AMRITSAR SAHIB, Punjab— The SGPC celebrated the Gurta Gaddi Diwas of Sri Guru Har Rai Ji on March 15, in accordance with the Nanakshahi calendar of 2003. According to the Bikrami Calendar, the Gurpurab is to be celebrated on April 5, however according to the Nanakshahi Calendar it is March 15. The SGPC had earlier made several changes to the 2003 Nanakshahi calendar, making it essentially the same as the Bikrami calendar. This move by the SGPC was condemned by many but appreciated by others.
The SGPC staff announced that the Gurpurab would also be known as Environment Day and planted trees to commemorate the occasion. SGPC Secretary Diljeet Singh Bedi said that Sri Guru Har Rai Ji had planted a garden called “Nau Lakha” with a large variety of flowers and plants. He said that the SGPC took inspiration from the path laid out by Guru Sahib.
The calendar issue has been one of the leading controversies in the Panth. Sikh sangat to some extent have celebrated holidays as per their own aspirations regardless of the mandates issued by Sri Akal Takht Sahib or calendars published by the SGPC. The SGPC has been condemned for making so many changes to the calendar in the recent years.
