Guru Nanak Jayanti: Why Sikhs celebrate Gurpurab? Here’s history of festival

One of the most important festivals among the Sikh communities across India and the globe is Guru Nanak Jayanti, which is celebrated with great fervour.
Also known as Gurpurab or Prakash Utsav, the festival marks the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji, the founder of the Sikh religion.
According to the Hindu lunar calendar, the festival is celebrated on the full moon day of the Kartik month each year. This year, the Guru Nanak Jayanti 2024 will occur in November, though in some rare cases, it is also shifted to October.
The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, was the first of the ten Sikh gurus, a philosopher, poet, and a spiritual leader. He preached the messages of equality, compassion, and devotion to one universal God.
Sikhism phrase, “Ek Onkar”, are the opening words of the Sikh holy scripture Guru Granth Sahib.The first line of the Mool Mantar is “Ik Onkar”, which means “There is only one God”, BBC reported.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings laid the foundation of Sikhism, emphasising the values of humility, service, and unity. The festival serves as an opportunity for his followers to imbibe his teachings in their daily lives and spread the message among people of other communities as well.
Apart from this, the festival provides a moment for people to honour Guru Nanak’s vision of a just society, where everyone, regardless of caste, creed, or gender, is respected.
On this day, people of the Sikh community organise and indulge in activities that include Akhand Path, Nagarkirtan, kirtan and langar, prayer, community service, etc. Akhand Path is the ‘48-hour’’ reading of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism.
The Guru Nanak Jayanti will be celebrated on 15 November. As per details, the Purnima Tithi begins at 6.19 am on 15 November and ends at 2.58 pm on 16 November.