Sikh Festival Calendar 2026: Dates, Celebrations, and Significance- The year 2026 offers Sikh communities around the world a rich calendar of religious festivals, Gurpurabs (birth and remembrance days of Sikh Gurus), and historic celebrations. These days are observed with prayers, kirtan (devotional singing), community service, and langar (free meals), reflecting Sikhism’s core principles of spiritual devotion, equality, and selfless service.
Below is a month-by-month guide to the major Sikh festivals in 2026:
January 2026
| Date | Day | Festival | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan | Tuesday | Lohri / Maghi | Marks the end of winter and harvest season; commemorates the martyrdom of the Chali Mukte (Forty Liberated Ones). |
| 31 Jan | Saturday | Guru Har Rai Ji Jayanti | Birth anniversary of the Seventh Sikh Guru, known for compassion and leadership. |
March 2026
| Date | Day | Festival | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4–6 Mar | Wed–Fri | Hola Mohalla | Celebrates courage and martial spirit with displays, mock battles, poetry, and prayers. |
| 17 Mar | Tuesday | Guru Har Rai Gur Gaddi | Commemorates Guru Har Rai Ji’s ascension as Guru. |
| 19 Mar | Thursday | Guru Amar Das Gur Gaddi | Marks Guru Amar Das Ji assuming Guruship. |
| 22 Mar | Sunday | Guru Angad Dev Ji Jyoti Jot | Remembrance of Guru Angad Dev Ji, who formalized the Gurmukhi script. |
| 23 Mar | Monday | Guru Hargobind Ji Jyoti Jot | Commemorates the passing of Guru Hargobind Ji, the warrior-saint Guru. |
April 2026
| Date | Day | Festival | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr | Wednesday | Guru Har Krishan Ji Jyoti Jot | Marks the passing of the youngest Sikh Guru, remembered for humility and service. |
| 1 Apr | Wednesday | Guru Tegh Bahadur Gur Gaddi | Ascension of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji as the ninth Sikh Guru. |
| 7 Apr | Tuesday | Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Jayanti | Birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, known for protecting religious freedom. |
| 9 Apr | Thursday | Guru Arjan Dev Ji Jayanti | Birth anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, compiler of the Adi Granth. |
| 14 Apr | Tuesday | Vaisakhi | Celebrates the Sikh New Year and the founding of the Khalsa in 1699. |
| 18 Apr | Saturday | Guru Angad Dev Ji Jayanti | Birth anniversary of the second Sikh Guru. |
| 30 Apr | Thursday | Guru Amar Das Ji Jayanti | Birth anniversary of the third Sikh Guru. |
May – June 2026
| Date | Day | Festival | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 May | Sunday | Guru Hargobind Gur Gaddi | Day Guru Hargobind Ji became Guru. |
| 18 Jun | Thursday | Guru Arjan Dev Ji Jyoti Jot | Marks the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. |
| 30 Jun | Tuesday | Guru Hargobind Ji Jayanti | Birth anniversary of Guru Hargobind Ji. |
August – September 2026
| Date | Day | Festival | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug | Friday | Guru Har Krishan Ji Jayanti | Birth anniversary of the eighth Sikh Guru. |
| 12 Sep | Saturday | Guru Granth Sahib Ji Jayanti | Celebration of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib as eternal Guru. |
| 13 Sep | Sunday | Guru Arjan Dev Ji Gur Gaddi | Marks Guru Arjan Dev Ji assuming Guruship. |
| 14 Sep | Monday | Guru Ram Das Ji Jyoti Jot | Remembrance of Guru Ram Das Ji’s passing. |
| 24 Sep | Thursday | Guru Ram Das Ji Gur Gaddi | Celebrates Guru Ram Das Ji’s succession as Guru. |
| 26 Sep | Saturday | Guru Amar Das Ji Jyoti Jot | Remembrance of Guru Amar Das Ji’s passing. |
October – November 2026
| Date | Day | Festival | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct | Thursday | Guru Angad Dev Ji Gur Gaddi | Ascension of Guru Angad Dev Ji as Guru. |
| 5 Oct | Monday | Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jyoti Jot | Passing of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. |
| 27 Oct | Tuesday | Guru Ram Das Ji Jayanti | Birth anniversary of the fourth Sikh Guru. |
| 3 Nov | Tuesday | Guru Har Krishan Ji Gur Gaddi & Guru Har Rai Ji Jyoti Jot | Guru succession and remembrance combined. |
| 11 Nov | Wednesday | Guru Granth Sahib Ji Gur Gaddi | Anniversary of the installation of the Sikh scripture as Guru. |
| 14 Nov | Saturday | Guru Gobind Singh Ji Jyoti Jot | Remembrance of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s passing. |
| 24 Nov | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jayanti | Global celebration of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birth. |
December 2026
| Date | Day | Festival | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Dec | Saturday | Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gur Gaddi | Day Guru Gobind Singh Ji assumed Guruship. |
| 14 Dec | Monday | Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Jyoti Jot | Remembrance of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s passing. |
Observing Sikh Festivals
-
Gurpurabs and Jayantis honor the births and lives of the Sikh Gurus, inspiring reflection on values like justice, humility, and service.
-
Vaisakhi celebrates both the New Year and the founding of the Khalsa.
-
Hola Mohalla highlights courage, community unity, and martial tradition.
-
Lohri / Maghi blends seasonal harvest celebration with remembrance of sacrifices.
Sikh communities worldwide mark these festivals with prayers, devotional singing, community meals, and charitable service, keeping alive a vibrant heritage of faith and unity.
The Hundred Drums Wangala Festival – A Harvest Festival of Faith, Culture, and the Sun God | Maya