About Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, or the Prakash Purab of the tenth Sikh Guru, marks the birth of Guru Gobind Singh at Patna in 1666. Sikhs mark it with Akhand Path, nagar kirtan and langar, and in 2027 the SGPC date falls on Friday, 15 January 2027.
Who was Guru Gobind Singh?
Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth Sikh Guru, born Gobind Das in Patna in 1666 to Guru Tegh Bahadur and Mata Gujri. The house where he was born is now Takht Sri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib, one of the five Sikh Takhts. The family moved to Punjab in 1670, and he grew up at Anandpur in the Shivalik foothills.
He became Guru as a boy of nine, after his father was executed in Delhi on Aurangzeb's orders in November 1675. The rest of his life ran through war and loss. On Vaisakhi in 1699 at Anandpur he initiated the first Panj Piare with amrit and founded the Khalsa, giving its members the five articles of faith. His two elder sons, Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh, were killed at the battle of Chamkaur in 1704. The two younger ones, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, aged nine and six, were executed at Sirhind on the orders of its governor, Wazir Khan, and his mother Mata Gujri died there too. Afterwards he wrote the Zafarnama, a defiant letter in Persian to Aurangzeb that accused the emperor of immorality in how he governed and made war.
He died at Nanded in 1708, at the site now called Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib. Before his death he ended the line of human Gurus and passed the Guruship to the scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. Compositions such as Jaap Sahib, recited in the daily Sikh prayers, are attributed to him and collected in the Dasam Granth.
Manas ki jaat sabai ekai pahichanbo. (Recognise the whole human race as one.)
Why does the date of Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti change?
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti moves because the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) fixes it by the lunar date of his birth, Poh Sudi 7: the seventh day of the bright fortnight of Poh. A lunar year is about 11 days shorter than a solar one, so the Gregorian date drifts between late December and mid-January. In some calendar years it comes twice and in others not at all. In 2025 it fell on 6 January and again on 27 December, and 2026 had no SGPC date.
Not every Sikh body follows the SGPC. The Nanakshahi calendar drawn up by Pal Singh Purewal, which the SGPC adopted in 2003 and then amended in 2010, fixed the day at 5 January every year. The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, several Indian Sikh organisations and many gurdwaras abroad still keep 5 January. In December 2022, for example, the SGPC marked the Gurpurab on 29 December while the Pakistan committee announced 5 January 2023.
| Calendar | How the date is set | Who follows it |
|---|---|---|
| SGPC (amended Nanakshahi) | Poh Sudi 7, lunar; falls between late December and mid-January | Most gurdwaras in India, the Golden Temple, and the central government holiday list |
| Original Nanakshahi | Fixed solar date, 5 January | Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, some Indian and diaspora gurdwaras |
| Takht Patna Sahib | A multi-day Prakash Utsav with prabhat pheris and a nagar kirtan around the main day | Pilgrims at the birthplace |
The practical upshot: if a friend's gurdwara holds its programme on a different day from the one on this page, neither of you is wrong. Ask which date their sangat keeps.
How is Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti celebrated?
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti is celebrated in gurdwaras rather than at home parties. The observance builds over two or three days and ends with langar open to everyone.
- Two days beforeAkhand Path
A continuous reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, about 48 hours, timed to finish on the morning of the Gurpurab.
- The days beforePrabhat pheris
Early-morning processions singing shabads through the neighbourhood. In Patna the pheris run for over a week before the main day.
- The eve or the dayNagar kirtan
The Guru Granth Sahib travels in a decorated palki, led by the Panj Piare with the Nishan Sahib, followed by kirtan groups, gatka teams and families.
- The dayDiwan and langar
Kirtan, katha on the Guru's life and ardas in the gurdwara, then free langar for anyone who comes. Gurdwaras are lit up at night.
Takht Sri Harimandir Ji in Patna City holds the largest celebration outside Punjab. For the 350th Prakash Parv, from 30 December 2016 to 5 January 2017, the Bihar government built a tent city of about 75 acres on the Ganga near Kangan Ghat and declared a three-day holiday. At the Golden Temple in Amritsar, devotees bathe in the sarovar and listen to kirtan through the day.
Guru Gobind Singh's Birthday is a restricted holiday in the central government's list, so offices stay open but employees may take it off. State lists vary.
