The birth anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, founder of the Sikh faith, will be observed on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. The day, known as Guru Nanak Jayanti 2025 or Gurpurab, coincides with Kartik Purnima in the lunar calendar.

According to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, main programmes will be held at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, while large gatherings are also expected in Delhi, Patna Sahib and Nankana Sahib (Pakistan).

Date and timings

As per the Panchang, Purnima Tithi begins at 10:36 p.m. on November 4 and ends at 6:48 p.m. on November 5.

Other key details:

Sunrise - 6:36 a.m.

Sunset - 5:33 p.m.

Brahma Muhurat - 4:52 a.m. to 5:44 a.m.

Pratah Sandhya - 5:18 a.m. to 6:36 a.m.

Vijaya Muhurat - 1:54 p.m. to 2:38 p.m.

Priests advise starting prayers during Brahma Muhurat and reading from the Guru Granth Sahib Ji at dawn.

Customs and Rituals

Two days before the main day, people start the Akhand Path. It goes on for two days without a break. The Guru Granth Sahib is read from start to end. By the time it finishes on Gurpurab morning, the gurdwara is full. Some listen quietly, some help serve tea or food.

A day before, the Nagar Kirtan moves through the streets. The Panj Pyare walk in front. Behind them people sing. Some carry the Nishan Sahib, some hand out water and sweets. Kids run around. The air smells of langar food and flowers.

On Gurpurab, prayers begin early. After that everyone eats together. People sit in lines on the floor - rich, poor, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh all are same. That’s what Guru Nanak taught: serve others, treat everyone equal, and be kind.

Teachings and Meaning

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469. He taught that there is one God, and everyone is equal. His message was simple: remember God, be honest in your work, and share what you have. That’s really  simple things, but they still guide Sikhs every day.

He spoke against the caste system and against doing rituals without meaning. For him, helping others was the real prayer. The hymns written by him and the Gurus who came after were collected in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, which Sikhs see as their living Guru.

Scenes of observance

In Amritsar, the Golden Temple will remain open through the night. Devotees take holy dips in the sarovar and join continuous kirtan. Similar programmes are planned at Bangla Sahib in Delhi and Takht Patna Sahib.

The Langar hall at each gurdwara will serve free meals throughout the day. Volunteers prepare food round the clock and keep refilling steel plates as new batches arrive. Fireworks and lamp lighting are expected after sunset.

Historical Background

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in a small village called Talwandi folks today know it as Nankana Sahib in Pakistan.

Old men there still tell stories about how calm he was, even as a boy. He’d sit near the river and ask questions no one else dared to ask.

He didn’t stay home long. Wandered for years through the plains of India, up in the Tibetan hills, out toward the Arab lands. Met people of every faith, spoke gently, listened more than he preached. His message stayed the same: live truthfully, work hard, share what you earn, remember the One.

That’s why Gurpurab matters so much. It isn’t only about his birth; it’s about the start of a way of life that still feels fresh five hundred years later.

The importance of timings

The day falls on the Kartik month's Purnima, or full moon. Spiritual merit is thought to be enhanced by the lunar alignment. During the Vijaya Muhurat, benevolent deeds and ritual bathing before daybreak are regarded as auspicious

Message for Today

Many religious leaders say Guru Nanak’s message feels even more important today, in a world often divided by faith and fear. His call for honesty, compassion, and service still speaks clearly simple values that can hold people together.

Across the world from Punjab to London to Vancouver - Sikh communities are marking the day through action. Blood donation camps, street clean-ups, and open Langars are being organised to serve anyone who comes by. It’s their way of living the Guru’s words, not just remembering them.

Closing note

As The United Indian reports, Guru Nanak Jayanti 2025 is expected to draw large crowds and renewed participation from youth groups and volunteers. The festival remains a reminder of Guru Nanak’s central idea that faith means service and that light shared is light multiplied.