Amritsar, March 28
The draft of Nanakshahi Calendar that generated considerable controversy and debate was approved unanimously at a marathon meeting presided over by Akal Takht Jathedar and attended by all other Sikh organisations here today.

Announcing the draft approval SGPC chief Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar said the Calendar would be implemented after the approval of the general house of the SGPC at a special session.

However, the meeting failed to agree on the date of Guru Nanak Dev’s birth which would continue to be celebrated on the ‘puranmashi’ (full-moon) in the Bikrami month of katak, instead of during the month of ‘Baisakh’ (April).

With the approval of the draft proposal controversy regarding the formal announcement of the “death” of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the calendar has declared a public holiday on June 6 as his martyrdom day. Thereby laying to rest the controversy over Sant Bhindranwale’s demise. It may be recalled that Jathedar Akal Takht Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti had constituted an 11-member committee of Sikh scholars and experts to study in depth in Nanakshahi Calendar prepared by a Canada-based Sikh scholar Mr Pal Singh Purewal.

The committee today gave its final acceptance to the calendar which was presented before Sikh intelligentsia and representatives of various Sikh organisations that also gave their final approval for its implementation.

Significantly, on the issue of dates of Diwali and Hola Mohalla jointly celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs, the calendar continue to follow common dates of ‘Bikrami Samvat’.

President of Takht Patna Sahib Giani Mohinder Singh Romana has also sent his consent for the approval of the Nanakshahi Calendar according to the press note issued by the SGPC.

Earlier too the former SGPC President Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra in 1999 had got the approval of the SGPC general house to implement the calendar and even got the calendar printed but he could not implement the resolution as he was defeated in the SGPC presidential elections.