The Guru's life runs through other Sikh days too. Vaisakhi marks the founding of the Khalsa, Hola Mohalla the martial gathering he began at Anandpur in 1701, and Guru Nanak Gurpurab the birth of the first Guru.
What to write to Sikh friends on this Gurpurab
A good message names one thing the Guru stood for and wishes the family Charhdi Kala, rising spirits. Keep it respectful: late December is also when Sikhs remember the martyrdom of the four Sahibzade, and many families avoid celebration in that week.
Do
- Use "Gurpurab diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan" or "Happy Gurpurab"; both are normal.
- Mention courage, seva, equality or standing up for others; these are what he is remembered for.
- If you visit a gurdwara, cover your head, remove your shoes and sit on the floor for langar.
Avoid
- Don't write "Happy Birthday, Guru Gobind Singh Ji"; Sikhs speak of the Guru's Prakash, his light appearing.
- Don't use cake, party or alcohol imagery on a card for this day.
- Don't mix it up with Guru Nanak Gurpurab in November; each Guru's day has its own history.
Gurpurab diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan. May Guru Gobind Singh Ji give you his courage and keep your family in Charhdi Kala.
Prakash Purab diyan vadhaiyan, Bibi ji and Papa ji. Thank you for the sakhis you told us about Dasmesh Pita. We still remember them.
Warm wishes on the Prakash Purab of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Hope you get to the gurdwara and enjoy the langar with your family.
Safe journey to Patna Sahib. Say an ardas for us at the Guru's birthplace, and bring back some karah prasad.
Today Sikhs mark the birth of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, who taught that all people are one. Come with us to the gurdwara for kirtan and langar.
Gurpurab diyan vadhaiyan. You spent the day serving others, which is exactly how the Guru asked us to mark it.
- Prakash Purab
- Festival of light; the Sikh term for a Guru's birth anniversary
- Poh Sudi 7
- Seventh day of the bright half of the lunar month Poh, the traditional birth date
- Khalsa
- The community of initiated Sikhs founded by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699
- Panj Piare
- The five beloved ones who lead Sikh processions
- Dasmesh Pita
- Tenth father; an affectionate name for Guru Gobind Singh
- Charhdi Kala
- Rising, unbroken spirit
- Nagar kirtan
- A procession singing hymns, led by the Guru Granth Sahib in a palki
How to wish someone on Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti
A good wish for this Gurpurab names what Guru Gobind Singh stood for: courage in the defence of others, the Khalsa, equality of all people and faith in Waheguru. "Gurpurab diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan" is the usual Punjabi greeting. Because the date often sits beside the Shaheedi days of the Guru's sons in late December, keep the tone devout rather than party-like, and skip "Happy Birthday Guru Ji" phrasing.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + regional language.
When is Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti in 2026 and 2027?
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti falls on a different date each year. In 2027 it falls 10 days later than in 2026.
- 2026may vary by location
- 2027
Frequently asked questions
When is Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti in 2027?
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2027 falls on Friday, 15 January 2027.
Where was Guru Gobind Singh born?
Guru Gobind Singh was born in Patna, Bihar, in 1666. His birthplace is now Takht Sri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib, one of the five Sikh Takhts, which holds a multi-day Prakash Utsav with a nagar kirtan every year.
Why do some gurdwaras celebrate Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti on 5 January?
The original Nanakshahi calendar, adopted by the SGPC in 2003, fixed Guru Gobind Singh's Prakash Purab on 5 January. The SGPC amended the calendar in 2010 and now follows the lunar Poh Sudi 7, but the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and several other Sikh bodies still keep 5 January.
How do you wish someone on Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti?
Say "Gurpurab diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan" or "Happy Gurpurab", and in a Sikh setting greet with "Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh". A message that mentions the Guru's courage, equality or seva reads better than a generic festival wish.
Why is it called Prakash Purab and not a birthday?
Prakash means light. Sikhs speak of a Guru's Prakash, the appearance of divine light in the world, rather than an ordinary birthday, so the anniversary is called Prakash Purab or Gurpurab.
What did Guru Gobind Singh do for Sikhism?
Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa at Anandpur on Vaisakhi in 1699, gave Sikhs the five articles of faith, and wrote works such as Jaap Sahib. Before his death at Nanded in 1708, he declared the Guru Granth Sahib the eternal Guru, ending the line of human Gurus.
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