Prakash Purab is a spiritual occasion when the Sikhs come together as a community to celebrate the birth anniversaries of their revered 10 Sikh gurus – Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Angad Dev Ji, Guru Amar Dev Ji, Guru Ram Das Ji, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Guru Hargobind Ji, Guru Har Rai Ji, Guru Har Krishan Ji, Guru Teg Bahadur Ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji. These are the powerful days symbolising the birth of light, wisdom and knowledge – a time when darkness and ignorance were finally driven out of the world.
Here’s everything you need to know about Prakash Purab, its history, rituals, traditions, celebrations across the world and its utmost importance in Sikhism.
Read on!
Historical background
The history of Prakash Purab or Parkas Purab as some would call it, dates back to the time when Sikhism initially originated. Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh guru, was born in 1469 in the Talwandi village. It is now part of the Nankana Sahib region of Pakistan. From a very young age, the Guru had a deep inclination toward spiritualism and human unity. He always felt the need to give out more love, compassion and care to people around him. This led to his journey across the world, extensive travel to gain knowledge. These spiritual endeavours are referred to as ‘Udasis’. While going from one place to another, he preached to people about the magic of love, equality and the strength one gets from being united and harmonious. He covered several places across South Asia and the Middle East.
‘Prakash Purab’ started as an occasion to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The word Prakash means ‘light’ and Purab means ‘day’. The Sikhs believe that the day their first guru was born was the ceremonial time when light and wisdom finally entered the realms of the Earth. It also symbolises people’s awakening because of the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Over time, devotees also started celebrating Prakash Purab on the birthdays of their other 9 Sikh Gurus who laid the building blocks of Sikhism and were the founding fathers of this harmonious religion.
The communal celebrations of Prakash Purab are vibrant and filled with fervour. You will find people gathering in the Gurudwaras to offer their prayers, sing kirtans, read the holy scripture of Sikhism – Guru Granth Sahib and revisit the life story and teachings of their Gurus. Everyone is happy and cheerful. It’s customary to always extend a hand of help when the Sikhs offer free meals through Langar.
Celebrations and customs
The first and foremost thing that Guru Nanak Dev Ji preached is that the devotees must believe in one true God and offer their prayers to that supreme energy regardless of their caste, creed or social status. He did not advocate for rituals that involve offerings to God. Instead, he wanted the spiritual souls to sit down, meditate and establish a direct connection with the divine. He also said that honest living and providing selfless services to humanity are two other ways in which people can connect to the Almighty.
Keeping these things in mind, these are the common practices that Sikhs indulge in on the day of Prakash Purab.
Prabhat Pheris
The Prabhat Pheris begin a few days before Prakash Purab. The people of the Sikh community participate in an early morning procession where they walk on the streets while singing hymns and reciting prayers.
They also spread the message of love and the teachings of their renowned Gurus while they go around their village, town, city or region. This is a very joyous occasion where they try to let everyone know the importance of being kind and understanding to their fellow human beings.
Akhand Path
Akhand Path is another important custom during Prakash Purab. The Sikh community starts the uninterrupted reciting of the holy Guru Granth Sahib.
This usually begins a few days before Prakash Purab and they take turns to read the Granth so that it is being read without any stops. The reading concludes on the day of Prakash Purab and is followed by other celebrations.
Nagarkirtan
On the day of Prakash Purab, the Sikh community wakes up early in the morning, gets dressed in new clothes and takes part in the vibrant procession of Nagarkirtan. The devotees parade on the streets while singing hymns and playing musical instruments.
Some would even sway to the music while carrying the Sikh flag, the Nishan Sahib. The Nagarkirtan is the public proclamation where the Sikh community joyously propagates the teachings of their Gurus – the need for love, peace and equality among human beings.
All through these celebrations, Gurudwaras play a central role. These are the places of worship where Sikhs gather in large numbers to worship their Gurus and sit down for self-reflection. During Prakash Purab, the Gurudwaras are decorated with colourful flags, lights and diyas. The ceremonial kirtans, katha (story) recitals and ardas (prayers) happen all day long.
The vibrant celebrations of Prakash Purab happen on a bigger scale in the Golden Temple of Amritsar. We suggest that you pay a visit to this peaceful and glorious Gurudwara in India.
