US Sikhs seek amendments in Nanakshahi calendar

By Ravinder Singh Robin, Amritsar: Sikhs based in the United States have appealed to the jathedar of the Akal Takht, to amend the Nanakshahi calendar introduced in 2003 by the Sikh Gurudwara Prabhadak Committee (SGPC), which looks after Sikh shrines in India.According to reports received here from San Jose, California, hundreds of Sikhs assembled at a gurdwara in at San Jose last Thursday to make the demand while celebrating the Sikh New Year as per the Nanakshahi calender. According to American Sikhs, confusion prevails over the accuracy of certain dates in the calendar, including the birth and death anniversaries of Sikh Gurus and Sikh festivals.There is a view that this has created a virtual divide in the Sikh community. A 11-member committee was formed and it has recommended that the Akal Takht secretariat resolve the issue.Talking to ANI from San Jose, Dr. Pritpal Singh said that efforts were on to resolve the matter in the interest of Sikhs living in the United States.