Why the Nanakshahi Calendar should be adopted?

There are 3 calendars in circulation today, within the Panth:

Bikrami Calendar
Nanakshahi Calendar (Purewal)
Nanakshahi Calendar (revised Purewal's calendar, implemented by SGPC recently).

It has caused severe confusion in Panth today.

My questions to learned readers out there are:

1. What was the need for implementing the Nanakshahi calendar (Purewal)?

2. What are the deficiencies of the Bikrami calendar and how has Nanakshahi calendar fixed these problems?

3. What are the deficiencies in the Nanakshahi Calendar prepared by Sardar Purewal?

Gursikhs are requested to provide concise answers as opposed to copying-pasting from other sites.

Humbly,
Kulbir Singh

Bhai Kulbir singh ji

At the outset i want to state that i am not aligned to any jthebndi but an ordinary sikh. This is what i gathered from S Anurag singh ji when i went to see him after this controversy was created.He had amended purewal calendar.

First of all we should dispel the myth that Bikrami calendar is a Hindu calendar. Today known as Bikrami calendar is of Iranian origin and was adapted by militant tribes of Punjab who gave tough fight to Alexander..THey adopted it in 57 BC. It was called malva calendar and started to be called Bikrmi calendar in 857 aD.Bikramadittya is not a historical figure but a title.Point to note is that bkrami/malva calendar was followed in both Indian and pakistan Punjab. Official Hindu calendar is saka calendar.

All religions of the world follow lunar calendar.The sole reason was that it was easier to fix date per lunar phases. Purewal gave sikhs a solar calendar. The sole criteria projected by him was that all dates will be fixed to follow on same dates. Even to a layman it was a big flaw and illogical.
For example we have gurpurabs that coincide with phases of moon.Birthday of Guru Gobind singh ji falls on poh sudi satvi, a day associated with phase of moon.Now purewal fixed it as Jan 5 once for all. It is just not logical as there may be no moon on that night.Similar is the condition of Guru Nanak dev ji's birthday as it falls on kartik pooranmashi.One cann't fix any date for that as it has to be full moon night.

Sikhs hhave been observing their religious days much before purewal party came on scene.Bhai Gurdas ji writes" Qurbani tina Gursikhan bhaiye bhagat Gurupurab karande”/What calendar they were following.Obviously the one replaced by Purewal.Gates of Harmandir sahib and other Gurudwaras gates are inscribed by bikrami dates .shall we erase those just because a few selfish people played a fraud with sikhs.

Moreover purewal played a fraud with us as he based date of his calendar (starting year) as 1999 and did not tell anyone.Col Nishan who is an astrononer knew it and he asked him in the meting waht is the startong date of your calendar. He said 99.He asked why not 1469? He had no answer to it. There were corrections to be made for the previous years as both calendars differed in length of time .He did not do that even.May be his background is not from this field.

Sikh calendar should have been more near to actuality as we have proof of our historical dates.Lastly there were four figures named Balwant singh of GNDU, LateKharak singh of IOSS, Kirpal singh and Surjit singh Gandhi who influenced bibi Jagir kaur to impmlement Purewal calendar.It is talk of the day that some got laptops as presents from the originator.These people wrote a book "History of the sikhs and their religion".This book was written for SGPC. And these people give dates in that calendar per history i.e. Bikrami calendar and not per their purewal calendar. This proves that they played a big fraud with us in maligning our history which sikhs will not feel that now but by a few hundred years back.

I am glad that political promoter of purewal calendar groomed by his masters is given a befitting defeat in DGMC elections and sikhs will adopt their original calendar.These are political ploys promoted among a minority such as ours to divide and rule with a view to discredit our unblemished history so far.

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What was the need for implementing the Nanakshahi calendar (Purewal)?