Another custom during Prakash Purab is ‘Langar’. The community comes together as one, cooks meals in the community kitchen and offers them to everyone who steps into the Gurudwara irrespective of their caste, creed, social status or religion. This practice highlights the principles of equality, humility, selfless service, unity and love for everyone around us. The involvement of everyone is of paramount importance here. The food offering is believed to be the ‘prasad’, a holy meal that can energise the body and cleanse the soul.
The cultural and religious significance of Prakash Purab
Prakas Purab is not just the birth anniversary of the Sikh Gurus. It is a day on which the Sikh community reflects upon the lessons and teachings that Guru Nanak Dev Ji and his successors have introduced to the world. This is when the Sikhs feel the eternal presence of their Gurus around them and sit down to seek the blessings of the Almighty.
The united love for humanity
Among the many preachings of the Sikh Gurus is the concept of ‘Ik Onkar’ which means ‘One God’. The Sikhs embrace the love for a supreme power out in the universe, pay their respects and offer prayers to their ‘One God’. On Prakash Purab, they highlight the need for unity and being considerate of one another. They believe that the ultimate form of worship and penance is to offer a helping hand to fellow human beings, understanding their emotions and sharing immense love without any questions asked. This helps them be peaceful and calm and stay interconnected with the community that they live in. This is exactly what the Sikh Gurus taught everyone too. The well-being of the community and people around you will eventually help you stay healthy and prosperous.
A day that commemorates the birth of Sikhism
The 10 Sikh Gurus are the ones who set the rules, rituals and customs that are widely followed in Sikhism. On Prakash Purab, the devotees thank their Gurus, offer their prayers and show immense gratitude. They are happy and content that a religion that advocates for equality and harmonious living has come into existence because of the light and knowledge that the Sikh Gurus brought with them during their birth.
Spiritual Enlightenment
On Prakash Purab, the devotees sit down to meditate and establish a deeper connection with their Gurus and God. You will see them taking a journey to explore their inner selves and contemplating their actions. This is the best time for them to strive to imbibe the virtues of humility, gratitude and devotion in themselves.
Modern observances
A lot of enthusiasm and zeal surrounds the celebrations of Prakash Purab in India. This is the time when Sikhs are immensely happy and spread this happiness to everyone around them. The major Prakash Purab is the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji which falls on the 15th of November in 2024.
Here are the dates (Gregorian calendar) of all the major Prakash Purabs along with their dates on the lunar calendar.
| Guru | Gregorian calendar date | Lunar calendar date |
| Guru Nanak Dev Ji | 15th November | 30 Katak |
| Guru Angad Dev Ji | 9th May | 27 Vaisakh |
| Guru Amar Dev Ji | 22nd May | 09 Jeth |
| Guru Ram Das Ji | 19th October | 03 Katak |
| Guru Arjan Dev Ji | 30th April | 18 Vaisakh |
| Guru Hargobind Ji | 22nd June | 09 Haarh |
| Guru Har Rai Ji | 10th February | 28 Maagh |
| Guru Har Krishan Ji | 29th July | 14 Saavan |
| Guru Teg Bahadur Ji | 29th April | 17 Vaisakh |
| Guru Gobind Singh Ji | 6th January | 23 Poh |
The Golden Temple in Amritsar or the Harmandir Sahib is one of the major Gurudwaras in India that sees a flock of devotees coming to offer their prayers. Another one is the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in New Delhi where people gather to partake in prayers, kirtans and eat langar together.
If you are planning to visit Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, then book your stay at hotels in New Delhi that are near the worship place so that you can save time on commuting and spending the whole day there.
In the digital age, these Gurudwaras along with others across the world share live streaming of the Prakash Purab celebrations on social media handles like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. They also have online resources that tell us the life story of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and also children-friendly apps that help them understand the relevance and importance of the Gurus’ preachings even in the contemporary era.
The celebrations of Prakash Purab are beyond the reverence for a historical figure. These are the days that brought on the beacon of light, serve as the flicker of hope and help Sikh communities stay true to their morals and religious beliefs. They lead an entire community towards the path of living right and spreading the message of love. It is a surreal experience to visit a Gurudwara on Prakash Purab. If you get the opportunity, do not miss it!
