Akal Takht turns down SGPC plea to extend gurpurb date
The apex gurdwara body wanted to celebrate gurpurb on Jan 5 as December 25 coincides with the martyrdom days of Guru Gobind’s four sons, observed in last week of December
AMRITSAR: Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, on Monday rejected the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) plea to extend the date of parkash parv (birth anniversary) of Guru Gobind Singh.
Confusion prevailed among the Sikhs over the date of birth anniversary of the 10th Guru due to the calendar row. During the executive meeting of the SGPC held at Patiala on November 6, its president Kirpal Singh Badungar had appealed to the Akal Takht to extend the date of the parkash parv to January 5 as December 25 coincides with the martyrdom days of Guru’s sons.
Takht Patna Sahib jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh opposed the SGPC plea saying that gurpurb was fixed on “Poh (Sudi 7)”, which falls on December 25 this year according to the Bikrami calendar. Last time, it was on January 5.
During a meeting held at the Akal Takht secretariat on Monday, the Sikh clergy, led by Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, resolved to celebrate gurpurb on December 25.
In the “gurmata” (resolution) passed by the Sikh clergy, the apex gurdwara body was also directed to cooperate with management of Takht Patna Sahib in celebrating the parkash parv on December 25 to conclude the year-long celebrations of 350th birth anniversary of the 10th Guru.
Without commenting on the rationale cited by the SGPC
behind postponement of gurpurb, the Akal Takht also asked the SGPC to make arrangements for observing the martyrdom day of Guru Gobin Singh’s younger sons — Zorawar Singh
and Fateh Singh — and mother Mata Gujri at Fatehgarh Sahib.
Sikhs observe “Shaheedi Saptah” (martyrdom week) 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.
SIKH BODIES UPSET OVER MOVE
“The Akal Takht jathedar has again deceived the Panth by asking it to celebrate gurpurb on December 25,” said Jaswinder Singh Advocate, president of Akal Purakh Ki Fauj.
Former Takht Sri Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Kewal Singh, said: “It’s like mocking the Panth, which remembers sahibzadas for their martyrdom from December 22 to 27. But due to faulty Bikrami calendar, we have been asked to celebrate gurpurb. The only solution to the problem is to adopt the original Nanakshahi calender.
On the other hand, Dal Khalsa in a statement, said: “We reject Akal Takht jathedar’s orders and appeal to the Sikh sangat to celebrate the gurpurb on January 5.” Taking note of allegations levelled by Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal and ally Sikh organisations against preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale that he has distorted historical facts and misinterpreted the Sikh ethos, Akal Takht jathedar asked the complainants to send evidences in form of CDS to the temporal seat.
“A probe panel will be constituted. If charges are proved against Dhadrianwale, strict action would be taken against him,” said the jathedar.
‘MURDER MEANT TO AVENGE KILLING OF FRIEND’S FATHER’
“I killed Vipan Sharma. He got punished for his deeds as he conspired to the murder of the father of my close friend. This was unbearable….vipan facilitated supply of weapons to the assailants of my uncle,” the Facebook post of Saraj reads. It goes on to add, “There is no religious angle to the murder and we avenged