Chicago based Sikh Gurdwaras and organisations adopt the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar and appeal to Sikh Sangats to do the same to stop any further confusion regarding Gurpurabs and Sikh festivals.

Chicago took the lead over many Sikh organizations in the Diaspora and homeland Punjab in collectively taking a decision to adopt the original -Mool Nanakshahi Calendar while making a fervent appeal to all social and religious organisations of the Sikhs to not only implement themselves but make serious attempts to ensure full implementation of the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar.

The Chicago Mool Nanakshahi Calendar Implementation Conference was also supported by several other Midwest Gurdwaras from the states of Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Many of these Gurdwaras have also adopted, or are in the process of adopting, resolutions of the conference.

“1999 was a watershed year in the Sikh history when the Sikh scholars and SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) introduced and the Akal Takht Sahib adopted the historically and scientifically accurate Mool Nanakshahi Calendar, a tropical calendar; on 300th anniversary of Khalsa’s Saajna, which also conformed to Gurbani.”

This and many other far-reaching resolutions were adopted in the presence of Sikh representatives from the US, Canada, India and Australia at the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar Implementation Conference held last month hosted by the Sikh Religious Society of Chicago.

While the committee set up by the Akal Takht Sahib, accepted the Nanakshahi calendar with three reservations, in 2003, the Chicago conference has sought to rest all confusion for all times to come by adopting the fixed dates for the three contentious days as suggested by Pal Singh Purewal, namely,

1. Guru Nanak’s Parkaash Purab on April 14th (1-Vaisaakh), Vaisaakhi
2. Bandee Chhorrd Divas on February 12th (1-Phaggan)
3. Holla Muhalla on March 14th (1-Chet), Mool Nanakshahi New Year Day

The sheet anchor of the calendar, Pal Singh Purewal, the chief speaker at the conference narrated the years that he spent in Punjab to convince scholars, religious and political leaders to create awareness about the need and implementation of the Mool Nanakshahi calendar. As someone who is well-versed in Calendar science, Pal Singh Purewal clearly enunciated steps to be taken by the Sikh Sangats across the whole world to ensure smooth and universal implementation of the Nanakshahi Calendar, which he sees as the signal sovereign symbol of the distinct Sikh faith.

Speakers at the conference expressed confidence that the universal acceptance of the Mool Nanakshahi calendar would bring consistency of Gurpurab and other Sikh festival dates all across the Sikh world.

Various speakers who spoke at the conference included Bibi Jasbir Kaur from Ohio, Sarabjit Singh from Sacramento, Irwin Preet Singh, Prof. Niranjan Singh Dhesi and Surinder Singh of Talking Punjab radio station and Harkirat Singh Ajnoha from Australia.

The following significant resolutions were adopted at the conference:

1. Whereas, 1999 was a watershed year in the Sikh history when the Sikh scholars and SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) introduced historically and scientifically accurate Mool Nanakshahi Calendar, a tropical calendar; on 300th anniversary of Khalsa’s Saajna and conforming to Gurbani.
2. Whereas, the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar forever fixed drifting Sikh historical Bikrami dates and synchronized these dates in the Common Era (CE) tropical calendar.
3. Whereas, accurate recurrence of these Sikh historical dates and preservation of Gurbani’s relevance has profound implication for Sikh generations to come.
4. Whereas, the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar asserts independence of Sikh religious principles.
5. Whereas, not adopting Mool Nanakshahi Calendar in entirety, or delaying its complete implementation, would only make the confusion within the Sikhs more acute.
6. Whereas, many Sikh organizations have already been following Nanakshahi Calendar for many years, except for the three dates of Guru Nanak’s Gurpurab, Bandee Chorrd Divas, and Holla-Muhalla.

“The Sikh Sangats across the whole world need to take steps to ensure smooth and universal implementation of the Nanakshahi Calendar, which is the signal sovereign symbol of the distinct Sikh faith.”

Pal Singh Purewal, architect, Mool Nanakshahi Calendar

The YouTube videos of the Chicago meet should dispel all the doubts of many internet activists who are still engaged in spreading confusion regarding lunar and solar calendars through social media.

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Well-meaning Sikh activists yearn to see the possibility that beginning with the celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh Purab on January 5,  the momentum catches on and what has begun from Chicago, spreads across to all other Sikh residence towns of the US and other countries.