Sikh Celebrations
Gurpurab
A Gurpurab marks a day in the life of one of the Sikh Gurus — the day a Guru came into the world, a Jyoti Jot, a Shaheedi, or the passing of the Guruship. This page covers the ones Sikh families keep most closely: when each falls, and what to do with your children when it comes.
The next Gurpurab
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji — Gurgaddi Diwas
The days most families mark
These are the Gurpurabs and Shaheedi days Sikh families keep most closely. The dates come from the SGPC's Nanakshahi calendar — your gurdwara may keep a different one, and that isn't a mistake.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji — Gurgaddi Diwas
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ — ਗੁਰਗੱਦੀ ਦਿਵਸ
The day Guru Gobind Singh Ji passed the Guruship to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, at Nanded.
How families mark this day →Guru Nanak Dev Ji — Parkash Purab
ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ ਜੀ — ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਪੁਰਬ
The first Guru, who taught that there is One Creator in everyone and everything.
How families mark this day →Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji — Shaheedi
ਗੁਰੂ ਤੇਗ ਬਹਾਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ — ਸ਼ਹੀਦੀ ਦਿਵਸ
The ninth Guru, who gave his life so that others could worship freely.
Vadde Sahibzade — Saka Chamkaur Sahib
ਵੱਡੇ ਸਾਹਿਬਜ਼ਾਦੇ
Baba Ajit Singh Ji and Baba Jujhar Singh Ji, the elder sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who gave their lives at Chamkaur Sahib.
Chhote Sahibzade — Saka Sirhind
ਛੋਟੇ ਸਾਹਿਬਜ਼ਾਦੇ
Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji, the younger sons, who gave their lives at Sirhind rather than give up their faith — and their grandmother Mata Gujri Ji, who passed the same day.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji — Parkash Purab
ਗੁਰੂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ — ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਪੁਰਬ
The tenth Guru, who created the Khalsa and gave the Guruship to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Recently observed
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji — Pehla Parkash
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ — ਪਹਿਲਾ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼
The day the Adi Granth was first installed at Sri Harmandir Sahib, in 1604 — the first Parkash.
What this day marks →Guru Arjan Dev Ji — Shaheedi
ਗੁਰੂ ਅਰਜਨ ਦੇਵ ਜੀ — ਸ਼ਹੀਦੀ ਦਿਵਸ
The fifth Guru, who gathered the Gurus' writings into the Adi Granth and built Sri Harmandir Sahib.
How Gurpurabs are kept
Broadly the same wherever the gurdwara is — whether it's in Brampton, Southall or Melbourne. And if you can't get to one, broadly the same at home.
At the gurdwara
An Akhand Path (a reading of the whole Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, beginning to end, that is never paused) runs for the two days before, finishing with the bhog on the morning of the day itself. Then the hall stays full from morning until night — kirtan (Gurbani sung to music, usually with harmonium and tabla), katha (a talk explaining the Guru's words), Ardaas, karah parshad and langar — whether you're there for the whole of it or came in for ten minutes.
In the days before there's often a prabhat pheri (an early-morning walk through the neighbourhood with kirtan), and in many towns a nagar kirtan (a procession through the streets with kirtan, open to everyone) on the nearest weekend. Look out for lights too: decorative lights and lamps at the gurdwara and in people's windows, for the illumination the Guru's wisdom brought into the world.
Times vary from gurdwara to gurdwara — check your own gurdwara's notice.
At home
Put up decorative lights and light lamps in the window. Read Japji Sahib together, or the first five pauris if the children are small. Put kirtan on while you make something sweet. Tell them the Guru's own story at bedtime instead of the usual one. An hour, honestly kept, is enough to mark the day.
Something to do with the kids
Pick one. A day the children remember beats a day you got through. These are set for Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji — Gurgaddi Diwas — they'll change when the next day comes round.
Quiz them at the table
Ten questions, four minutes, and everyone finds out who was actually listening.
Take the quiz →Print the crossword
One page. Hand it over after langar and get twenty quiet minutes.
Print the crossword →Write the Guru's name
Trace it in Gurmukhi. Most children can manage their own name and the Guru's by the end of it.
Gurmukhi tracing →Colour the day
Nagar kirtan, langar seva, the Nishan Sahib — the parts of the day they'll actually see.
Free colouring sheets →A shabad at bedtime
One line of Gurbani, told as a story, in Punjabi and English.
Read a shabad story →Read about Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
How the Guru's words were gathered, and why we bow to them.
Read about the Guru →Why your gurdwara's date may differ
Three calendars, one day
Sikh dates are reckoned three ways. The Nanakshahi calendar adopted by the SGPC is where our dates come from. The Mool Nanakshahi calendar, which some sangats follow, sets several days differently. And a number of gurdwaras keep the older Bikrami lunar reckoning.
How to say it, how to spell it
ਗੁਰਪੁਰਬ. You will see it written Gurpurab, Gurpurb, Gurupurab and Guru Purab — the same word, romanised differently, and none of them wrong. Say it gur-pur-ab — both us short, as in put.
It joins gur, from Guru, to purab, an auspicious day. So: the Guru's day.
Questions parents ask
What is Gurpurab celebrated for?
What day is Gurpurab 2026?
Is it Gurpurab or Gurupurab?
How do Sikhs celebrate Guru Nanak Gurpurab?
Which activities are commonly done during Gurpurab?
Why is Gurpurab on a different day this year?
One email before each Gurpurab
A short note the week before the day: what it marks, and one thing to do with the children. That's all it is. Nothing gated, nothing sold.