In which year did Guru Nanak die?

Guru Nanak died in 1539, passing away at Kartarpur on 22 September after appointing Guru Angad as his successor.

Nanak, born in 1469, founded the Sikh tradition and spent his final years at Kartarpur, where he lived as a householder, worked, taught, and gathered a growing community. His teachings emphasized remembrance of God, honest work, sharing with others, and equality.

His death is associated with a well-known tradition involving his Hindu and Muslim followers. According to Sikh hagiographical accounts, they disagreed over whether his body should be cremated or buried. When they lifted the covering, they found flowers instead of a body, which they divided according to their customs.

A common mix-up is confusing Nanak’s death year with the beginning of Guru Angad’s leadership. Guru Angad succeeded him in 1539 and moved the Sikh community’s center from Kartarpur to Khadur Sahib. Nanak’s death date is also distinct from ongoing debates about his birth date, which is commemorated on different dates in Sikh tradition.