To fix the dates of gurpurabs which keep shifting from year to year. Sometimes we get one gurpurab twice in a year and sometimes no gurpurab at all. Bikarmi calendar is lunar so all dates are not fixed. Majority of the Panth doesn’t even know desi months let alone sudi vadi. Majority of the world uses solar calendar which is more accurate. Purewal attempted to replace lunar with solar calendar. In my opinion, since we do not use measurement system given in Gurbani (ratti, massa, visve, koh, mann, pall, chassa, ghari, pehar etc.) because there are more accurate and universal measurements available, we do not need to stick to Bikarmi calendar on the basis of the same argument. Once again, just my opinion.

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What are the deficiencies of the Bikrami calendar and how has Nanakshahi calendar fixed these problems?

I don’t think Purewal’s calendar fixed any deficiencies but created more problems.

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What are the deficiencies in the Nanakshahi Calendar prepared by Sardar Purewal?

It is based on 1999 dates. Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s gurpurab was on December 22nd in 1666. There were two desi dates on that day. Now, one falls on January 5th and second on 18th. Purewal fixed it to 5th. It is noteworthy that the gurpurab never came in 1999 in Bikarmi calendar. To celebrate this gurpurab according to solar calendar, it should be fixed to December 22nd. Vaisakhi in 1500 came on March 23rd, in 1699 on March 30th and now April 13th/14th. To celebrate Khalsa Saajna Divas, it should be fixed to March 30th since Khalsa was established that day. If we care about Vaisakhi, phases of the moon etc. then dates shouldn’t be fixed. If we want to celebrate gurpurabs on the days they occurred according to solar calendar then dates should be fixed to the original days and not according to 1999. I think Sikhs get too emotional while making decisions, which is why a simple matter like calendar has created a big mess. Guru Rakha

when we say that sometimes there are two gurpurabs twice a year,it does not hold ground. We take bikrami calendar and superimpose it on western calendar. that is why this conclusion. we are mixing two different calendars.

birthday of guru Gobind singh jii is connected with phases of moon and falls on poh sudi satvi.no date can be fixed for this per solar calendar.

we had arranged a conference at gurdwara sahib in fresno in 2010 wherein col. nishan was key speaker. an expert on calendars and here are his videos giving background.

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Inder singh Wrote:
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> birthday of guru Gobind singh jii is connected
> with phases of moon


I'm sorry, but what do the lunar shifts mean anything in Sikhi? Nothing! Why are we so fixed on doing everything in accordance to Islamic views. All this business that the lunar shifts are important for Gursikhs because this way the Gurpurabs are decided, are really ideas or concepts that were initially believed by the early Arab pagans. Then with the rise of Islam, many pagan beliefs or superstitions were copied and practiced by the Muslims, who later brought these values or beliefs to India as they spreaded Islam. It was the Muslims who according to the lunar shifts would decide the start of Ramadan and the end of Ramadan(Eid). Since the Muslims ruled, it was obvious many of their views or beliefs or rather superstitions were to be easily adopted by ex-Muslims. Just as how the Hindus and Sikhs living in western countries are colored with some level of western culture, some more some less. This is why the half moon/crescent isan iconic symbol in Islam, and is often seen outside of many Masjids.
Some Sikhs gave this belief set a Sikh twist and used it make their own agendas/dates or calendars, when really no such thing exists in Sikhism.
Why are we so easily affected by outside values or belief sets, and later claim them to be Sikhi concepts?

Guru Gobind Singh Ji has written:


ਚੌਪਈ ||
ਸੰਬਤ ਸ੍ਨਤ੍ਰਹ ਸਹਸ ਭਣ੍ਨਿਜੈ || ਅਰਧ ਸਹਸ
ਫੁਨਿ ਤੀਨਿ ਕਹ੍ਨਿਜੈ ||
ਭਾਦ੍ਰਵ ਸੁਦੀ ਅਸ਼ਟਮੀ ਰਵਿ ਵਾਰਾ || ਤੀਰ
ਸਤੁ੍ਨਦ੍ਰਵ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸੁਧਾਰਾ ||੨੯|| ੪੦੫||

Where has He talked about anything to do with any lunar shifts? How do the lunar shifts even play any part in Sikhi? We need to rid ourselves of such Islamic views.
Gur Rakha

i cite an example for you to understand. let us take example of guru nanak sahib birthday for easy understanding.he was born on puranmashi when it was full moon.obviously his birthday should be celebrated when there is full moon. So if someone fixes that date forever per solar calendar it may fall on when there is half moon or no moon.

phases of moon do not grant sanctity to the day but it is significant from historical point of view especially when we know the date.

verses cited by you from dasam granth has no relevance with the subject we are discussing.

