Join the Nagar Keertan Through Afzalgunj and Secunderabad
The procession announces itself before you see it: the slow roll of a drum, the rise of a shabad sung by hundreds of voices at once, and the sweep of brooms as volunteers clear the road ahead of the float. When the Nagar Keertan passes, the street stops being a street. Traffic halts, shopkeepers step out, and strangers fall in behind the Panj Pyare without anyone asking them to.
In 2026, two processions are planned across the city. Gurudwara Saheb, Secunderabad, leads one at 4 pm on Saturday; Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Afzalgunj, leads the second at 4 pm on Monday. Arrive early along either route to find a spot near the head of the procession, where the keertan is loudest and the langar volunteers are already working the crowd. The Afzalgunj committee is the organising hub for much of the city's celebration, so the route around the gurudwara there fills quickly.
Sit for Hours at the Exhibition Grounds Congregation
The centrepiece of Guru Nanak Jayanti in Hyderabad is the Prakash Utsav congregation at Exhibition Grounds, Nampally — a Wednesday gathering that runs from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm and is expected to draw more than 25,000 devotees. This is not a quick stop. Bring a head covering, leave your shoes at the designated area, and settle onto the floor for Gurbani recitation, devotional singing, and the steady rhythm of a hall that holds together for six hours.
The final-day congregation at the same venue closes out the celebrations, which run November 1–5, 2026, marking the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. If you attend only one event, make it this one — the scale of the sangat at Nampally is the clearest picture of how the city's Sikh community, and its neighbours, observe the day.
Hear Shabad Kirtan from Visiting and Local Ragis
The kirtan lineup is the reason many people travel in for the week. Baljeet Singh, visiting from the USA, joins Harjinder Singh from Srinagar and Sahib Singh from Punjab, performing alongside local artists from Hyderabad's own gurudwaras. The ragi jathas move between venues across the five days, so check the schedule posted at your nearest gurudwara — Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Afzalgunj and Gurudwara Saheb in Secunderabad are the two to watch.
- Where: City gurudwaras, with the largest sittings at Exhibition Grounds, Nampally
- Who: Baljeet Singh (USA), Harjinder Singh (Srinagar), Sahib Singh (Punjab), plus local kirtan groups
- Etiquette: Cover your head, remove shoes, sit on the floor, and accept karah prasad with both hands
Eat Langar, Volunteer, and Visit a Medical Camp
Langar — the free community kitchen — runs across the city's gurudwaras throughout the celebrations, and it is open to people of every community. You do not need an invitation. Sit in the pangat line, take what you are served, and eat with the people beside you; this is the part of the festival that most directly carries Guru Nanak's message of equality, compassion, and unity.
Medical camps and volunteering drives run alongside the meals, organised by the managing committees of gurudwaras across Telangana. If you want to give time rather than just take it in, ask at the Afzalgunj or Secunderabad gurudwara about where hands are needed — serving in the langar kitchen or helping at a camp is a legitimate way to spend the day.
Plan Around the First Week of November
The 2026 celebrations fall November 1–5, with the main congregation at Exhibition Grounds on the Wednesday and the two Nagar Keertans on the Saturday and Monday afternoons. Hyderabad in early November is warm and dry, and the evening processions are the most comfortable way to experience the festival outdoors.
Base yourself near Afzalgunj or Secunderabad if you want to walk to the processions, or near Nampally if the Exhibition Grounds congregation is your priority. The old city around Afzalgunj puts you within reach of the Charminar bazaars for the rest of your stay; Secunderabad suits travellers arriving by train. Either way, keep the afternoons of the procession days free — the routes close to traffic and the crowds build well before 4 pm.
Start With the Committee, Not the Calendar
Details of routes, timings, and kirtan schedules are finalised by the managing committees of the individual gurudwaras, and the media briefing for this year's programme was held at Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Afzalgunj, with Jagmohan Singh serving as general secretary of Gurudwara Saheb, Secunderabad. Before you book travel, contact the gurudwara nearest your hotel for the confirmed programme, then build your days around the Wednesday congregation and the two processions. Book your Hyderabad stay for the first week of November, pack a scarf for covering your head, and leave room in your schedule for a langar meal you did not plan on — those hours tend to be the ones people remember.