HOW WAS THE
JANTRI JEOPARDISED
+++++++
We published a special issue of Nanakshahi Calender then called Jantri in April 2000 giving pro and con views of
1.Editorial
2.Why Nanakshahi by Kharag Singh
3. by Pal Singh Purewal
4. Balwant Singh Kothaguru
5. Dr. Gurbachan Singh Bachan, secretary SGPC
6. Baba Kashmira Singh
Later after some years the Nanakshahi Calendar was implemented by SGPC in Jan. 2003. The calendar worked well but the RSS was annoyed with it because it smelt independent entity of Sikhism. It used various methods to seek rejection of calendar and finally succeeded through Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma.
Here we are presenting the special issue of April 2000. It is still relevant as it defines the Nanakshahi: its merits and demerits.
We are sorry only one page could be converted to text rest are being presented in image form.
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JANTRI JEOPARDISED
+++++++
We published a special issue of Nanakshahi Calender then called Jantri in April 2000 giving pro and con views of
1.Editorial
2.Why Nanakshahi by Kharag Singh
3. by Pal Singh Purewal
4. Balwant Singh Kothaguru
5. Dr. Gurbachan Singh Bachan, secretary SGPC
6. Baba Kashmira Singh
Later after some years the Nanakshahi Calendar was implemented by SGPC in Jan. 2003. The calendar worked well but the RSS was annoyed with it because it smelt independent entity of Sikhism. It used various methods to seek rejection of calendar and finally succeeded through Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma.
Here we are presenting the special issue of April 2000. It is still relevant as it defines the Nanakshahi: its merits and demerits.
We are sorry only one page could be converted to text rest are being presented in image form.
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HA HA!!! TODAY THE DATE IS 32 HARH..ਵਾਹ ਜੀ ਵਾਹ! ਕੀ ਮਹੀਨਾ ਕਦੀ 32 ਦਿਨਾਂ ਦਾ ਵੀ ਸੁਣਿਐ? ਅੱਜ ਹਾੜ ਦੀ 32 ਤਾਰੀਕ ਆ। ਬਿਕ੍ਰਮੀ
ਕਲੈਂਡਰ ‘ਚ ਅਜਿਹੀਆਂ ਹੀ ਖਾਮੀਆਂ ਸਨ ਜਿਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਨਾਨਕਸ਼ਾਹੀ ਕੈਲੰਡਰ ਬਣਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ। ਸ਼ਰੋਮਣੀ
ਕਮੇਟੀ ਨੇ ਲਾਗੂ ਵੀ ਕਰ ਦਿਤਾ ਸੀ ਪਰ ਆਰ ਐਸ ਐਸ ਤੜਫ ਉਠੀ ਸੀ, ਅਖੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਆਪਣਾ ਵੱਖਰਾ ਕੈਲੰਡਰ ਕਿਉ ਰੱਖਣ। ਫਿਰ
RSS ਨੇ ਦਮਦਮੀ ਟਕਸਾਲ ਦੇ ਹਰਨਾਮ ਸਿੰਘ ਧੁੰਮਾ ਨੂੰ ਮੋਹਰਾ ਬਣਾ ਕੇ ਅੱਗੇ ਲਾਇਆ ਤੇ ਮੰਗ ਕਰਵਾਈ ਕਿ ਨਾਨਕਸ਼ਾਹੀ ਕੈਲੰਡਰ ਬੰਦ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇ।ਬਿਕ੍ਰਮੀ ਕੈਲੰਡਰ ਦੁਬਾਰਾ ਲਾਗੂ ਕਰ ਦਿਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਤੇ ਸਾਜਿਸ਼ ਤਹਿਤ ਨਾਂ ਰੱਖ ਦਿਤਾ ਨਾਨਕਸ਼ਾਹੀ। ਨਾਨਕਸ਼ਾਹੀ
ਕੈਲੰਡਰ ਦਾ ਮਖੌਲ ਉਡਾ ਦਿਤਾ। Wow!! Have ever heard
of month of 32 days? Today the date is Harh 32. There r grave defects in
Bikrami Calender. Accordingly a solar calender Nanakshahi was devised. The Sikh apex body SGPC in 2003 duly implemented the Nanakshahi. But
RSS was infuriated, “How could the Sikhs have their separate calender?” Harnam
Singh Dhuma head of Damdami Taksal was then used as a tool to oppose the
Nanakshahi. Obviously SGPC under the control of Govt agreed in 2009 and
Nanakshahi was rejected and Bikrami calender was enforced. Not only this, now
they gave Bikrami the new name Nanakshahi. Naturally imitation things create
such jokes.
