Guru Nanak Gurpurab

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born on Puranmashi of Kattak in 1469, according to the Vikram Samvat calendar in Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present Shekhupura District of Pakistan, now Nankana Sahib. It is a Gazetted holiday in India. The controversial Bhai Bala Janamsakhi claims Guru Nanak was born on the Full Moon (Pooranmashi) of the Indian Lunar Month Kartik. The Sikhs have been celebrating Guru Nanak's Gurpurab around November for this reason, and it has been ingrained in Sikh Traditions. However, some scholars and organizations believe the Birthday should be celebrated on Vaisakhi, which falls on 27 November according to the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar. Other people and organizations would like to keep the traditional date by celebrating on the Full moon day, called Pooranmashi or Purnima, of the Lunar Month Kartik. The Nanakshahi Calendar follows the Gregorian calendar and celebrates it on Kartik Purnima. The different dates reflect a mismatch between different time units. The problem with designing an accurate calendar is that the three natural units of time – the day, the month and the year – are based on different movements – the Earth's rotation about its axis, the Moon's revolution around the Earth and the Earth's revolution around the Sun. Their periods are not integer multiples of each other. The challenge in aligning solar and lunar calendars arises from the discrepancy in their respective durations. A solar year spans approximately 365.25 days, while a lunar month is around 29.53 days. The sum of twelve lunar months falls short of a solar year by 11 days, 1 hour, 31 minutes, and 12 seconds. Over three years, this discrepancy nearly equals one month. The Moon's orbit takes about 27.3 days, causing it to lag behind the Earth's orbit around the sun, resulting in a 10.87-day difference between a lunar year (354.372 days) and a solar year (365.2422 days). == Significance ==

Guru Nanak preached that any person could connect to God by worshipping with a clear conscience. His teachings are included in Guru Granth Sahib. ==The festival==

, Pakistan, the birthplace of Guru Nanak The celebration is generally similar for all Sikhs; only the hymns are different. The celebrations usually commence with Prabhat Pheris. Prabhat Pheris are early morning processions that begin at the Gurudwaras and proceed around the localities singing hymns. Generally, two days before the birthday, Akhand Path (a forty-eight-hour non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs) is held in the Gurdwaras. The day prior to the birthday, a procession, referred to as Nagarkirtan, is organised. This procession is led by the Panj Pyaras (Five Beloved Ones). They head the procession carrying the Sikh flag, known as the Nishan Sahib and the Palki (Palanquin) of Guru Granth Sahib. They are followed by teams of singers singing hymns should be offered food in the spirit of seva (service) and bhakti (devotion). Night prayer sessions are also held in some Gurudwaras, which begin around sunset when Rehras (evening prayer) is recited, followed by Kirtan till late at night. Celebrating the auspicious day, the Punjab government has announced that it will install chairs dedicated to the great saint in 11 universities. The announcement was made on 11 November 2019. Public Holiday Guru Nanak Gurpurab is celebrated as public holiday in the following places: == See also ==