Change Guru Gobind Singh's birth anniversary date: Sarna appeals to Akal Takht

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 25

With the five high priests set to hold a meeting at Akal Takht to discuss Panthic issues, SAD leader and former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Paramjit Singh Sarna has appealed to Akal Takht that the five high priests should discuss the discrepancy in the date of Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary.

Coincides with ‘Shaheedi Saptah’

• He submitted that Guru’s birth anniversary falls on December 29 this year as per the amended version of Nanakshahi calendar.
• But it coincides with “Shaheedi Saptah”, the sombre week-long occasion of the martyrdom anniversaries of the Guru’s four sons.

He submitted that Guru’s birth anniversary falls on December 29 this year as per the amended version of Nanakshahi calendar, but it coincides with “Shaheedi Saptah”, the sombre week-long occasion of the martyrdom anniversaries of Guru’s four sons.

Sarna appealed to the high priests to announce the occasion for January 5, as per the original Nanakshahi calendar.

“On the eve of the occasion, a nagar kiran is taken out. The Sikh community would be confused about how to celebrate the occasion as no celebrations are held during this period of mourning. So, I appealed for change of date,” he said.

Sikhs observe “Shaeedi Saptah” in the last week of December every year. This year it will start from December 22 (martyrdom day of Guru’s elder sons, Ajit Singh and Jhujhar Singh) and conclude on December 28. The martyrdom day of Guru’s younger sons, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, and Mata Gujri falls on December 27.

The issue had cropped up in 2017 also when the then SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar had proposed to the Akal Takht to change the date of the birth anniversary to January 5, but it was rejected. Earlier in 2014, the date was changed to January 7, but Akal Takht took a U-turn on the decision.

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