Bikrami, a sidereal [based on a group of stars] calendar is the traditional Jantri of Punjabis and has some serious defects. Compared to Solar year, it is slower by 20 x 60 = 1200 seconds. As a result of which it becomes out of tune with seasons. For example in 532 AD Lohri was in December and nowadays it falls in January. The famous Vaisakhi of 1699 fell on March 29 and now a days on April 14. After some thousand years Vaisakhi will slip to winter. Any classical literature including Gurbani obviously refers to seasons. Thus, if the Jantri is not corrected, a day will come when the whole Punjabi literature will become irrelevant Common Era calendar had to so similar defects and was therefore corrected twice; in 46 and 1582 AD. Pal Singh Purewal developed a fool proof solar calendar and named it Nanakshahi Jantri. When the Sikh apex body SGPC intended to implement it, some mischievous organisations deployed their agents to oppose the Jantri in a very outrageous manner, the issue stands shelved, the SGPC office now feels shy on talking on Jantri. We present in the following pages both pro and anti Jantri views to find out that the opponents had more obstinacy than logic.
Bikrami a sidereal calendar in vogue in lndia is based on the nakshatras. Gregorian, Christian, or Common Era the most prevalent calendar in the world is based on Sun and most of its defects have now been removed.
However the year in CE calendar is faster by 26 seconds per year while the Bikrami calendar is faster by 20 X 60 =1 200 seconds. After every 71 years Bikrami is ahead by one day and thus loses its harmony with the solar time. Days keep on adding. For example the Vaisakhi in 1753 AD fell on April 9 and now it comes on April 14. After 1100 years it will fall in the month of May while after 13000 years it will slip to October making Gurbani and other literature irrelevant as far as the seasons are concerned. Obviously there are several references to the seasons; like Asarh month is hot for those who are array from God.
uilB'=r gF Eirfl ararfa sfu .. ,1'gg' aiu'rsn m] G[d ?IE| ?r rii?tf uF[ . . . tfu gH"ga fEx{"{S *s firfm, oec6'in... sgqigsorestroqitt... n'el HE H6r rrlu rgnfu EB urrBu . ..
A calendar has to be based on Sun if it is to harmonise with seasons. Guru Nanak also approves a solar calendar p*H *I ryfumrrs3i*3?Au
Calendar being defective the anniversaries or Gurpurabs dates keep shifting [For details see Dr. Kharag Singh’s article] often also resulting into Two festivals in a year or no festival at all. The defects were noticed as back as in 1912 AD by Karam Singh Historian and Prof. Sahib Singh 1948 AD while Randhir Singh pleaded for correction in the year 1977.
Name Nanakshahi is not new. The Sikh Jantri have been using Nanakshahi samvat lsfutrisafi,A for almmt a oentury rmw by just computhg learfrom Guru Nanak's birtr.
Pal Slngh Purswal a Canadhn immigant worked on this calendar to remove the defeds and the new cabndar evolved is rtand !*msltshdri.
Sallmt fEaturoe of ilanakshahl Jantrl: [a] Th first month being Chet amrding to Gubani. {bl lt b sdar calendartfus matches with the seasons. [cl lt is a vry simple calendar; thefirstlive months being of 31 r{avq anrl iha rcci af afi darrc whila Dharrr m month of 28dap, in leapyear2gdayt. [d]The Gurpurab ddes have beenfxed [el The base date of the calendar is the \Aisakhiof year 1999.
WHO IS OPPOSED TO JANTRI?
Question is slmple, it is an improvernent in a calendar and why should any body oppose it? lt is interesting to ndethatuhen the opponent found no strcng objedion fiey went to the extent of eposing themselves. Their objection is why the Jantri is independent from any Hindu sptem?
Afier lndia was freed, the Govt. under Nehru decided to adopt a calendar. They found Bikrami unfit and thus the Govt adopted Saka catendar named after Kanishka, an ancient foreign invader to lndia. So Delhi can reject Bikramibut the Punjabiscant.
Those who knail Sikh hlstory and have cloeety obserued the polltics could rmgnise the real faces of those who oppos it. We know the Hlndus as I whole ane very tolerant and gentle people. You go to places beyond Punjab they would love to see a Sikh. Off late howeverihe media has played hwoc and the whole Sikh onrmunity stands maligned. Sikhs in foreign countries are always welcomed for being a hardworking, straig htfomard, God fea ring & believing conmunity witr a distind irJentity. ln many international fora it has been appreciated that there is need to preserue this unique group from extinction.
As there are ahnrays some mischievous people in every community. The fanatics amoqg he RSS, Ar),a Samaj and others are desperate that the Sikhs be absorbed in Hinduism at the earliest. $ome castes are akeadyfast lapsing into Hinduism. [Asurvey of sylabii of Punjab schools reveals how a distorted image of Sikhism is being given to childrenl These fanatics feelthatthe Jantri is yet another assertion of separate Sikh identity.
ln past also whenever the Sikhs sought some reforms, antiSikh forces opposed the moves. For example the Singh Sabha mocmsnt was vehemently oppossd. lA/hen in 1920s the Sikhs unanted to free lheir shrines from the comrpt mahants they had to face the guns of 'Mahant,'supported by fanatics. Against the wishes of Sikhs ttiey inserted clauses in the lndian Constitution that the Sikhs are Hindus. Afler Partilion when Punjabiwas to be made the official language the fanatics opposed il. Punjabi Suba was qpposd. Atthe tinre of Nirankari Sikh collision they openly supported the Nirankaris. They opposed the Punjabi demands of Riparian Rights and territorial claims. Theirfaces got unmasked in 1984 when they supported Sikh persecution. However their Sant Bhinderanwale move boomeranged and they retaliated via Operation Blue Star.
