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Amritsar,Punjab: Once again the difference between Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) came to fore after the later celebrated the Parkash Utsav (Birth Anniversary) of Guru Gobind Singh on Saturday (January 5th) according to the Nanakshahi Calendar approved by SGPC in 2003, however the SGPC, after the amendments in the Nanakshahi Calendar, would be celebrating the day on January 18th.
The amendments were made on the recommendations of a two-member team comprising SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar and chief of Gurmat Sidhant Parcharak Sant Samaj Harnam Singh Khalsa on the suggestion of an 11-member committee in 2010.
The two member committee had decided that the birth and martyrdom day of Guru Gobind Singh, death anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev, coronation (Gurta Gaddi Diwas) of Guru Granth Sahib and “sangrand” (beginning of every month) would be observed as per the tradition. While talking to DSGMC president Paramjti Singh Sarna told TOI that sticking to the original draft of Nanakshahi Calendar adopted by SGPC in 2003 they had celebrated the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh on Saturday. He said they had organized a function at Lakhi Shah Vanjara Hall, at Gurdwara Rakabganj.
Meanwhile Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Avtar Singh Makkar has appealed to the Sikhs to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh on January 18th, as approved by Akal Takht, and blamed on DSGMC for adopting a political agenda instead of religious one.
Both DSGMC and a Sikh radical organization Dal Khalsa had been opposing the deciSon of SGPC to observe these religious dates as par traditional system. Reacting on the changes made in the Nanakshahi Calendar Prof Balwant Singh of department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University who was also one of the member of 11 member committee constituted to contemplate and carry out research on the Calendar in 2003 by the then Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti said that it was not unnatural to resist the change but the change had been made for good.
Source:The Times Of India
