Badal: Akali Dal Will Resolve Nanakshahi Calendar Issue for Sikhs

Nanakshahi CalenderAMRITSAR SAHIB, Punjab—While a majority of Sikhs demand the amendments as per the Hindu Calendar made to the original Nanakshahi Calendar be withdrawn, ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) is reportedly planning to transform the amended Nanakshahi Calendar into the Hindu Bikrami Calendar.

SAD (B) is planning to end the row forever, for which it has taken views from various Sikh leaders. Representatives of SAD (B) have discussed the issue with Nanaksar as well as with appointed Jathedars of Sikh Takhts and the SGPC president in this regard. Damdami Taksal (Mehta) chief Giani Harnam Singh Dhumma has also been approached.

The SAD (B) is interested to resolve the issue forever by transforming the amended Nanakshahi calendar into the Bikrami Calendar, citing the rationale that Bikrami Calendar was acceptable to the entire nation before the implementation of the Nanakshahi Calendar.

It should be noted that SAD (B), by its own word, is a non-Sikh governmental political party that has no hand in Sikh religious affairs. In reality, Badal is said to pull the strings in all Sikh religious affairs, including appointments of Jathedars and Sikh leaders. SAD (B) recently aligned itself with the right wing Hindu Nationalist Party, BJP, which has previously been strongly associated with terrorist organizations such as RSS and Shiv Sena, who wish to bring Sikhs into the Hindu fold.

A majority of Sikhs globally demand that the original Nanakshahi Calendar be implemented as it represents a separate and unique identity for Sikhs. The original calendar was implemented in 2003 and is based on the Solar month and year. Ignoring the sentiments of Sikhs, appointed Jathedars of Takht Sri Patna Sahib and Takht Sri Hazoor Sahib, which are affected by RSS, and Sant Samaj had opposed the Calendar.

To woo Sant Samaj at the time of elections, SGPC made amendments in the Calendar as per the Hindu lunar calendar in 2010. The move further deepened the controversy and widened the rifts among Sikhs. Recently, the amended Calendar caused great confusion in Sikhs over the date of the martyrdom day of Chhote Sahibzade (younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh) and the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh which coincide with each other.

A sizeable section of Sikhs never accepted the amended calendar. Due to the amended Calendar, Sikh Jathas could not visit Sikh shrines in Pakistan since 2010 to mark the martyrdom day of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji as Pakistan Gurdwara Management Committee remains unaffected by Indian politics and observes important days on the original Nanakshahi Calendar.

1 COMMENT

  1. This another way of Badal to keep the SIKH fighting with each other
    and serve the BJP & RSS his MASTERS.
    One wonders when sikh of India going to wake up and defend them selves from Brahmins.

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