We Must Make A Stand ---please Sign Against Badals Latest Effort To Interfere With Sikhs

[BhForce]

It's really quite a shame that the (current) Nanakshahi calendar was forced upon the Sikh panth when there was no pressing emergency requiring it.

I say it was forced because after failing to achieve sarb-samiti (unanimity), they forced it was a simple majority vote. There are already plenty of issues on which we are divided, did we really need another one right now?

By the way, it's note quite true that the every thing was fine and dandy with the Bikrami calendar. It seems the ??* pandits didn't agree amongst themselves as to the correct dates some years. So there was actually some reform that was necessary, but it wasn't an emergency, either. Perhaps it might have been better if a small amendment had been made to the Bikrami system in league with other users of the calendar in India.

As for calling the Nanakshahi calendar a point of pride amoung the Sikhs or a "Sikh calendar" which all Sikhs should adopt: There isn't just one Nanakshahi calendar, but many, including one which the SGPC adopted, and then modified in favour of the current one. You don't just willy-nilly modify calendars, and certainly not in the same decade. After that, no businessman will adopt the Nanakshahi calendar, even those in India, even those in Punjab, even Amritdhari , because there is no trust that the SGPC will not change things once again. You can't run your business on a foundation of sand like that.

As for Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Prakash Divas occuring twice in some years, and not once in others, this is so ridiculous, it's amazing. In fact what happens, is sometimes the Purb is in late December, and sometimes in early January. When people say this, what they are really saying is in year 20xx AD (Christian year), the Bikrami calendar doesn't align to the Christian one. But, so what! Why does it have to? The whole concept of saying "Guru Gobind Singh Ji's birthday doesn't occur this year" is unfounded. Rather, we need simply say "Dasmesh Purb occurs in December, and not January this year."

I encourage everybody not to fight over this latest unnecessary controversy, and just accept whatever date your local Gurdwara happens to celebrate Gurpurbs.

[jassa]

In for editing the current nanakshahi calendar

[K. SINGH DEEP]

Nanakshahi calender is a basic necessity for SIKHS. HINDUS are having Bikrami

calender, Muslims have HIZRI,and Christians have the English calender which

is being used all over world and internationally accepted.When every religion

has its own identity and calender than why not Sikhs? More over Bikrami calender

has a very big lacuna and that is - it shifts forward by one day after a period of

about 25 years as compared to English calender and that is the reason ,in 1699

BISAKHI ( The birth day of Khalsa Panth) was on 29th or 30 th March and after

3 centuries it is now 13/14 th APRIL and if BIKRAMI is continuosly followed for

another 3 centuries it will be on 30 th APRIL and after another 3 centuries it will

be on 13/14th May when the Sangrand of JETH month comes at present and JETH will

be shifted to July when SAWAN is at present and SIKHS will be reading

" ਆਸਾੜੁ ਤਪੰਦਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਲਗੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਹੁ ਨ ਜਿੰਨਾ ਪਾਸਿ

and ਆਸਾੜੁ ਭਲਾ ਸੂਰਜੁ ਗਗਨਿ ਤਪੈ ॥ ਧਰਤੀ ਦੂਖ ਸਹੈ ਸੋਖੈ ਅਗਨਿ ਭਖੈ

in the month of JULY when it is raining and will read "

" ਸਾਵਣਿ ਸਰਸ ਮਨਾ ਘਣ ਵਰਸਹਿ ਰੁਤਿ ਆਏ" in the month of october when there is no rain.

Will our generations not feel uneasy reading unmatching things which may create

doubts after some centuries? To over come these shortcomings of BIKRAMI; NANAKSHAHI

Calender was introduced which is now being criticized by some people because of misconceptions floated by RSS which we are unable to realise at present.So please and please watch the situation very carefully and do not criticize NANAK SHAHI Calender under mere influence of any misconception.

Bhul chuk khima , Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh

[Inder Singh]

teji kaur ji

will you please provide source for your news item that jathedar damdama sahib resigned rather than signing.

In all probability the news is not correct. If you read that in Spokesman please disregard that.

I read that Akali dal badal was against raking up the issue again. I am no fan of Badal.

I was one who was supporter of nanakshahi calender onetime. But i am of the view now that

it was a mistake of sikhs having adopted that at the instance of a novice from Canada who has no knowledge

about calenders. It is fraught with many mistakes.

