Sikh clergy to scrap Nanakshahi calendar?

Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 16In a move that could kick a storm in the entire Sikh world, the Sikh clergy is likely to give a re-thinking to the widely accepted Nanakshahi calendar even to the extent of its replacement with a new calendar in their bid to put an end to the long-standing dilemma over observance of important Sikh events.

The Nanakshahi calendar is a solar calendar which starts with the birth of the first Sikh Guru Nanak in 1469 and it has been in use in over 90 per cent gurdwaras across the world since 2003, when it was released at the Takht Damdama Sahib on the Baisakhi Day in presence of the then Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti and the then SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar. Vedanti and Badungar, had got the first copies of calendar, which, however, was being opposed by a section of orthodox Sikh sects such as, the Sant Samaj and the Damdami Taksal.

The peculiar feature of the calendar was that since it was based on the length of the tropical solar year and not on the basis of the lunar cycle, the dates of important Sikh events did not fluctuate as was the case with the old lunar-based calendar. As of now, all important Sikh days, except for the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, were being observed in accordance with the Nanakshahi calendar, which, was even recognised by the Punjab and the Central governments.

The fresh and controversial discussion, it was learnt, would be held in an emergency but, secret meeting of the Sikh clergy to be held at the Akal Takht tomorrow. The meeting would be presided over by the Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and other Sikh high priests Balwant Singh Nandgarh, Jathedar of the Takht Damdama Sahib, Tarlochan Singh, Jathedar of the Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Iqbal Singh,Jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib, and Kulwant Singh, the Jathedar of the Takht Hazoor Sahib or one of his representatives were likely to participate in the meeting which, was likely to end up as a stormy affair as some of Jathedars could put up an opposition to the idea of revocation or change of calendar on the grounds that it was already duly recognised world over and by apex Sikh institutes like the Akal Takht and the SGPC.

“We are going to have a discussion on the calendar issue as we want to put an end to the dilemma prevailing in the Sikh world,” was all what was said by one of the Jathedars when contacted about the agenda of the meeting.

The issue assumed importance and could have certain political overtones in view of the forthcoming elections for the president of the SGPC and the elections to general house of the SGPC to be held during next year. A large section of the Sikh community was of the view that the calendar was important as it re-affirmed the Sikh faith’s separate identity from the Hinduism or the Islam.

It would be a big blunder to replace the calendar and the entire Sikh diaspora would be opposing it, said Dr Pritpal Singh, vice-president of the American Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

with thanks : source : http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091017/main5.htm

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