Amritsar: Akal Takht, the highest Sikh
temporal seat, today gave its final approval to the proposed
amendments in the Nanakshahi calender followed by the
community.
Jatehdar Akal Takht Gyani Gurbachan Singh gave the nod
after Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC),
considered the mini-parliament of Sikhs, approved the changes
at a meeting yesterday.
As per new amendments, important religious occasions like
birth and death anniversaries of Sikh Gurus (masters) would be
observed as per the traditional Bikrami calendar (followed
before 2003). The original Nanakshahi Calendar was adopted by
the General House meeting of SGPC in March 29, 2003.
Jatehdar said the Nanakshahi Calendar with amendments
would come into force from March.
He said the final nod to the changes was given on the
basis of approval given by the SGPC which was "empowered to
bring such amendments at any time for the larger interest of
the Sikh community".
Earlier, Pal Singh Purewal, a Canada-based Sikh
intellectual who crafted the Nanakshahi calendar had requested
Akal Takht Jathedar to consult him before making any change in
it.
Purewal objected to the amendments saying it was highly
objectionable as any change in the calendar would reduce it to
a "carbon copy of Bikrami Calendar". He claimed the Nanakshahi
calendar was based on religious, historical and scientific
research of many years.
PTI
First Published: Monday, January 04, 2010, 21:03