[khalistan_zindabaad]

Well at least alot of people are realising that nanakshahi calender is a joke.

For the bhai saahib/ penji that said it dsnt matter.

It does matter, if i was to say happy birthday to you and its not your birthday what would you say back.

Same way a granthi stands up in guru jees hazoori stating maharaj its your avtaar purbh or shaheedi purbh today knowing well that its not and the datee got changed after 2003.

If the panth before 2003 was happy celebrating the dates and everyone was united then what was the issue. NO samparda etc follow nanakshahi - if anything its hard to tell anymore, everyone is getting sold out here and there

[raj_karega_khalsa]

Here are some differences between Nanakshahi and Bikarmi calendars. Sikhs must have their own separate calendar since every major religion have their own calendar. Besides, Bikarmi is outdated and simply ridiculous and not according to Gurbani. It has no fixed dates and in 13,000 years Gurpurab of Guru Nanak Sahib will come in summer and Vaisakhi in winter. All of the information is taken from an article by Pal Singh Purewal. I urge readers to read the entire article “Guru Granth Sahib and Nanakshahi Calendar”. I am posting just a small portion from it.

Comparison between Nanakshahi and Bikrami Calendars

Nanakshahi is based on length of Tropical year 365d 5h 48m 45s. Bikarmi is based on Sidereal year 365d 6h 9m 10s

In Nanakshahi days in months 31 or 30; first five months contain 31 days each and last seven 30 days each -a very simple rule to remember. In Bikarmi months may contain 29,30,31 or 32 days; no simple rule for determination of the number of days in a given month

In Nanakshahi fixed leap year rule -last month to have 1 extra day every four years. In Bikarmi no fixed rule

In Nanakshahi fixed dates of Sangrands in Common Era. In Bikarmi Sangrand depends on entrance of sun into ‘rasis’, dates of Sangrands not fixed in Common Era.

In Nanakshahi permanent relation between seasons and months; will stay according to Gurbani. In Bikarmi months will shift in seasons - on the average by 1 day per 70 / 71 years - already shift of 7 / 8 days since Guru Nanak Sahib’s time.

In Nanakshahi Gurpurbs on fixed dates according to both Nanakshahi and Common Era calendars. In Bikarmi Gurpurb dates change from year to year in CE calendar.

In Nanakshahi all Gurpurbs occur once every year, according to both NS and CE calendars. In Bikarmi in some years no Parkash Gurpurb of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, while in others it occurs twice in one year of the CE calendar. In 1999 CE there was no Parkash Gurpurb of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib.

In Nanakshahi no ‘unclean’ month (malmaas) in the year. No month or day is ‘clean’ or ‘unclean’ according to Gurbani. In Bikarmi a ‘mal mas’ or ‘unclean month’ is added every two or three years in the lunar year to keep it in step with the solar year. In this month Gurpurbs cannot be celebrated. This whole thing is contrary to Gurbani.

In Nanakshahi Gurpurbs fixed according to solar dates e.g. 23 Poh for Parkash of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, and 23 Poh will always occur on 5th January. (We gave precedence to the original solar dates over the lunar dates and English dates.) In Bikarmi Gurpurbs fixed according to lunar dates e.g Poh Sudi 7, therefore, changing from year to year in CE calendar. The lunar year contains 354 / 355 days while solar year 365 / 366 days. When ‘mal mas’ is added the lunar year becomes 383 / 384 days long. In 2000 CE Poh Sudi 7 was on 13th January according to Surya Siddhanta Panchangas (UP), while on 14th January according to Punjab Panchangs. So the same Gurpurb was celebrated on two different dates - on 13th January in Patna Sahib, and by some in Punjab on 14th January. Another problem of the lunar calendar is that the same ‘tithi’ can happen on two days or two ‘tithis’ can happen on one day.

Some of the objections raised in public meetings by the opponents of the Nanakshahi Calendar:

Objection: Since, in Guru Granth Sahib the tuk “ਆਵਨਿ ਅਠਤਰੈ ਜਾਨਿ ਸਤਾਨਵੈ ਹੋਰੁ ਭੀ ਉਠਸੀ ਮਰਦ ਕਾ ਚੇਲਾ ॥723″ relates to the Bikrami calendar date, and that there are Banis in Guru Granth Sahib related to tithis, we cannot give up Bikrami calendar. Further, if we give up Bikrami calendar how are we to explain the meaning of this line to our children?

