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Hindu Bikrami Calendar Continues to Cause Confusion in Sikh Community

SRI AMRITSAR, PUNJAB (KP) - The Sikh clergy did an about face of sorts in regards to the Nanakshahi Calendar when they arbitrarily declared that Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji’s upcoming Gurpurab should be celebrated on January 7th, 2015 instead of December 28th of 2014, as it coincided with December 26th Shaheedee commemorations of the Younger Sahibzadays.

The decision was made by Jathedar Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar Mal Singh, Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh, and Head Granthi Raghubir Singh, and Head Granthi Maan Singh. Conspicuously missing were representatives from Takht Sri Hazur Sahib or Takht Sri Patna Sahib who would have definitely opposed such a move.

Three different Gurpurab Dates

In order to placate any opposition, the Jathedars stated that if anyone wanted to celebrate the Gurpurab on December 28th, they could do so. This gives the possibility that the Sikh Sangat will be observing Guru Sahib's Parkash Purab on three different dates: December 28th (per Bikrami), January 5th (per NanakShahi), and now January 7th (per the new decision by clergy.)

Takht Sri Patna Sahib management has already stated that they would not adhere to the move and observe the Gurpurab on December 28th, per Bikrami Calendar.

Interestingly, this move will have no effect on how Sikhs celebrate this Gurpurab across Europe and North America, as most of the Sikh Diaspora continues to follow the original Nanakshahi Calendar which set the Gurpurab for the 5th of January every year.

Bikrami Calendar Continues to Cause Confusion

Since Gurpurab dates are still being observed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Commitee (SGPC) according to the Hindu Bikrami Calendar they fluctuate back and forth and often coincide with other observances which are based on non-Bikrami calculations.

Much of this blame is attributed to decision made by the SGPC when they gutted the original Nanakshahi Calendar to please the Sant-Samaj as it had allied with the ruling Akali-Dal-Badal and the right-wing Hindu Bhartya Janata Party combine in election polls). The SGPC, instead re-instated the Bikrami with some modifications under the label of "Revised Nanakshahi Calendar".

The original Nanakshahi Calendar, which became the de facto National Sikh Calendar in 2003, was ratified and implemented by Sri Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti with immense support from the Sikh diaspora, but had faced a backlash from Nirmala and Udasee oriented Sant-Samaji deras, samperdas and Nihang Dals which saw the cessation from the traditional Bikrami Calendar as heresy as they consider the Bikrami Calendar as infallible.

Sanatan Hindu organizations, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were also vehemently opposed to an independent Sikh Calendar since it further attests to an independent distinct Sikh identify.

Pro-Nanakshahi groups have always considered the Bikrami Calendar inaccurate in the setting of the Gurpurab dates as it was wholly dependent on obscure ancient methods applied by Benares-Kanshi based Pandits.

Superstitions Calculate Guru Sahib's Gurpurabs : Science vs. Superstition

Due to the structure of the Bikrami Calendar, mainly due to a superstitious oddity called “mal-mas” (literally foul/bad month) which occurs every two to three years. When this months coincides with December, no religious events are observed per Brahmanical tradition.

Hence, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji’s Gurpurab gets shifted back and forth between December and January, depending on the mal-mas, and sometimes there are two Gurpurabs with in the modern calendar year, and none the year after.

The original Nanakshahi Calendar is a tropical solar based calendar that was supposed to break this strange reliance on non-Sikh superstitions and furthermore rectify the ongoing inaccuracies of the Vedic astrology based Hindu Bikrami Calendar.

Also see: Sant-Samaj Attempts to Torpedo Panthic Unity with Calendar, Maryada Controversy