On Kartik Purnima, ie., the full moon day of the Kartik month as per the Hindu calendar, which falls in the month of November (as per the Gregorian calendar)
Guru Nanak Jayanti is one of the holiest festivals of the Sikh community. Also known as Gurpurab, this festival marks the birth anniversary of the first guru and founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev.
Almost a fortnight before the festival, Sikhs perform Prabhat Pheris (early morning processions) to mark the celebration. On the day of the festival, several rituals are performed in honour of the guru. These include the Asaa-ki-Vaar (morning hymns), Kirtan (hymns from the Sikh scriptures) and Katha (exposition of the scripture). The special Langars (free community lunch) of the gurudwaras form a big attraction of this day and attract people from far and wide.
As a large number of Sikh communities reside in the capital, the sacred occasion of Gurpurab is celebrated with great fanfare. A day before the birthday, Nagar Kirtan processions headed by the panjpyaras (the five beloved ones) start from the sacred Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib. Amidst the songs and hymns sung in the praise of the guru, people decorate the streets with flowers and Sikh flags. While the procession usually culminates with the bursting of crackers, Delhi is the only place where laser shows are used for an eco-friendly celebration. On the day of the festival, gurudwaras across Delhi start their rituals from 4:00 am in the morning and beckon thousands of devotees to come and invoke the blessings of Guru Nanak.