Answer:

ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਮਾਪ-ਤੋਲ ਅਦਿ ਇਕਾਈਆਂ ਸੰਬੰਧੀ ਕੁੱਝ ਤੁਕਾਂ:

ਸੁ ਸਬਦ ਕਾ ਕਹਾ ਵਾਸੁ ਕਥੀਅਲੇ ਜਿਤੁ ਤਰੀਐ ਭਵਜਲੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੋ ॥

ਤ੍ਰੈ ਸਤ ਅੰਗੁਲ ਵਾਈ ਕਹੀਐ ਤਿਸੁ ਕਹੁ ਕਵਨ ਅਧਾਰੋ ॥ - ਪੰ: 944

ਗਜ ਸਾਢੇ ਤੈ ਤੈ ਧੋਤੀਆ ਤਿਹਰੇ ਪਾਇਨਿ ਤਗ ॥ ਗਲੀ ਜਿਨ੍‍ਾ ਜਪਮਾਲੀਆ ਲੋਟੇ ਹਥਿ ਨਿਬਗ ॥

ਓਇ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਸੰਤ ਨ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਬਾਨਾਰਸਿ ਕੇ ਠਗ ॥1॥- ਪੰ: 476

ਰਾਖਹੁ ਕੰਧ ਉਸਾਰਹੁ ਨੀਵਾਂ ॥ ਸਾਢੇ ਤੀਨਿ ਹਾਥ ਤੇਰੀ ਸੀਵਾਂ ॥ - ਪੰ: 659

ਕਬੀਰ ਕੋਠੇ ਮੰਡਪ ਹੇਤੁ ਕਰਿ ਕਾਹੇ ਮਰਹੁ ਸਵਾਰਿ ॥ ਕਾਰਜੁ ਸਾਢੇ ਤੀਨਿ ਹਥ ਘਨੀ ਤ ਪਉਨੇ ਚਾਰਿ ॥ - ਪੰ: 1376

ਊਡੇ ਊਡਿ ਆਵੈ ਸੈ ਕੋਸਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਪਾਛੈ ਬਚਰੇ ਛਰਿਆ ॥ ਤਿਨ ਕਵਣੁ ਖਲਾਵੈ ਕਵਣੁ ਚੁਗਾਵੈ ਮਨ ਮਹਿ ਸਿਮਰਨੁ ਕਰਿਆ ॥3॥- ਪੰ: 10

ਮੇਰੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਕੈਰਉ ਕਰਤੇ ਦੁਰਜੋਧਨ ਸੇ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਬਾਰਹ ਜੋਜਨ ਛਤ੍ਰੁ ਚਲੈ ਥਾ ਦੇਹੀ ਗਿਰਝਨ ਖਾਈ ॥2॥ - ਪੰ: 693

ਘੜੀ ਮੁਹਤ ਕਾ ਲੇਖਾ ਲੇਵੈ ਰਤੀਅਹੁ ਮਾਸਾ ਤੋਲ ਕਢਾਵਣਿਆ ॥5॥ - ਪੰ: 127

ਆਪੇ ਕੰਡਾ ਆਪਿ ਤਰਾਜੀ ਆਪੇ ਤੋਲਿ ਤੋਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਸਾਹੁ ਆਪੇ ਵਣਜਾਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਵਣਜੁ ਕਰਾਇਆ ॥

ਆਪੇ ਧਰਤੀ ਸਾਜੀਅਨੁ ਪਿਆਰੈ ਪਿਛੈ ਟੰਕੁ ਚੜਾਇਆ ॥1॥- ਪੰ: 605

ਕਹਿਆ ਸੁਣਹਿ ਨ ਖਾਇਆ ਮਾਨਹਿ ਤਿਨ੍‍ਾ ਹੀ ਸੇਤੀ ਵਾਸਾ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਦਾਸਨਿ ਦਾਸਾ ਖਿਨੁ ਤੋਲਾ ਖਿਨੁ ਮਾਸਾ ॥4॥3॥11॥ - ਪੰ: 1171

