AMRITSAR: Set to cause more confusion over dates of certain events and missing out on important days of other religions, the special one-year edition of Nanakshahi Calendar (NC) 2015-16 (Samwat 547) was released by Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh on Saturday.
Expecting protest from those backing the Pal Singh Purewal-authored NC, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) officials changed the venue of its release at the eleventh hour from Gurdwara Manji Sahib Diwan Hall to the Akal Takht secretariat.
Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Mal Singh and Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Gurmukh Singh were present during the release, but not Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar.
A quick look at the NC 2015-16 gives the impression that it is a hurried job as it mentions only 79 occasions against the 126 in NC 2014-15. The calendar is said to have been prepared on the basis of Gurbani and historic sources by an 11-member committee constituted by SGPC.
The calendar has given a complete miss to all religious occasions of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Balmikis, besides some Sikh historical events listed in the earlier Nanakshahi calendars.
The Nanakshahi Calendar 2014-15 included Sri Krishna Janamashtami, Ram Navmi, Mahavir Jayanti, Mahatma Budh Jayanti, Eid ul Zuha, Bhagwan Valmiki anniversary , Good Friday, Christmas Day, as well as birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri as well as author of Indian constitution Dr B R Ambedkar.
However, the new calendar has listed the death anniversaries of Sukhdev Singh Sukha and Harjinder Singh Jinda, assassins of former army chief General Arun Vaidya and that of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, vanguard of Sikh separatist movement. It also gives the dates of the deaths of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh, assassins of late prime minister Indira Gandhi but do not mention that of Beant Singh, another assassin of Gandhi. These were part of the NC 2014-15.
But the new one lists Independence Day and Republic Day.
The new calendar will lead to more confusion over dates of festivals and important events. The martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev was observed on June 1 in NC 2014-15, but falls on May 22 as per the new one and on June 16 according to the original NC. Similarly, the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh was given as December 28 in the previous NC, but has been fixed as January 16 in the new calendar; it was January 5 as per the Nanakshahi calendar.
The new calendar has also missed out Sikh religious days like Chotta Ghallughara, Saka Paonta Sahib, Morcha Guru Ka Bagh, Sarhind Fateh Diwas and birth anniversary of Bhagat Ravi Das
After its release, the Akal Takht jathedar clarified that the calendar would be applicable for the current year only.
“The next NC would be published on the recommendation of a committee constituted for the purpose on the directions of Akal Takht to find a permanent solution to the prevailing confusion,” he said.