Nanakshahi Calendar Controversy

[Archived_Member16]

SGPC chief courts fresh controversy over Nanakshahi Calendar

Punjab Newsline Network
Tuesday, 03 April 2007


AMRITSAR: Shiromani Gurdawara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar has courted fresh controversy over Nanakshahi calendar by making unilateral changes in certain dates. His action has evoked sharp criticism from Sikh diaspora around the world.


Makkar has sought the approval of the General House to change the dates of the calendar.

He has proposed to observe the Martyrdom Day of Guru Teg Bahadur on December 15 and the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on November 24.

Pal Singh Purewal, the author of the Nanakshahi Calendar said it was designed to replace the Hindu Calendar, and has been in use since 1998.
Purewal said: "I am not against any of the amendment, but there are processes available to make such amendments in the Calendar."

He said that it would better if the SGPC refers the issue to the Akal Takhat, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, for a final decision, or alternatively, it should be handed over to a eleven-member committee to decide who will approach the Akal Takht for the final decision.

A eleven-member committee was constituted by the Jathedar of the Akal Takht to give final touches to the Nanakshahi Calendar, he added.

Citing an example, he said: "As per the Bikrami Calendar in 1982, the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh and the martyrdom day of the Shahibzada's falls on the same date (December 22). But no hue and cry was made that time."

If now the Gurpurab of Guru Nanak Birthday and the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur falls on same date (November 24), there is a process to take the issue up and resolve as per the Maryada, he added.

Professor Balwant Singh Dillon, a members of committee, said there is no controversy at all, but just ignorance about the issue which was being exploited by those elements who didn't want a separate Sikh calendar.

The Nanakshahi Calendar was implemented in 1999 by former SGPC chief Professor Kirpal Singh Badunger after the approval of the General House of SGPC. A decision was taken on the basis if recommendations made by the committee. Endorsing Professor Dillon's views, Kawernpal Singh Bittu, another committee member, said Makkar had made amendment related announcement under pressure from right-wingers like the BJP and the RSS.

He said it was the prerogative of the Akal Takht Jathedar to modify the Sikh Calendar. Accusing the SGPC of being in its arbitrary attitude, Harvinder Singh Sarna, former chief of the Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), said: "We have already written to Akal Takht to look into the matter, but nothing has been done. The SGPC always overlooked the interests of other Sikh bodies, which should not be tolerated."

Dr. Pritpal Singh, the convener of the American Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (AGPC), said, "They strongly condemned and opposed the move of the SGPC chief. This is unacceptable to Sikhs the world over."

He said that SGPC has no authority to alter or modify the calendar. Only the only Akal Takht has that authority.



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[Prabhjoyt Singh]

all dates includeing Guru Nanak Sahibs gurupurab should be fixed. then the Nanakshahi will fully be a Sikh calender

 

[Tejwant Singh]

Nanakshahi calender is one more way to insert dogmas in a such a beautiful pragmatic way of life called Sikhi.

If Guru Nanak wanted to start a Sikhi calender, would not he have done this already? It is sad to notice that we try to undermine our Gurus wisdom and vision and do not give credit to our Gurus for NOT doing certain things that we expect from them.

Nanakshai calender is one more way to dwell in ME-ism rather than ONE-ism. Our Gurus were very much aware of that. And they taught us how not to dwell in ME-ism via Gurbani.

Tejwant

 

[SARDAR SAHIB]

Re: Nanakshahi Calendar Controversy

There are many families, I know of two, where "Grandparent" died on the same day of same month of same year the "Grandchild" was born. It was accepted as God's Will. Birthday is celebrated with all the Dhoom and death incident is also remembered in heart. Yet no effort was made to change the dates or neither the mum-to-be was asked to prolong the lobour in order to have two incident on two separate dates, albeit 24 hours apart. If two or more Gurupurbs do happen to fall on the same date and historically it is a fact, then what is MAKKAR's problem? If Guru Sahib ji, all knowing, did not interfere to change the Course of Nature who is MAKKAR?
Waheguru!!! If only our so called Sikh Leaders had half the brain they should see the trend of current young Sikh. The time is well over due to have proper mandate and resolutions to bring all young Sikh back to their roots, give them the future which they are longing for and bring them and the elders back under Guru's Nishan Sahib before we loose them for ever. It is a secondary issue which calendar to follow the primary and most important issue is to follow the Guru Sahib JI (SGGS Ji).