ਗਜੀ ਨ ਮਿਨੀਐ ਤੋਲਿ ਨ ਤੁਲੀਐ ਪਾਚਨੁ ਸੇਰ ਅਢਾਈ ॥ ਜੌ ਕਰਿ ਪਾਚਨੁ ਬੇਗਿ ਨ ਪਾਵੈ ਝਗਰੁ ਕਰੈ ਘਰਹਾਈ ॥2॥ - ਪੰ: 335

ਸਾਢੇ ਤ੍ਰੈ ਮਣ ਦੇਹੁਰੀ ਚਲੈ ਪਾਣੀ ਅੰਨਿ ॥ ਆਇਓ ਬੰਦਾ ਦੁਨੀ ਵਿਚਿ ਵਤਿ ਆਸੂਣੀ ਬੰਨ੍‍ ਿ॥ - ਪੰ: 1383

ਖਿਨੇ ਪਲੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਵਸੈ ਭਾਈ ਨਾਨਕ ਮਿਲਣੁ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥10॥4॥ - ਪੰ: 637

ਵਿਸੁਏ ਚਸਿਆ ਘੜੀਆ ਪਹਰਾ ਥਿਤੀ ਵਾਰੀ ਮਾਹੁ ਹੋਆ ॥ - ਪੰ: 12

We have discarded ਅੰਗੁਲ, ਹਾਥ, ਹਥ, ਗਜ and are using centimeters, and meters to measure length. We have discarded jojn, kos and are using kilometers to measure distance. We have discarded ਵਿਸੁਏ, ਚਸੁਏ, ਘੜੀ, ਪਲ, ਮਹੂਰਤ and are using seconds, minutes, and hours to measure time. We have discarded ਰਤੀ, ਮਾਸਾ, ਟੰਕੁ, ਤੋਲਾ, ਸੇਰ, ਮਣ and are using milligrams, grams, kilograms, and quintals to measure weight.

All these units that we have discarded are mentioned in Gurbani. Why, then, can’t we discard the Bikrami Calendar whose months wander in seasons and do not stay according to Gurbani?

Yes, there are Banis in Guru Granth Sahib depicting tithis of the lunar calendar. But, Guru Sahib in one such Bani, sums up towards the close :

ਆਪੇ ਪੂਰਾ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਏਹਿ ਥਿਤੀ ਵਾਰ ਦੂਜਾ ਦੋਇ ॥

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਬਾਝਹੁ ਅੰਧੁ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ ॥ ਥਿਤੀ ਵਾਰ ਸੇਵਹਿ ਮੁਗਧ ਗਵਾਰ ॥ ਪੰ: 843

and Bhagat Kabir Ji’s Bani says it in no uncertain terms:

ਕਾਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਬਾਮ੍ਨ ਹਰਿ ਨ ਕਹਹਿ ॥ ਰਾਮੁ ਨ ਬੋਲਹਿ ਪਾਡੇ ਦੋਜਕੁ ਭਰਹਿ ॥ 1 ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਆਪਨ ਊਚ ਨੀਚ ਘਰਿ ਭੋਜਨੁ ਹਠੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਰਿ ਉਦਰੁ ਭਰਹਿ ॥

ਚਉਦਸ ਅਮਾਵਸ ਰਚਿ ਰਚਿ ਮਾਂਗਹਿ ਕਰ ਦੀਪਕੁ ਲੈ ਕੂਪਿ ਪਰਹਿ ॥ 2 ॥ - ਪੰ: 970

You can explain the meaning of the tuk - “ਆਵਨਿ ਅਠਤਰੈ ਜਾਨਿ ਸਤਾਨਵੈ ਹੋਰੁ ਭੀ ਉਠਸੀ ਮਰਦ ਕਾ ਚੇਲਾ ॥” to the children the same way you have been explaining the meanings of ਅੰਗੁਲ, ਹਾਥ, ਹਥ, ਗਜ, ਜੋਜਨ, ਕੋਸ, ਵਿਸੁਏ, ਚਸੁਏ, ਘੜੀ, ਪਲ, ਮੂਰਤ, ਮਹੂਰਤ, ਰਤੀ, ਮਾਸਾ, ਟੰਕੁ, ਤੋਲਾ, ਸੇਰ, ਮਣ, ਟਕਾ, ਦਾਮ which are mentioned in Gurbani and no longer in use.

