India GOGuru Nanak: the first Guru, his teaching and where India keeps his birthday
ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ
Founder of the Sikh faith and the first of ten Gurus: one Creator, honest work, a shared meal, and no caste at the table.
Guru Nanak lived from 1469 to 1539, was born into a Hindu Khatri family in a Punjab village that is now in Pakistan, and spent the last years of his life farming at Kartarpur on the Ravi. At the centre of the faith he started are a book of hymns, 974 of them his own, and a free kitchen where everyone sits in one row, whatever their caste or faith. In India the easiest way to meet his teaching is a meal of langar in a gurdwara.
Story
The janam-sakhis tell that at thirty he vanished into a river for three days and came back saying: there is no Hindu, there is no Muslim. Then twenty years on foot with the Muslim minstrel Mardana (to Varanasi and Assam and, tradition adds, Sri Lanka, Mecca and Baghdad), singing hymns wherever people gathered. At Kartarpur he ended his days as a farmer, with the first langar: everyone, whatever their birth, in one row.
ਨਾ ਕੋ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ
“There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim.”
Puratan Janam-sakhi
Festivals
His life in brief
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 15 April 1469 | Born at Rai Bhoi di Talvandi, now Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, to Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta, Hindus of the Khatri caste |
| Around 1500 (sources say 1496 or about age 33) | By tradition he vanished while bathing in the Bein river at Sultanpur and returned days later saying “there is no Hindu, there is no Muslim” |
| About 20 years | The udasis, long journeys with the Muslim musician Mardana; the routes are debated by historians |
| From about age 55 | Settles at Kartarpur (“the Creator’s town”) on the Ravi |
| 22 September 1539 | Dies at Kartarpur; names Guru Angad, not one of his sons, as successor |
What he taught
The Sikh scripture opens with his words, the Mul Mantar, which begins Ik Onkar, usually rendered “there is one God” or “one reality is”. His long composition Japji Sahib opens the Guru Granth Sahib and is part of the daily Sikh prayers. He taught three things in short: naam japo, remember God; kirat karo, earn by honest work; vand chhako, share what you have.
At Kartarpur the sharing became langar, the free communal kitchen, and pangat, eating together in one row, so that no one sits higher than anyone else, whatever caste or faith they were born into. Gurdwaras still run langar, and visitors of any faith sit down with everyone else.
Gurpurab: where to spend his birthday
His birthday, Guru Nanak Jayanti or Gurpurab, is kept on the full moon of Kartik, although Sikh records point to a birth in April (15 April 1469): the Kartik date has been kept by tradition since at least the 19th century. In 2026 it falls on Tuesday 24 November, in 2027 on Sunday 14 November.
Amritsar
The centre of the day: the SGPC’s nagar kirtan procession leaves the Akal Takht on the eve, the day at the Golden Temple starts before dawn, and it ends with illumination and fireworks at night.
Delhi
The Nagar Kirtan procession leaves Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Chandni Chowk and ends late at night at Nanak Piao Sahib, associated with Guru Nanak’s own visit to the city. On the day itself the biggest crowds are at Bangla Sahib, which has the city’s biggest langar hall.
Chandigarh
A neighbourhood-scale Gurpurab: processions through the sectors on the eve, langar stalls run by residents, and Gurdwara Nada Sahib in Panchkula lit up after dark.
✅ In a gurdwara
Gurdwaras are open to everyone, and nobody asks your faith. The rules at the big gurdwaras are simple:
- Cover your head; scarves are usually lent at the door.
- Leave your shoes at the shoe counter and wash your hands and feet at the entrance.
- Dress modestly.
- In the langar hall sit down in the row with everyone else.
❓ FAQ
What was Guru Nanak famous for?
For founding the Sikh faith: one Creator for all people, honest work, sharing, and equality at the langar table regardless of caste or religion.
Was Guru Nanak born a Hindu?
Yes. His parents were Hindus of the Khatri caste. After his experience at the river he said “there is no Hindu, there is no Muslim” and began teaching a path of his own.
When is Guru Nanak Jayanti?
On the full moon of Kartik: Tuesday 24 November 2026 and Sunday 14 November 2027. It is a gazetted holiday across India.
When and where did Guru Nanak die?
On 22 September 1539 at Kartarpur on the Ravi, now in Pakistan, at the age of 70.
Can I visit a gurdwara if I am not a Sikh?
Yes. Cover your head, leave your shoes at the counter and dress modestly; you can also eat in the langar for free.