In a letter to the Central Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Jamshedpur, the Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar, Giani Iqbal Singh creates more confusion by allowing local Sangat of Jamshedpur to celebrate Guru Gobind Singh Gurpurab as per convenience, leaving the Sikhs further dismayed and divided.

Aletter to the Central Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Jamshedpur, ostensibly meant to give leverage to local Sangat to celebrate Parkash Purab of Guru Gobind Singh as per local convenience, but coming under the signatures of Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar, Giani Iqbal Singh, has spread more confusion amongst Sikh Sangat in an already surcharged atmosphere wherein many Gurdwaras have resolved to celebrate the occasion on 5 January as per Mool Nanakshahi calendar.

This letter to the management committee of Gurdwaras in Jamshedpur has added fuel to the fire.   Even though Sangat of Jharkhand and Bihar is confused over this, though those involved will likely justify it as a matter of convenience for the local Sangat of Jharkhand and Bihar who are likely to attend the celebrations in large numbers at Takht Harmandir Ji Patna Sahib in on the date announced by the Jathedars.

While the state government of Patna is leaving no stone unturned to celebrate the concluding ceremonies of the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, the Takht Harmandir Sahib Patna Sahib Committee and the Takht Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh continue their flip flop landing the Sikhs in a quagmire of confusion and division.

World Sikh News reliably learns that the letter addressed to Shalendar Singh and Harnek Singh, both of whom are referred to as Chairman -Central Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in the letter is actually the result of political rivalry at the local level.

“The only way to save the Sikhs from more confusion and division is to reconsider the decision from the portals of Akal Takht Sahib and give a call to the Sikhs to observe Guru Gobind Singh Gurpurab on 5 January this year and for all times to come.”

This letter has been published in local newspapers in Patna and Sikhs of Bihar and Jharkhand and has bamboozled the local Sikh population too. Meanwhile, the Sikh youth organisations of Jamshedpur have already decided to celebrate the occasion on 5 January.

At the meeting of the five Jathedars in November, against the wishes of the community and the recommendation of the SGPC, the Jathedars, perhaps under pressure from Jathedar Iqbal Singh decided to celebrate the 351st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Sahib on 25 December instead of 5 January fixed by the Mool Nanakshahi calendar.

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The position and status of the Jathedars has been further diluted by this move and it has put the Sikhs literally from the frying pan into the fire. The only way to save the Sikhs from more confusion and division is to reconsider the decision from the portals of Akal Takht Sahib and give a call to the Sikhs to observe the Gurpurab on 5 January this year and for all times to come.