Objection: Christians celebrate Easter according to the lunar calendar. Muslims celebrate their sacred days according to the Hijri calendar which is a purely lunar calendar. Why can’t we?

Answer: Easter, even though celebrated according to the lunar calendar, falls within a well defined period. It cannot occur before 22nd March or after 25th April in any year. It stays within the spring season, since its determination is based on 21st March of the Gregorian solar calendar which is based on the length of the tropical year. But the Bikrami lunar calendar is attached to the Bikrami solar year which is not based on the length of tropical year. So, the dates of the lunar calendar also shift in seasons. In 13000 years Diwali would occur 6 months later in the Gregorian calendar, in the months of April-May, instead of October-November as at present., and parkash Gurpurb of Guru Nanak Sahib would then occur in May. Is this what we want to happen? Like other dates which have been fixed in the Nanakshahi calendar we should fix the dates of Holla Muhalla, Bandi Chhor Divas(Diwali), and and parkash Gurpurb of Guru Nanak Sahib too, so that these dates do not drift as well.

Secondly, in the U.K. there is a movement to fix the date of Easter according to the solar calendar and get it de-linked from the lunar calculations. In fact, in 1928 an act was passed in both houses of the British parliament that Easter be celebrated on the first Sunday after the second Saturday in April. To make this act into law the last stage remains. An effort was made in 1999 in the House of Lords to complete the final stage. However, after a debate for a few hours the Hon’ble Lord who placed the motion was persuaded to withdraw it.

Muslims use a lunar calendar. But there are no adhik or malmasas. Holy Quran forbade the 13th intercalary month. In the Hindu calendar the extra month is introduced every two-three years to keep it in step with the solar calendar. In 2061 BK the month of Sawan is repeated, i.e. there are two months of Sawan, making thirteen months or 383/384 days in the lunar year. This is the reason why in 2004 CE there is no parkash Gurpurb of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib according to the Bikrami calendar. Poh Sudi 7 of Bikrami lunar calendar has been pushed by this extra month into January 2005. Since there are two months called Sawan I and Sawan II, tithis of Sawan Gurpurbs occur twice separated by a month. Such an extra month could be designated in Chet, Vaisakh, Jeth, Harh, Sawan, Bhadon, Asu, or Phagun. Complicated, isn’t it? Not only that, two lunar dates could occur on the same day or same lunar date could occur on two consecutive days.

Objection: Guru Sahiban used the Bikrami Calendar, and they did not find anything wrong with it.

Answer: Guru Sahiban used the Bikrami calendar because it was the calendar used by the people for day-to-day requirements, like fixing of dates of marriages, religious performances, dating of events etc. Guru Sahiban used tola, man, ser, gaz, kos, ratti, moorat(Muhurat), pal, gharhi etc. They did not find anything wrong with these too, yet these units have been discarded, even though these are mentioned in Gurbani.

Objection: If Guru Sahiban had wanted to, they could have made a new calendar.

Answer: Certainly, but they did not. Neither did they invent the telephone, the car, airplanes, and other modern appliances like TV’s, Computers etc. It was left by them for the following generations of engineers and inventors.

Objection: We had managed for 500+ years without the new calendar. We could have continued like that.

Answer: People had managed without cars, airplanes, telephones, cell phones, TV’s, fridges, etc., for thousands of years, and could have continued to manage like that.

Objection: Why had no one before Mr. Purewal come up with this idea?

Answer: Is Mr. Purewal to blame for that? But here are the reasons:

S. Karam Singh Historian had this misgiving that Bikrami calendar was accurate to seconds in thousands of years , but it was not. The Bikrami year, which is sidereal, was out by almost three and a half minutes from the modern value of the sidereal year, and by more than 20 minutes from the length of the tropical year. Other historians accepted S. Karam Singh’s word. Mr. Purewal had an interest in astronomy, studied Hindu treatises like Surya Siddhanta, Graha Laghva, Makrand Sarni that pundits used for calculation of panchangas; he was a computer professional, he had written computer programs - probably before anyone else - based on the methods given in those treatises; he was a student of Gurbani; he was a student of Sikh history, he had produced the “500 Year Jantri”, calculated according to Surya Siddhanta, which had been published by the Punjab School Education Board in 1994 CE; he had intellectual pursuits as his hobby (he was on the Punjab Chess Team in 1961 which participated in the Nationals; he was a member of the Bedfordshire Chess Team in England), he was a Science and Math teacher in Punjab before emigrating to England in 1965; he was Senior Engineer with Texas Instruments, Bedford, in England before moving to Canada in 1974; he was Manager of Data Processing Department of a company in Canada, he is a co-inventor of a device which is patented in Canada - isn’t this enough of a background for a person to come up with a single new idea?

