Last reviewed 1 Oct 2026 · Facts as of 1 Oct 2026 · 6 min read
Tip. Dates for the Gurus' birth and death are widely agreed to within a year in standard textbooks; where books differ slightly, use the year in your prescribed book. This note follows the commonly cited years.
1. The ten Gurus at a glance
| # | Guru | Years (guru-ship) | Birth place | Key contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guru Nanak Dev | 1469–1539 | Talwandi (Nankana Sahib), now Pakistan | Founder; Ik Onkar; langar, sangat, pangat; four Udasis; settled at Kartarpur |
| 2 | Guru Angad Dev | 1504–1552 (guru 1539–52) | Matte-di-Sarai (Sri Muktsar Sahib area) | Standardised Gurmukhi script; promoted physical training (mal akhara) |
| 3 | Guru Amar Das | 1479–1574 (guru 1552–74) | Basarke (Amritsar) | Manji system (22 preaching seats), opposed sati and purdah, Goindwal baoli; Anand Sahib |
| 4 | Guru Ram Das | 1534–1581 (guru 1574–81) | Chuna Mandi, Lahore | Founded Ramdaspur (Amritsar); began the Amritsar sarovar |
| 5 | Guru Arjan Dev | 1563–1606 (guru 1581–1606) | Goindwal | Compiled Adi Granth (1604); built Harmandir Sahib; martyrdom 1606 at Lahore |
| 6 | Guru Hargobind | 1595–1644 (guru 1606–44) | Guru Ki Wadali (Amritsar) | Miri–Piri (two swords); built Akal Takht; fortress Lohgarh |
| 7 | Guru Har Rai | 1630–1661 (guru 1644–61) | Kiratpur | Gentle, charitable; dispensary for the poor |
| 8 | Guru Har Krishan | 1656–1664 (guru 1661–64) | Kiratpur | Youngest Guru; died in Delhi (Bangla Sahib) |
| 9 | Guru Tegh Bahadur | 1621–1675 (guru 1664–75) | Amritsar | Founded Anandpur Sahib; martyrdom 1675, Delhi (Sis Ganj), for religious freedom |
| 10 | Guru Gobind Singh | 1666–1708 (guru 1675–1708) | Patna Sahib, Bihar | Founded the Khalsa (1699); fought hill chiefs and Mughals; declared the Guru Granth Sahib the eternal Guru |
2. Guru Nanak Dev — the foundation
- Born in 1469 at Talwandi (renamed Nankana Sahib). The widely marked birth date is the full-moon day of Kartik (Prakash Purab / Gurpurab).
- Core message: one God (Ik Onkar), Naam Japna, Kirat Karni, Vand Chhakna (remember God, earn honestly, share with others).
- Four Udasis (long missionary journeys) across India and beyond.
- Settled at Kartarpur (on the Ravi, now in Pakistan), where he farmed and organised the first community; he died there in 1539.
- Rejected caste hierarchy and rituals; created langar (community kitchen) where all sit together.
- Nominated Bhai Lehna as his successor, named Guru Angad.