Amritsar Sahib - The Sikh Diaspora has raised eyebrows over the working of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC) regarding amendments made in the NanakShahi calendar without taking the community into confidence.
It is also pertinent to mention that the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, sent its proposals to SGPC to discuss the necessary action to make amendments in the calendar.
The SGPC has also called an emergency meeting of its executive members on Sunday to make certain amendments.
President of SGPC Avtar Singh Makkar said that the decision taken in the meeting would be for strengthening the Panthic unity. Pal Singh Purewal, a Canadian Sikh who is the founder of the calendar, questioned the urgency behind the modification of the NanakShahi calendar and said that the proposed changes will push the calendar to Bikrami pranali and it will be a retrograde step.
“If these changes are accepted then it will be a misnomer to call it NanakShahi calendar,” Purewal said.
He also appealed to the Jathedars of the Takht Sahib and the SGPC to act in a calm and considerate manner on this issue and not to take any decision in haste.
Purewal further said that he is willing to come and answer any concerns in a joint meeting of Singh Sahiban, SGPC Executive Committee, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, and representatives of other Panthic organizations and Sant Samaj.
Meanwhile, a Washington based senior Sikh leader Dr. Amarjit Singh said that after the worldwide acceptance of the Nanakshahi calendar, it has made life much easier for Sikhs everywhere, as the dates of Sikh holy days no longer change from year to year as they used to under the Hindu Bikrami calendar.
“Gurpurbs (celebrations devoted to Gurus) now always fall on the same date, every year. More than that, the Nanakshahi calendar is now seen by the Sikhs all over the world, as a symbol of Sikh pride and separate religious identity, which is anathema to the Hindutva elements,” Dr. Amarjit Singh said.
He also warned the Badals, that the Sikh diaspora will not tolerate any compromise by them on vital Sikh issues like the Nanakshahi calendar, and strongly urged the executive committee members of the SGPC that they should stand firm on decisions already made regarding the NanakShahi calendar.
Dr. Pritpal Singh, convener, American Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (AGPC) said that if the Sant Samaj and other who pressuring for the changes in the name of Panthic Unity first accept the “Rehat Maryada” (code of conduct) issued from Akal Takht.
The Sikh Diaspora demands that the SGPC should invite Pal Singh Purewal, chief architect of the NanakShahi calendar, to an OPEN discussion that will thrash out any doubts over NanakShahi alendar.
- by Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)
It is my opinion that both sides are manipulating the calendar issue. Neither side has the scholarship to decide such a sensitive issue so quickly.
There will not be unity as long as uneducated people like taksali dhumma and ragi darshan dingh continue to manipulate the panth.
I have one question that "Which calender did the Guru Sahib & other gursikhs followed?"
Gurus never followed christian calender.
they have followed only older indian calender such as sammat bikrami etc. So we dont have the authority to fix the dates of Gurupurab according to the christian calender. We should have to celebrate the gurupurab according to the dates given in sikh hostoric literature such as 'Sri Dasam Sahib ji', 'Bhai Gurdas Ji Di Vaar', 'Suraj Prakash' etc.
There is a lot of mischief played by nastik lobby among sikhs who sneaked in a Hindu cum christian calender as Nanaksahi calender.
Our Gurus followed Bikrami samvat calender.This clander is in fact of Irani origin and adapted by militant tribes of Punjab in 57 BC. It was known as Malva calender.Its name was changed in 858 AD to Bikrami calender. History records that Raja bikramittaya wasa mythlogoical figure.
On the other hand Hindu calender was saka calender.It was modified by GOI and adopted as Indian civil calender. purewal's calander is a carbon copy of that.
Bikram samvat is mentioned in sikh scriptures, history and Hukamanams. The changes brought in should be welcome.