Quick answer: Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gurpurab) 2026 falls on Tuesday 24 November 2026 in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia, the same day as in India. It is the Kartik full moon, the traditional date of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's birth anniversary. Because it is a weekday abroad, many gurdwaras hold their main kirtan programme, langar and family gathering on the nearest weekend. Everyone is welcome: cover your head, remove your shoes and join the langar.

Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026 date by country

Guru Nanak's birth anniversary is traditionally celebrated on Kartik Purnima, the full moon of the month of Kartik. The table below uses Drik Panchang for India and HinduTone's panchang calculation (Drik method) for other countries. These are calculated dates, so please confirm with your gurdwara.

CountryGurpurab 2026 (Kartik Purnima)What to expect locally
IndiaTue 24 Nov 2026Gazetted holiday; prabhat pheris, nagar kirtans, illuminated gurdwaras
USATue 24 Nov 2026Weekday; many gurdwaras also hold weekend programmes
CanadaTue 24 Nov 2026Weekday; large Sikh communities in BC and Ontario
UKTue 24 Nov 2026Weekday; programmes often extend to the weekend
AustraliaTue 24 Nov 2026Weekday; weekend gatherings common
Singapore and MalaysiaTue 24 Nov 2026Long-established Sikh communities with historic gurdwaras

Some Sikhs follow discussions around the Nanakshahi calendar, which concerns fixing Sikh dates to the solar calendar, and some scholars place Guru Nanak's birth in the spring month of Vaisakh. Most gurdwaras worldwide still celebrate on the Kartik full moon. If your gurdwara announces a different date, follow its announcement. For Guru Nanak's life and teachings in depth, read our main Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026 guide.

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Who Guru Nanak is, in brief

Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469 to 1539) was the first of the ten Sikh Gurus and the founder of the Sikh faith. He was born at Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, today's Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, and spent his final years at Kartarpur, also now in Pakistan. His hymns are preserved in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scripture and living Guru, which opens with the Mool Mantar and its declaration of Ik Onkar, the one Creator present in all. Sikhs understand his message through three daily principles: naam japna (remembering the divine Name, also called naam simran), kirat karni (honest work) and vand chakna (sharing with others), along with seva (selfless service) and the equality of all people, expressed in the langar.

Sikhism is its own religion, not a branch of Hinduism. At the same time, many Hindu families, especially Punjabi and Sindhi Hindus, hold Guru Nanak in deep reverence, and seeing them at the gurdwara on Gurpurab is common in every diaspora city. Our guide to Hinduism and Sikhism explains the relationship respectfully.

How diaspora gurdwaras celebrate Gurpurab

The core of the celebration abroad is the same as in Punjab, adapted to work weeks and weather:

  • Akhand path: a continuous reading of the whole Guru Granth Sahib, about 48 hours long, timed by the gurdwara so the conclusion (bhog) falls on the Gurpurab or on the main programme day. Sangat members often sign up for reading or listening slots.
  • Prabhat pheris: early-morning hymn processions in the days before. In colder countries these may be smaller, held indoors, or visit sangat members' homes.
  • Kirtan and katha: ragis (hymn singers) perform shabads composed by Guru Nanak, and speakers share his life and teachings. Larger gurdwaras sometimes invite visiting ragi jathas from India.
  • Langar: free community meals served to everyone, often for many hours on the main day, prepared and served by volunteers.
  • Lights: gurdwaras are lit up in the evening, and families light lamps or lights at home.
  • Children's programmes: many gurdwaras run Punjabi school or Gurmat classes, and children may perform kirtan or recite poems about Guru Nanak.

Nagar kirtans in the diaspora

A nagar kirtan is a public procession in which the Guru Granth Sahib is carried on a decorated float, led by five Sikhs representing the Panj Pyare, with the sangat singing behind and volunteers handing out food and drinks along the route. In some diaspora cities, nagar kirtans have become very large community events. Surrey in British Columbia and Brampton in Ontario, for example, are well known for big Sikh community gatherings and processions, and UK towns with large Sikh communities such as Southall, Birmingham and Wolverhampton also see well-attended events through the year.

Not every nagar kirtan is linked to Guru Nanak Jayanti: some of the largest diaspora processions are held for Vaisakhi in spring, and November weather in Canada and the UK can limit outdoor events. Whether your city has a Gurpurab nagar kirtan, and on which day, depends entirely on the local gurdwaras and permits, so check their announcements. We do not list dates or routes here because they change every year.

