Scholars oppose Bikrami Calendar

Perneet Singh

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 24

A section of Sikh intellectuals has warned against reverting to the Bikrami Calendar, contending that it will further widen the rift in the community. The Sant Samaj had recently approached the Akal Takht, urging it to revert to the Bikrami Calendar.

Historians and almanac experts said if the Bikrami Calendar is implemented again the Gupurb dates would drift away by another 15 days by 3000 AD. They said the martyrdom day of Sahibzadas would fall in January instead of December and Hola Mohalla would fall in April instead of March. Similarly, Baisakhi would fall on April 28, they said. Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary would drift to February and that of Guru Nanak Dev to December.

Talking to The Tribune, almanac expert Dr Balwant Singh Dhillon said the Nanakshahi Calendar was created by Pal Singh Purewal after a thorough research and it was aimed at having a scientific calendar in which the length of the year is 365 days and the Gurpurb dates are fixed. He said those demanding a change in the calendar should first understand the difference between the two calendars. Bibi Kiranjot Kaur, SGPC member, said the Nanakshahi Calendar was implemented after wide consultations among the Sikhs across the world and therefore it could not be rejected so easily. She said, “The Sant Samaj neither follows the ‘rehat maryada’ of Akal Takht nor do they observe Gurpurb in their deras.” Noted Sikh scholar Ashok Singh Bagarian said having its own calendar was a must for the independent identity of the Sikh community.

Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa’s spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said, “There might be some deficiencies in the Nanakshahi Calendar but these could have been taken care of by appointing a committee of experts rather than leaving the issue to the priests who have no knowledge of the principles of almanac.