(Please forgive me for mentioning all of the above. It was unavoidable to answer the question. )

Source: Bijla Singh

[Inder Singh]

Simply posting something in favor of nanakshahi calender does not mean anything. We want an expert opinion

from someone who is well versed in knowledge about making calenders. facts say that maker of nanak shahi

clander does not have the necessary background in this field. Sikhs are finding more problems arising out of this calneder.

Had there been no problem this matter would not have come upo for discussion at akal takhat after implementation of clander.

[Guest militant singh]

On 18 October, Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Gurbachan Singh issued a statement that some “valuable” suggestions for making some amendments to the Nanakshahi Calendar had been forwarded to the SGPC for consideration. We are told that an amended calendar would be issued on Guru Gobind Singh ji’s parkaash gurpurab on 5 January, 2010.

It is a matter of grave concern that Singh Sahibans held a secretive high level meeting to discuss this important Panthic issue with the possible intention of withdrawing the Calendar “quietly”. Those who took part included “the Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Gurbachan Singh, the Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar, Balwant Singh Nandgarh, the Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar, Tarlochan Singh, the Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar Iqbal Singh, a representative of the Takht Hazoor Sahib, Jathedar Kulwant Singh, and the SGPC chief Avtar Singh.”

No matter what the intention, a meeting of this level to discuss such a vital Panthic issue, could not have been kept a secret amongst the Sikhs! Many Sikh organizations were immediately up in arms and forced the matter to be brought out into the open.

Perhaps, we need to remind ourselves why the Sikhs need a calendar which is aligned to the solar CE calendar used worldwide. An item written after a meeting of UK organizations to discuss the Nanakshahi Calendar is reproduced below.

Nanakshahi Calendar

On 14 April, 2003, at Talwandi Sabo, the first copy of the Nanakshahi calendar was presented to S. Parkash Singh Badal, President of Shromani Akali Dal, by President of SGPC, Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar. Satisfaction was expressed that like other communities, the Sikhs now had their own religious calendar.” (Tribune News Service)

So far as ordinary Sikhs are concerned, the main aim of the Sikh calendar is to have fixed dates for the most important Sikh religious and historical events on the international solar CE calendar.

For example, anyone, from a 5-year old to the government official concerned with faith matters in the multifaith societies we live in, is now certain that Guru Gobind Singh ji’s parkaash (birthday) is celebrated on 5th January every year. With one exception, the dates of other Gurpurbs (Guru related events) are now fixed on the CE calendar. That is our gain.

There is no doubt that some tactical compromises were made due to pressure from the sant samajis. As a result of this Brahmanic (Bipran) influence, Guru Nanak Sahib’s parkaash (birthday) Gurpurb, Bandi Chhor Divas and Hola Mahala dates continue to be calculated under the old lunar system. Neverthless, the principle of a fixed solar Sikh calendar has been established.

Nanakshahi Calendar – Main features

Year 1 is the year of Guru Nanak Sahib’s birth 1469 CE. It begins on 1 Chet Nanakshahi which is on 14th March.

Based on the time length of Tropical years of 365days 5 hours 48 minutes 45 seconds.

First five months from Chet have 31 days each, the remaining seven months have 30 days each. The last month will have 31 days in a leap year.

It will continue to have permanent month/season relationship and will accord to Bara Maha Gurbani.

With three exceptions, Gurpurbs and others Sikh events will be on fixed dates in both Nanakshahi and the Common Era calendars. The exceptions are Guru

Nanak Sahib’s birthday, Bandi Chhor Divas and Hola Mahala, which will remain on the old lunar system until there is further decision to fix these Sikh events to solar dates also. However, S. Pal Singh Purewal has worked the future dates of these events on the Nanakshahi and Common Era calendars up to year 2020 (see table below). We are no longer dependent on a Pundit in Panjab to calculate these dates each year.

Nanakshahi calendar has promoted research by scholars into many historical dates where there has been confusion to arrive at agreed dates.

