, also called Gurpurab or Prakash Purab, is the most widely celebrated festival in the Sikh calendar. It honours the birth of Guru Nanak, whose teachings form the foundation of Sikhism and whose hymns open the Guru Granth Sahib.

This guide is written ten days before the festival. It sets out the 2026 date and tithi, the public-holiday position, the usual sequence of celebrations, and the latest verified news about pilgrimages to Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur in Pakistan. Nothing described below has taken place yet.

Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026 at a Glance

Why the Date Is November 24 in 2026

Guru Nanak Jayanti is observed on Kartik Purnima, the full moon of the lunar month of Kartik, so its date on the Gregorian calendar moves each year. In 2026, Drik Panchang lists the festival on Tuesday, November 24, with the Purnima tithi beginning late on the night of November 23 and ending in the evening of November 24.

Tithi timings are calculated for a particular place. A panchang publisher that tracks diaspora dates notes that the full moon falls on Monday, November 23 in some North American cities on the west coast, including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area, and on November 24 elsewhere in the United States and Canada. Gurdwaras may also follow their own calendar, so the safest step is to confirm with your local gurdwara.

The Kartik and Vaisakh question

Scholars have long discussed when Guru Nanak was actually born. Encyclopaedia Britannica notes that some sources place his birth in the spring month of Vaisakh, while others, following the Janamsakhi tradition associated with Bhai Bala, give Kartik Purnima. Britannica records his birth date as "April 15?, 1469", with the question mark showing the uncertainty. In practice, most gurdwaras and Sikh communities continue to celebrate the Gurpurab on the Kartik full moon.

Who Was Guru Nanak?

Guru Nanak was born in 1469 at Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, near Lahore. The town is now called Nankana Sahib, in Pakistan's Punjab province, and the gurdwara at his birthplace is known as Gurdwara Janam Asthan.

According to tradition, he made long journeys across South Asia and beyond to share his message. The Puratan Janamsakhi tradition describes five journeys, which reached as far as Sri Lanka, the Himalayas and, to the west, Mecca and Baghdad. He spent his final years at Kartarpur, on the banks of the Ravi, where he built a community of followers. He died there in about 1539, and named his disciple Angad as his successor, who became Guru Angad.

His central teachings

Guru Nanak taught devotion to one formless God, summed up in the opening words "Ik Onkar". His teaching is often summarised in three practices:

• Naam japna: remembering and meditating on the divine name.
• Kirat karni: earning an honest living through one's own work.
• Vand chhakna: sharing what one has with others.

He rejected caste distinctions and empty ritual. The community kitchen, or langar, where everyone sits together to eat regardless of background, grew out of this teaching and remains central to every gurdwara today. His compositions, including the Mool Mantar and Japji Sahib, appear at the start of the Guru Granth Sahib.

How Gurpurab Is Celebrated

Customs vary between gurdwaras, but the celebrations usually follow a familiar pattern over several days.

Prabhat Pheris

In the weeks before the festival, groups of devotees walk through their neighbourhoods in the early morning singing shabads (hymns). These processions are called Prabhat Pheris.

Akhand Path

An Akhand Path is a continuous, uninterrupted reading of the Guru Granth Sahib that takes about 48 hours. Gurdwaras usually begin it two days before the Gurpurab so that it concludes on the morning of the festival. For a Tuesday festival, that typically means starting on Sunday, November 22, but each gurdwara sets its own time.

Nagar Kirtan

A Nagar Kirtan is a public procession led by five devotees representing the Panj Pyare, with the Guru Granth Sahib carried in a decorated vehicle, accompanied by kirtan, gatka (Sikh martial arts) displays and community volunteers. It is usually held a day or a few days before the festival. Because November 24 is a Tuesday, many gurdwaras, especially outside India, are likely to hold their Nagar Kirtan on the weekend of November 21 and 22. Check local announcements for routes and timings, as traffic diversions are common in large cities.

On the day

On November 24, gurdwaras hold kirtan, katha (discourses on the Guru's life and teachings) and Ardas, and serve langar throughout the day. Many gurdwaras, including the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, are traditionally illuminated in the evening.

Holiday Status in 2026

The Government of India's list of gazetted holidays for 2026 includes "Guru Nanak's Birthday" on Tuesday, November 24. Central government offices therefore close that day.

State governments publish their own lists, and bank holidays depend on state rules under the Negotiable Instruments Act. If you have a bank visit or government appointment that week, check your state's holiday notice or your bank branch before travelling.

Pilgrimages to Pakistan: What We Know So Far

Two of Sikhism's most important shrines connected with Guru Nanak lie in Pakistan: Nankana Sahib, his birthplace, and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur, where he spent his last years.

Nankana Sahib jatha

Each year, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) organises a jatha (group of pilgrims) to Pakistan for the Gurpurab under bilateral arrangements. In August 2026, Yes Punjab reported that more than 7,500 devotees had submitted passports to the SGPC and that a delegation had asked the Pakistan High Commission for visas. The report noted that visas are ordinarily issued to about 1,800 pilgrims. We did not find an official figure for the number of visas granted for 2026 before our research cutoff.

On the Pakistani side, The Nation reported on October 16, 2026 that the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) had finalised arrangements, with pilgrims from India expected to enter through the Wagah border on November 22 and the main ceremony at Nankana Sahib on November 24. These are plans announced by Pakistani authorities and could change.

Kartarpur Corridor

India suspended the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on May 7, 2025. On August 19, 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs said corridor services "continue to remain suspended" because of the security situation. On November 6, 2026, Radio Pakistan reported that Pakistan had reopened its side of the corridor for the 557th birth anniversary celebrations. We found no announcement from the Government of India reopening the corridor to Indian pilgrims before our research cutoff, so travellers should rely only on official Indian notices.

Kartik Purnima and Dev Deepawali on the Same Day

November 24 is also Kartik Purnima, an important full moon in the Hindu calendar. In Varanasi it is celebrated as Dev Deepawali, when the ghats are lit with thousands of earthen lamps, and many people take a holy dip in rivers on this day. Some cities will therefore see two large celebrations at once, with heavier crowds near river ghats and gurdwaras. Our November 21 daily guide lists other observances in the same week.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Guru Nanak Jayanti in 2026?

On Tuesday, November 24, 2026, the full moon of Kartik.

Which Gurpurab is it in 2026?

It is the 557th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, counting from his birth in 1469.

Is November 24, 2026 a holiday?

Yes, for central government offices: "Guru Nanak's Birthday" is on the 2026 gazetted holiday list. State and bank holidays depend on state notifications.

When will the Nagar Kirtan be held?

Each gurdwara sets its own date. It is usually a day or a few days before the Gurpurab, and many communities choose the weekend of November 21 and 22.

Is the Kartarpur Corridor open for Indian pilgrims?

India's latest statement we found, on August 19, 2026, said the corridor remains suspended. Check official Indian notices before planning any visit.

Conclusion

Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026 falls on Tuesday, November 24, with celebrations building through the weekend of November 21 and 22 as gurdwaras begin the Akhand Path and take out Nagar Kirtans. The message at its heart is simple and practical: remember God, work honestly and share with others. Confirm local timings with your gurdwara, and see our Devutthana Ekadashi 2026 guide for the other Kartik observances this month.