Sheeba Singh

© Punjabi Byte, March-April 2010. Vol. 1, Issue 3

The Nanakshahi Calendar has marked a pivotal role in Sikhism all over the world. Unlike reference to the Bikrami or the Christian Calendar, this Calendar has enabled the steady occurrence of Sikh religious holidays. Gurpurabs no longer shift every year and the wait for Pandit Jantris to calculate Sikh holidays is no more. As of 2003, the Nanakshahi Calendar was implemented through the approval of the Khalsa Panth and SGPC and under the seal of Akal Takth Sahib. Additionally, it has also come under the approval and adoption of the government of Punjab.

The recent amendments made to this Calendar generated a controversy. Panjabi Byte decided to go back to Veteran Six Scholar and brain behind Nanakshahi Calendar, Pal Singh Purewal. Here are excerpts from the interview with Edmonton-based Sardar Purewal.

Question: After years of hard work, when you finally prepared the Nanakshahi Calendar and it was accepted and implemented, how did you feel at that particular moment? Was it the feeling of a triumphant hero who has done something substantial for the community?

Answer: Far from Caesarian triumph! I felt utmost humble. When the basement of Sri Akal Takht Sahib was reverberating with the sounds of Jaikarays of approval, I was thanking the Guru for his benevolence to me and for having chosen me as his instrument for this work for the Sikh Panth. Of course, my soul experienced a few moments of bliss. My wife Gurjit was with me. Her eyes were wet with tears of joy and thankfulness. I know how much she had suffered for many years because of my preoccupation with the Calendar and my book Jantri 500 Years, and how much relieved she was to see my efforts and struggle come to fruition.

Question: Now when the Jathedars of all five Takhts have unanimously agreed to amend the Nanakshahi Calendar, do you think the purpose for which this Nanakshahi Calendar was made has been compromised? How do you react to the decision of the Sikh High Priests?

Answer: Not all Jathedars agreed to the changes. Jathedar Nandgarh Sahib from Takht Sri Damdama Sahib stood like a rock against the changes. They have decided to revert back to the Bikrami lunar-solar Calendar which would cause the dates of the Gurpurbs shift from year to year in the Common Era Calendar, would cause the months shift in seasons contrary to what is described in the two Barah Mahas and Ruti Slok Gurbanis. Simplicity and easy predictability of dates in Nanakshahi Calendar is lost. SGPC will have to wait for the Jantris or Panchangs from Pundits to fix the Gurpurb dates of Guru Sahiban. The decision of the Jathedars has been influenced by political considerations, pressure from Sant Samaj, and interference by RSS in the Sikh affairs and decision making process.

Question: Sikhishm is one religion that is discussed most in the media. Do you think every little issue of the Sikh qaum and the Panth has to be discussed and debated in public domain?

Answer: We are a nation of leaders, not followers. On top of that, we are all very highly opinionated people. If the discussion is healthy then it does not matter, but more often than not, it degenerates into mud slinging and foul-mouthing. I think we should have a more formalized and standard procedure of settling contentious issues than the present way of starting to dig the well when the fire is blazing. There should be proper procedures in place to decide major issues which concern the whole Panth, rather than hurriedly called meetings of officials of the SGPC and the Jathedars who may not even be sufficiently competent to understand the technicalities of some issues, let alone make decisions about them. It is important that Jathedar Sahibans’ sphere and limits of action be defined.

Question: Every community/religious group takes pride in some of its salient features or characteristics. Sikhism, we all agree, has been one of the scientific, youngest and open religion that, besides accepting equality of gender and treating entire humanity as equal, has been in forefront in voluntary work. Why this spirit of voluntary work is not reflected in resolving contagious or serious issues that are debated in media or in the public domain?

Answer: All these good qualities we imbibe from the essence of Gurbani. Leaving a few emancipated souls, most of us are suffering from inflated egos, which is very apparent from the discussions going on the internet. Because of insufficient understanding of the issues we take rigid stands which results in the loss of accommodation. As a result of this, we would not agree to a superior course of action if it is not to our taste. Let-us-try-to-solve-it-together approach to problem solving is usually missing.

Question: Coming back to the Nanakshahi Calendar, do you think there are more serious and pressing issues than getting the Calendar you made amended? What do you think are the pressure groups that force the Akal Takht and Sikh clergy to give amendments to the Calendar a hurried priority over other serious issues like apostasy facing, Derawad or Gurudom facing the Sikh panth?

Answer: Certainly. The utmost urgency and rush shown by the SGPC in making the changes by calling meetings one after another in the span of a few days throws suspicion that the shots are being called by the persons behind the curtain. Those forces and persons are too well known to be named. Nanakshahi Calendar is certainly a very important part of the identity of the Sikh nation. At the moment it was not an issue, but was made into one by vested interests. Deravad, and Gurudom are the links of the same chain whose single purpose is to destroy the Sikh Identity. Apostasy among youth needs to be addressed more seriously than making of a few statements and assertions by the political and religious leaders. We have failed to present ourselves as role models for the youth. An ounce of practice is better than a ton of advice.

Question: Where do we go from here? Do you foresee any further changes or amendments being suggested or made in the Nanakshahi Calendar?

Answer: So far as I understand it, they did not make changes to the Nanakshahi Calendar but have reverted back to the Bikrami Calendar. They have tried to put the veil of Nanakshahi name over the Bikrami Calendar. This is nothing short of throwing dust into the eyes of the Panth.

Question: What future do you see for various Sikh institutions, including the SGPC and the Sant Samaj? Do you think that by amending the Nanakshahi Calendar, SGPC has bought peace with the Sant Samaj?

Answer: Haven’t you seen the reports in the press of vast majority of three-million+ Sikh diaspora rejecting the so-called changes? Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, some Singh Sabhas, Panthic Organizations of Punjab, Haryana Sikhs, Calcutta Sikhs, Rajputana Sikhs, Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee have all rejected the changes. The change might have brought peace between SGPC and Sant Samaj, but it has caused unrest, and division