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Attending as a visitor or interfaith family

Gurpurab is one of the warmest times to visit a gurdwara for the first time, and many non-Sikh friends, colleagues and neighbours do. A short checklist:

  • Head covering: everyone covers their head. Bring a scarf; spare ones are usually available.
  • Shoes and hands: remove shoes in the shoe area, and wash your hands before entering the darbar (prayer hall).
  • No tobacco, alcohol or intoxicants on the premises or before your visit.
  • Inside the prayer hall: sit on the floor, men and women often on different sides, with your feet not pointing towards the Guru Granth Sahib. Phones on silent; ask before taking photos.
  • Karah prashad: the sweet offering is given into cupped hands. Accept it respectfully; ask for a small amount if you wish.
  • Langar: sit in rows with everyone, eat what you take, and if you can, offer to help serve or wash up.
  • Ask: sevadars are used to welcoming visitors and will happily guide you.

For Hindu families, a respectful visit means joining as guests in a Sikh celebration rather than bringing Hindu puja items or rituals into the gurdwara. Many families who keep a framed picture of Guru Nanak at home simply light a lamp there and visit the gurdwara for kirtan and langar.

Planning around the work week

  • If you want to be there for the bhog of the akhand path, ask the gurdwara when it is scheduled and request leave in good time.If you can only attend on the weekend, the main programme often falls then anyway.Volunteering for langar seva usually needs no booking, but large gurdwaras may appreciate notice for big groups.Schools and workplaces abroad increasingly mark Gurpurab; a short explanation to colleagues of who Guru Nanak was and why langar is open to all is a good way to share the day.

Other observances on the same full moon

Tuesday 24 November 2026 is also Kartik Purnima for Hindu families, with their own distinct festivals: Karthigai Deepam in Tamil homes (Monday 23 November in the USA and Canada, by HinduTone's calculation of the Krittika nakshatra), Karthika Pournami in Telugu homes, and Dev Deepawali in Varanasi. See our Karthika Pournami celebrations in the USA, Canada and Australia guides, and our Karthigai Deepam 2026 abroad guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026 on the same date in the USA and India?

Yes. Drik Panchang lists Guru Nanak Jayanti and Kartik Purnima on Tuesday 24 November 2026 for India, and HinduTone's panchang calculation (Drik method) gives Kartik Purnima on Tuesday 24 November in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia too. Confirm with your gurdwara, as some follow the date announced by Sikh authorities in Amritsar.

Why is my gurdwara celebrating on the weekend instead?

Tuesday 24 November is a working and school day outside India, so many diaspora gurdwaras complete the akhand path on the Gurpurab itself and hold the largest kirtan programme, langar and family gathering on the nearest Saturday or Sunday. Both are normal. Check your gurdwara's notice board, website or social media for its own schedule.

Do I need to be Sikh to attend Gurpurab at a gurdwara?

No. Gurdwaras are open to everyone, and visitors of all faiths are welcome on Gurpurab. Cover your head, remove your shoes, do not bring tobacco or alcohol, and join the langar, which is served free to all.

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What should I wear to a gurdwara?

Modest clothing that lets you sit comfortably on the floor, such as trousers or a long skirt and a top that covers the shoulders. Bring a scarf or bandana to cover your head; most gurdwaras also keep head coverings at the entrance. Clean socks are useful in cold weather, since shoes come off.

Can I volunteer at a gurdwara on Gurpurab?

Usually yes. Seva (selfless service) is central to Sikh practice, and visitors are often welcome to help serve langar, wash dishes or tidy up. Ask a sevadar (volunteer) where help is needed, and follow their guidance on kitchen hygiene and head covering.

Is Guru Nanak Jayanti a public holiday in the USA, UK, Canada or Australia?

No, it is not a national public holiday in these countries. Some workplaces and schools allow religious-observance leave, so it is worth asking your employer or school in advance if you want to attend on Tuesday 24 November.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

This guide was written in October 2026. Tuesday 24 November 2026 is from Drik Panchang for India and from HinduTone's panchang calculation (Drik method) for the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia; these are calculated dates, so confirm with your gurdwara. We have deliberately not listed programme times, nagar kirtan routes, organisers or specific events, because they change every year and are set locally. Sikh teachings are described as Sikhs understand them.