Veer Inder Singh rightly points out the error of superimposing two calenders. We have to leave one (or accept both dates). Either it should be lunar or solar. If one is attached with what our ancestors did or Guru Sahib Himself did, we will go for those lunar dates. Sikhs of Guru Gobid Singh Ji used to celebarate His birthday in His presence.-----------------With time passing on next generation is losing interest in old things, antiques. It is making new attachments.

Guru Nanak Sahib may or may not have been "born" on a full moon. Either way, it is irrelevant because full moons do not come out on the same date of the same month every year. The concept of full, half or quarter moons has no relevance in Sikhi. The coming of the full moon is also dependent on the weather on that particular day. If there are clear skies with no sign of any chance of rain, thunder or any other storm, there will likely be a full moon. We can not naturally assume now that it would be the same climate, temperature or weather when Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji took Avtaar. This year, full moons may occur on different dates, time abd months based on the weather or the climate. Do we now say that this is the date Guru Nanak Dev Ji took Avtaar because today we had a full day so this has to be the exact same date of the Parkaash Purab of Pehle Patshaah? This sort of argument sounds quite illogical and hypocritical, lacking evidence and only based on beliefs or superstitions passed on.

The reference from Sri Dasam Granth proves that full moons, half moons or quarter moons have no relevance in Sikhi because Guru Gobind Singh Ji does not promote this superstition in His own writings.

bhai sahib MB singh ji

i give an example here how such manipulators ( hardened ones , not all) create confusion when they say in this particular year there was no birthday of guru gobind singh ji. i was asked to attend a meeting at sacramento main gurudwara sahib in the aftermath of amended nanakshahi calendar.this is west sacramento gurudwara.

there were some hard core missionaries and one of them oftenly write on calendars though he has very limited academic education making him unable to understand spinning of earth around its axis.. As always, he brought this subject that in so and so year there was no gurpurab of guru gobind singh ji.i asked him what is the basis of his talk.he cited western calendar and said in this particular year there is no gurpurab and calendars sikhs have been following is flawed. i politely told him stick to one calendar.was there a gurpurab in bikrami calendar or not// He was baffled and not able to understand what i was trying to say. finally i said do not compare oranges with apples.but still this self made calendar expert keep on repeating samething on internet. he himself is ghona mona nowhere near gurmat.

but full moon night is there whether clouded or not. this was the day guru sahib was born.as written earlier calendars basic purpose is to keep historicall dates in proper sequence and not provide religious sanctity.

in the verse you have provided from dasam granth guru sahib writes date of completion of dasam granth sahib.again it is per lunar calendar.when he writes sudi. sudi and vadi are connected with lunar month. there sre probably 14 sudi and 14 vadi days.

When initially Purewal Ji, brought his calendar, he presented this argument as if he has explored new planet. KADDU WICH TEER MARNA like situation.

Sevak123 jeeo,

It seems that you are not able to understand what Bhai Inder Singh jee is saying. Basically, your point of there not being a full moon at the same time every month is due to you following solar calendar as your base.

According to lunar calendar, the full moon is at the same time every month. Therefore in the lunar calendar Gurpurbs will be exactly same dates. Lunar calendar and solar calendar cannot be merged together because they are totally different methods of measurement of time.

Also, in the tuk that you provided Guru Sahib is saying that this rachna was completed during Sudi of Bhadon. Sudi means that the moon is waxing, or moving towards a full moon. Therefore, when you said "Where has He talked about anything to do with any lunar shifts? How do the lunar shifts even play any part in Sikhi?" It just made you look like you don't know what you are talking about.

If you aren't actually knowledgeable about the subject then why make random remarks? It doesn't help those who are here to learn.

