Akal Takht approves changes in Nanakshahi calendar
By IANSMonday, January 4, 2010
AMRITSAR - The Akal Takht, the temporal seat of the Sikh religion, Monday approved the changes made in the “Nanakshahi” or Sikh religious calendar.
The nod for the changes made, according to which dates of some Sikh religious events will be as per the Vikrami calendar, was announced by Akal Takht Jathedar (chief) Gurbachan Singh.
The decision to approve the changes was taken by the five Sikh high priests at a meeting held here Monday following recommendations of a panel of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) Sunday.
“The changes recommended to us have been approved. For the time being, the dates will be observed as per old schedule,” Gurbachan Singh told reporters here.
The Nanakshahi calendar, designed by US-based Pal Singh Purewal was introduced in 1998 by the SGPC. It is a solar calendar that determines important dates of Sikh events, including birth and death anniversaries of the 10 Sikh gurus.
In recent years, the calendar generated controversies as its dates clashed with dates of Sikh events listed in the Vikrami calendar.
The main controversy was over discrepancy in both calendars about certain dates of the “Guru-ta-Gaddi diwas” (Day), “Sangranths” and other religious observances.
Three members of the SGPC executive committee had walked out of the meeting Sunday to oppose the changes in the Nanakshahi calendar. A number of other Sikh organisations have also been opposing changes in the calendar.
