The traditional Bikarmi calendar has a year of 354 days and the old Nanakshahi calendar had piled on the Bikarmi one !
Some year ago, in a historic decision taken at Akal Takht after long deliberations at various platforms and active participation of all panthic organizations the Nanakshahi calendar was released and accepted by Sikhs world over. The new calendar is based on the tropical solar year, is scientific and has a year of 365 days.Tropical solar year means time taken by Earth to complete one revolution around the sun. It also liberated Sikhs from the brahmnical method of calculating dates for Gurpurabs which varied every year to fixed dates. Sangrand became the first of every month and not the brahmnical auspicious time when a constellation moves from one house to another house ! Masya is a natural phenomenon which has its own lunar calendar, it does not change by looking at a solar calendar.
The sudden secret meeting at Akal Takht with an agenda to reject the calendar is intriguing. It raises very basic questions
1 Do the Jathedars have the authority to change a decision taken at Akal Takht by the Sikh quom ?
2 Panj Piare means five Gursikhs following one Rehat Maryada ( approved by the Akal Takht) and one belief taking a decision in presence of Guru Granth Sahib. Does the presence of Giani Iqbal Singh who has rejected the Sikh Rehat Maryada and others who believe in Damdami Taksal Maryada make legitimate Panj Piare to take a decision behind closed doors and foist it on the Sikhs ?
3 If there is so much of opposition to Nanakshahi calendar which re-affirms the independent identity of the Sikhs then why was the matter not brought to the committee of scholars formed by Akal Takht for this purpose with specific objections?
4 What are the objections to the Nanakshahi calendar ?
To my knowledge the objections being raised by the ‘sants’ is that the date of sangrand in both calendars is different. Obviously when you look at two different calendars, where even the length of the year is not same, the first of the month cannot be the same ! If you look at one calendar then there is no confusion.
Perhaps we need to look at Diwali as a seasonal festival aimed at social interaction and fix date for Bandi Chhod Diwas too.
It seems Sikhism is throwing ‘teenage tantrums’. Looking for an independent identity that every teenager wants, in a rebellion mood, it is trying to change any and every thing historic beacause it is rooted in Hinduism.
Don’t uproot yourself so fast.