\Mth theircells in the ruling par$ nowtheyare carrying out their plans more secretly through agents or mercenaries. ln the present case Punjab Min ister Balramji Das'london had only once hinted that the Jantri means assertion of Sikh identityand theiragents lost no time in training their guns. Their Sipahis the Sants opened fire on Jantri.
Jantri being just one, they have scuttled several such other important issues in which SGPC was not allowed free hand. For example
[a] Sikh pilgrim Jathas to Pakistlt Gurdwaras is stopped,
[b] SGPC is not being allowed to start their chanhelfor relay of Gurbani from Golden Temple when any body, street or colony can do it easily
[c] SGPC is not free to hoist the original blue or yellow coloured Sikh flag in accordance with the Sikh Code of Conduct and instead saffron colour of the Hindu is being hoisted etc.
[d] Amaritsar being the Sikh axis, attempts were made and are being made to create parallel centres. There is thus too much interference in the working of SGPC.
Who are their agents?
Succumbing to the fanatic ideology, the Congress had launched a secret programme to absorb Sikhs in the Hinduism by using
[1]some political parties and politicians and
[2]saints and mahants as their agent. Presently there are hundreds of so called saints who are preaching that the Sikhs are a sect of Hinduism. They do it by preaching and promoting ritualism. ln past they got tactical support from fanatics in Congress governments. Unfortunately successive governments including that of Janta Dal and BJP have onlyt oed the policy lay down by Nehru.
Presently the core group of these saints is organised under the banner of Gurbani Gurmat Sidhant Pracharak Sant Samaj. The difference in their teachings besides promotion of ritualism is that they avoid to preach Guru Nanak's concept of truthful living, submission before His will and exemplary behaviour. .They do not encourage their followers to understand Gurbani and emphasise on its parrot like cramming a"d recitation. They encourage their own individual worship.
Thus bowing before the pressure of the Sarkari saints, the SGPC has consigned the Jantri to their archives perhaps for ever.
tfiI0fiilatttls
Sikhism has a unique feature in the form of Hukamnamas: religious edicts or promulgations. After Gurus the collective body of Sikhs has been using this authority vested in it through tradition. The Hukamnama has traditionally been issued from Akal Takhat in Amritsar the axis of Sikhism in the name of Akal Takhat Jathedar the priest. Since the edict has to be the collective voice or in accordance with conscience of the nation the Jathedar of Akal Takhat is supposed to consult head priests of other Takhats before the issue of edict.
ln recent past who ever was in control of SGPC has been misusing the authority of Hukamnamas and perhaps Jathedar G. S. Tohra misused it to maximum extent.
P.S.Badal the Chief Minister was more than once the target of edicts. Badal, it is felt, disagreed with the provision of this ‘extra constitutional authority’ to Takhat since he was targeted.
Secondly the Govts at Delhi have also been sore over the gazette notifications issued from the parallel capital.
SGPC being in the control of Badal while Badal behaving a good boy before Delhi durbar. Giani Puran Singh their buddy was the Akal Takhat priest. Thus the present position most suited the Akal Takhat' opponents. They got implementation of Jantri stayed through Giani. ln his book Bullet for Bullet by J.F.Ribeiro has already hinted that Giani was a police informer. 'Though there is no harm in that, but the Sikhs treat such persons as black sheep. Worse being Giani played in the hand of anti-Sikh forces who controlled him from Delhi. It was killing two birds with one stone. Jantri was a dangerous thing for them and had to be stopped from implementation. More important was to curb the perennial 'nuisance' of hukamnamas’. Gianiji provided a golden chance. But it was slightly ill timed. As the SGPC budget was due to be cleared before 31-3-2OOO. The drama would have otherwise continued for some months. But a sense of discontent was found in the members of SGPC which meant open rebellion against Badal in which his adversary Tohra would have gained. Wings of Giani had to be clipped and he was unceremoniously relieved. To prove that he was the most faithful man he continued to issue hukamnamas to the last hour ; nay last minute. The whole idea being that the message was to be given that hukamnamas were the most ridiculous thing.
The move is more devastating and dangerous than Operation Blue Star itself wherethe attack was on bricks and mortar while now the target is the concept itself. How ever there is an element of relief that all attempts to demolish Akal Takhat or Golden Takhat have ultimately been humbled and Abdalis and lndiras had to eat humble pies ultimately.
Successor of Giani Puran, Joginder Singh Vedanti, a simpleton and obedient Granthi has hinted at the review of the working of SGPC and the relevant laws to amend the provisions that do not suit. Only future will reveal whether this announcement was a bonafide one or there is going to be a serious attempt to demolish the yet another axis of power besides Delhi.
(Note : We will soon type the whole article and make available on internet. In the meanwhile those readers who have fast net connection can read it as images)
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