Amritsar:
The Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal seat, today gave its final approval to the proposed amendments in the Nanakshahi calender followed by the community.
Jatehdar Akal Takht Gyani Gurbachan Singh gave the nod after Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), considered the mini-parliament of Sikhs, approved the changes at a meeting on Sunday.
As per the new amendments, important religious occasions like birth and death anniversaries of Sikh Gurus (masters) would be observed as per the traditional Bikrami calendar (followed before 2003). The original Nanakshahi Calendar was adopted by the General House meeting of the SGPC in March 29, 2003.
The Jatehdar said the Nanakshahi Calendar with amendments would come into force from March.
He said the final nod to the changes was given on the basis of approval given by the SGPC which was "empowered to bring such amendments at any time for the larger interest of the Sikh community".
Earlier, Pal Singh Purewal, a Canada-based Sikh intellectual who crafted the Nanakshahi calendar had requested the Akal Takht Jathedar to consult him before making any change in it.
Purewal objected to the amendments saying it was highly objectionable as any change in the calendar would reduce it to a "carbon copy of Bikrami Calendar". He claimed the Nanakshahi calendar was based on religious, historical and scientific research of many years.
Jatehdar Akal Takht Gyani Gurbachan Singh gave the nod after Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), considered the mini-parliament of Sikhs, approved the changes at a meeting on Sunday.
As per the new amendments, important religious occasions like birth and death anniversaries of Sikh Gurus (masters) would be observed as per the traditional Bikrami calendar (followed before 2003). The original Nanakshahi Calendar was adopted by the General House meeting of the SGPC in March 29, 2003.
The Jatehdar said the Nanakshahi Calendar with amendments would come into force from March.
He said the final nod to the changes was given on the basis of approval given by the SGPC which was "empowered to bring such amendments at any time for the larger interest of the Sikh community".
Earlier, Pal Singh Purewal, a Canada-based Sikh intellectual who crafted the Nanakshahi calendar had requested the Akal Takht Jathedar to consult him before making any change in it.
Purewal objected to the amendments saying it was highly objectionable as any change in the calendar would reduce it to a "carbon copy of Bikrami Calendar". He claimed the Nanakshahi calendar was based on religious, historical and scientific research of many years.
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