|
Will Nanakshahi Come to Harm
From Akal Takht? Guru Bhala Kare!
WSN Network
 AMRITSAR:
Irrespective of the fault lines appearing to widen within the Sikh
clergy, the Jathedars as a whole came increasingly under pressure of
the Sant Samaj lobby trying to dilute the Nanakshahi Calendar and
even questioning the rationale behind the new almanac that the Sikh
Quom had implemented with pride and a sense of sovereignty.
After a largely
inconclusive marathon meeting on Monday, the Jathedars led by Akal
Takht's Giani Gurbachan Singh were closeted at the secretariat as
this WSN edition went to the press. The Wednesday's meeting at 11 am
(Punjab time) began under the shadow of a strong and clear united
voice put up by many panthic organizations that cautioned against
any move to buckle before the Sant Samaj, Damdami Taksal led demand
to stick to Bikrami Calendar for many Sikh dates of historical
importance.
In an
advertisement issued on the day of the crucial meeting, Dal Khalsa,
Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani), Sikh
Students Federation, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee,
Shiromani Prabadhak Council, Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat, Sikh Youth
of Punjab, Institute of Sikh Studies, Sikh Watch Group, Gurdar Singh
Sabha Kanpur, Gurdawra Barra Sikh Sangat Calcutta, Pakistan Sikh
Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Sikh Youth of America, Dasmesh Darbar
Surrey, United Khalsa Dal UK, International Sikh Council Belgium,
Voices For Freedom, Sikh Federation of Germany, Canada, Australia,
Switzerland, KAC (Washington, DC) posed three pointed questions to
the Akali Dal and the SGPC president.
1. If Gurpurab
and Sangrands are to be observed as per the Bikrami Calendar, then
where was the need for a Nanakshahi Calendar?
2. Are you not
putting the Sikhs in a ridiculous and sad situation by mixing the
Bikrami and Nanakshahi calendars?
3. Will you like
to see yourself as enemies of the panth and history?
With a punch
line that said it all -- Remember, the power and posts will go away
one day, but the Quom and History will never forgive -- the joint
statement appeared as a front page advertisement in sections of the
Punjab media.
Among the
Diaspora Sikhs too, many bodies joined hands to call upon the Akal
Takht and the SGPC to convene a Sikh conclave to discuss proposed
amendments in the Nanakshahi calendar before Akal Takht puts its
stamp on it.
 The Dal Khalsa,
Akhand Kirtani Jatha, DSGMC, Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat, Shiromani
Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani), Sikh Students Federation, Sikh Youth of
Punjab, Akal Federation, Shiromani Panthic Council in a joint
statement said the calendar was a valuable asset of the community
and no one has a right or monopoly to amend or alter it.
Significantly,
Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, American Gurdwara
Parbandhak Committee, Sikh Youth of America, Sikh Federation of
Germany, Switzerland, Australia & Canada, Dasmesh Darbar Surrey,
Voices for Freedom, Khalistan Affairs Centre too have voiced their
concern against the proposed changes.
Firing a salvo
against the SGPC chief Avtar Singh, leaders including Paramjit Singh
Sarna, Manjit Singh Calcutta, Satnam Singh, Kanwarpal Singh, Harpal
Singh Cheema, Parmjit Singh Gazi, Rajinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh
Mann and Baldev Singh said he along with Jathedar Akal Takht was
playing partisan role.
On Monday, the
five Sikh high priests failed to reach a consensus and then decided
to meet again on Wednesday even as it became clear that the ruling
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was in favour of changes in the calendar.
The SAD even sent an emissary, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, to convince
the clergy to accept the changes proposed by the SGPC.
It became clear
that Takht Damdama Sahib (Talwandi Sabo) Jathedar Balwant Singh
Nandgarh took a firm stand against any changes in the Nanakshahi
Calendar and threatened to resign rather than sign a "hukamnama"
effecting changes in the calendar.
Incidentally,
the calendar now sought to be amended was approved by the SGPC
general house and the Sikh clergy and even accepted by the
government. Nandgarh advised the other clerics to convene a debate
between NRI Pal Singh Purewal, maker of the Nanakshahi calendar, and
Sant Samaj chairman Harnam Singh Dhumma, who is pressing for certain
changes in the almanac.
Nandgarh wants
this debate to be held in the presence of the clergy, so they could
decide on the merits of the opposing views.
Traditionally,
when the clergy have to issue a hukamnama, it is done after reaching
a consensus and signatures of all five jathedars are put on the
resolution at the end of the meeting.
In the present
case, Jathedar Nandgarh spoke for all those opposing changes --
hardliners as well as moderates -- in the calendar that has been
followed by Sikhs since the Baisakhi of 2003 and gives the community
a distinct identity.
Ever since its
implementation, most Sikh ceremonies were being held as per dates
given in it, till SAD encouraged the SGPC management to entertain
the Sant Samaj viewpoint in favour of changes. It is alleged by
opponents that the move is aimed at winning over a segment of Sikhs
ahead of the SGPC general elections, expected in mid-2010.
SAD has
persisted with its view of effecting changes despite opposition from
the broad-spectrum of Sikh intellectuals and bodies, many even
considered aligned with the party.
Jathedar
Gurbachan Singh and Giani Tarlochan Singh -Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh
Sahib (Anandpur Sahib) -- who are now inclined towards effecting
changes in the calendar, were among the clergy which had cleared it
in the present form when it was implemented in 2003.
30
December 2009
|
Read Also