MUMBAI, India—Bringing two weeks of celebrations related to 351st birth anniversary of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji to closure, the SGPC President Gobind Singh Longowal, along with SGPC appointed Takht Jathedars participated in religious programs in Mumbai yesterday. Sikhs in Punjab and across the globe have been celebrating the Parkash Purab with fervor.
Earlier, the SGPC appointed Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh had strictly directed the Sikh community to celebrate Guru Sahib’s birthday on December 25 i.e. as per amended Nanakshahi calendar, however, his presence at the Mumbai celebrations showed that the SGPC is willing to work with Sikhs with varying opinion on the calendar.
Meanwhile, SGPC member Sukhdev Singh Bhaur and former DSGMC General Secretary Harwinder Singh Sarna did raise objections over participation of SGPC President and takht Jathedars in the functions held in Mumbai. Jathedar Bhaur told Sikh24 that Giani Gurbachan Singh directed Sikh masses to observe parkash purab on December 25 but he himself violated his edict by participating in functions that celebrated the parkash purab as per the original Nanakshahi calendar.
Speaking with Sikh24, SGPC Additional Secretary Diljit Singh Bedi said that the birth anniversary of Guru Sahib could be celebrated after the fixed date also. “The birth anniversary celebrations shouldn’t be confused with basic Nanakshahi calendar as it was amended because of many flaws in it,” he added.
It is pertinent to note here that the basic Nanakshahi calendar imposed by SGPC in 2003 had January 5 as birth date of Guru Gobind Singh Ji despite of the fact that the Sikh scriptures portray ‘Poh Sudi Satvi’ as birth date of Guru Sahib.
It is SGPC which is responsible for all the confusion. We should stick with the original Nanakshahi calendar agreed upon in 2003.