Scholars divided over birth month of Guru Nanak Dev

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 18

Discussing a major controversy about the month of Guru Nanak Dev’s birth, eminent scholar Dr Asa Singh Ghuman released a book “Katak Kay Visakh? Kay Dovain?” here on Wednesday. A discussion was also conducted at Bhai Veer Singh’s residence at Lawrence Road in which scholars and historians threw light on various aspects of history of beliefs about the month of birth of Guru Nanak Dev.

Dr Kulwinder Singh Bajwa, former head of history department, Punjabi University, Patiala, said Asa Singh Ghuman gave a deep analysis of “Janam-Sakhis” in his book. He also wrote about the British authors, who gave their opinion about the Sikh history and sacred text. The controversy over the month of Guru Nanak Dev’s birth is not new and Karam Singh historian written a book on it. After several decades, Giani Ishar Singh Naara critiqued the claims of Karm Singh historian in 1970 by writing a book “Vaisakh Nahi Katak Guru Nanak Avtar”. Dr Ghuman threw light on the claims of both writers and then gave the perspective of “Janam Sakhis”.

Bajwa stated that Sikhs believe that Guru Nanak was Guru since his birth, while Ghuman gave a new insight that Guru born spiritually after taking dip in “Kali Bein” a rivulet at Sultanpur Lodhi. It would not be acceptable for Sikh masses.

Speaking on the occasion, Sikh scholar Inderjit Singh Gogoani said, “The organised religions follow their traditions not opinion of historian. It is one of the opinions that Guru Nanak Dev born in the month of Visakh but Sikhs always celebrates it on full moon (Puranmashi) of Katak. The historians should keep doing researches but not reject the traditions.”

Several other scholars gave their opinion on book and discussed the life and history of Guru Nanak Dev on the occasion.