The problem

The length of the sidereal year of the Bikrami Samat to which Nanakshahi Samat was linked, does not conform to the tropical year length. The Bikrami year is sidereal year (which uses a star as a marker to calculate the earths annual circle around the sun). This year is 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes and 10 seconds. The tropical year on which the world-wide Common Era calendar is based is 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds. If the months are to remain aligned to seasons (as described in Gurbani – Bara Mahas, Majh and Tukhari and Rutti Saloks) permanently, then the year length has to be that of the tropical year.

The lunar months and the lunar “years” of 354 days is a Brahmanic complexity; and non-sense e.g. regarding two months by the same name occurring every third year to keep step with the solar year, one of the two being an “unclean” (malmaas) month! Would you believe it, that Gurpurb dates have been linked to lunar months – and as you cannot have a holy day in the “unclean” month, therefore, every third year Gurpurbs have been shifted by 18 or 19 days to avoid the “unclean” month!

Significance of Nanakshahi Calendar

Symbolically, a Sikh calendar is a major historical achievement for the Sikh theo-political identity. However, life is not that simple. Give the Sikhs any calendar and they will fill in their own “important” dates depending upon the influential local sant or gyani. That wwould then become their own calendar of “teohars”, sant barsis, ritual days and other events. They may even insert moon cycles on it. Let us understand, therefore, what we mean by a calendar.

The dictionary says that a calendar is “Any various systems of reckoning time in which the beginning, length, and divisions of a year are arbitrarily defined or otherwise established.” You can have a calendar of events also. Most of the present arguments confuse the calendar of time with a calendar of events. In the calendar of events, you can agree or disagree on what historical EVENTS to put on the calendar as important dates for remembrance.

Other than the ritual infected and “charrava”-dependent sants, or ignorantia at large, all others are agreed that the scientific Tropical year, which remains constant and is used world-wide, should be the year adopted for the Khalsa nation’s Nanakshahi Calendar. The lunar “year” is a contradiction and the Sidereal year based on star markers is slipping against the seasons so that in time, you will have the month of “Harr” (hottest month which starts in mid-June now) in winter!

Calculation of solar (CE) dates of Guru Nanak Sahib’s parkaash date, Bandi Chhor Divas and Hola Mahala to year 2020. These continue to be observed under the old lunar system.

Hola Mahala Bandi Chhor Divas Prakash G. Nanak

2010 1 March 5 November 21 November

2011 20 March 26 October 10 November

2012 9 March 13 November 28 November

2013 28 March 3 November 17 November

2014 17 March 23 October 6 November

2015 6 March 11 November 25 November

2016 24 March 30 October 14 November

2017 13 March 19 October 4 November

2018 2 March 7 November 23 November

2019 21 March 27 October 12 November

2020 10 March 14 November 30 November

As a matter of interest: Visakhi dates for certain epochs are as follows:

CE Year Vaisakhi Date

1000 22nd March

1469 27th March

1699 29th March

1752 29TH March

1753 9th April (due to change from Julia to Gregorian Calender)

1799 10th April

1899 12th April

1999 14th April

The next progressive step would be to transfer the three dates of Guru Nanak Sahib’s parkaash Gurpurb, Bandi Chhor Divas and Hola Mahala on to the solar CE calendar year. Our children need to be certain about the dates fixed on the world CE calendar, on which to celebrate Sikh religious and historical events.

(Note: Information in this article is based on material left with me by S. Pal Singh Purewal, the author of Nanakshahi Calendar. He was the guest speaker at a meeting of Panthic organizations at Derby in 2003, which I was invited to chair.)

Gurmukh Singh

Ret’d Principal (policy), UK civil service

[harmandeal]

join my group http://www.facebook....09233545&ref=mf

vicrmi=bamanvadi hindu rss clander

[jassa]

I follow english calendar and date today is 20 oct 2009 ... None of you will ever follow bikarmi and non of you will ever follow nanakshahi in everyday life ... Drame karan nu sarre agge ... without calculation and taking googles help hardly anyone of you can tell what year it is as per bikarmi and nanakshahi calendar ...

PS - Every one who dont follows ur mindset is RSS agent ... nanakshahi walle bikarmi nu RSS kahi ja rahe Bikarmi walle nanakshahi ... Sharam karro RSS de naam nu use karan walleyo ...