Preetam Singh

The simple argument could be that SOLAR is popular, so we should also go with the crowd. Arguments like "no Gurpurab in one year/two in other" and "BARAMAH will be irrelevant after so many years" and "This is Hindu stuff" and creating "hatred" towards lunar system was undesired and given to sensitize the situation.

i have personal knowledge to some extent how in this calendar was imposed on sikhs in haste by some influential and moneyed sikhs living abroad.they are same who are pro kala afghana and anti dasam bani.one of them lives in la, ca and he was the one who roped in pliable characters like balwant singh dhillon of gnDU to lobby for its implementtaion. s anurag singh , son of dr tarlochan singh (a companion of bhai randhir singh ji) was very kind to let me know the dirty politics going on that time and how in the name of hatred towards a particular community a flawed calendar made by a factory worker of canada was imposed on us. the less said the better it is as it bings our august insituion in disrepute.

A correction. I wrote

"It is noteworthy that the gurpurab never came in 1999 in Bikarmi calendar."

It is solar calendar or Gregorian calendar year 1999 in which there was no gurpurab. It is better to keep one calendar only. I prefer solar and fixing all the dates to the original ones.

obviously there was month of poh in bikrami calendar of 2056 ( it corresponds to 1999 AD). also there was poh sudi satvi or 7th day of waxing moon in bikrami samvat 2056.That was birthday of guru gobind singh ji.

When the Sardar Purewal's Nanakshahi calendar came out, I was in full support of it and all these years, I have been supporting it but couple of years ago, since the SGPC revised this Nanakshahi calendar, I have been reading and researching the calendars and the outcome has been as follows:

1. The only deficiency that I can find in the Bikrami calendar is that it's 22 minutes longer than the current more accurate solar calendar. This results in a day's difference after 72 years or so. If the Bikrami calendar is inaccurate by 22 minutes, then the scholars should sit together and adjust this calendar by 22 minutes, as they had done in 1964, when they adjusted the length of this calendar by few minutes. The solution to the 22 minute time difference is not adopting a totally new calendar. This problem can be solved by adjusting the length of the Bikrami Calendar.

2. The argument that sometimes the Bikrami calendar Gurpurab dates result in Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee's Gurpurab appearing two times in a single English calendar and sometimes not appearing at all does not hold too much ground because it's not fair to judge the Bikrami calendar by the standards of the current solar calendar. It's like comparing oranges and apples. The fair comparison would be to compare 3 years of Bikrami calendar with 3 years of solar calendar to see if the number of Gurpurabs in each calendar are equal or not. To compare it every year is not a fair comparison because the Bikrami calendar adjusts itself to the solar calendar every 3 years.

3. I am extremely impressed by the wisdom of the Indian scholars who came up with this hybrid solar-lunar calendar – the Bikrami calendar more than 2000 years ago. This calendar so diligently keeps both solar and lunar considerations in one calendar. When a Gurpurab is celebrated, it keeps in view the positions of the nature e.g. the position of moon, weather etc. In a pure lunar calendar, they may be able to keep the position of the moon but they can't keep the position of weather but in this calendar you can have both positions – weather and moon. Spiritually it makes no difference what the position of the moon is or what the weather is but if we want to celebrate Kattak-Pooranmashi Gurpurab of Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee as per the Bikrami calendar, then we can relate to the account listed in our Janamsakhis about the natural conditions at that time. With other calendars, this is not possible.

4. The newly adjusted SGPC calendar is a disaster. Some Gurpurab dates are as per the Bikrami calendar and some as per Sardar Purewal jee's Nanakshahi calendar. Either they should have left the original Nanakshahi calendar as is or they should have adopted back the Bikrami calendar.

5. Having said that, I think more important than any calendar is the unity of Panth. Nanakshahi calendar divided the Panth because all segments within the Panth were not taken into confidence when implementing this calendar. The original Bikrami calendar should been left rather than adopting the new one and causing a severe disunity in Panth. Now too, they should scrap the new adjusted SGPC Nanakshahi calendar and adopt the Bikrami calendar. Disunity should not be allowed at any cost. The issue of calendar is not a maryada issue or some spiritual issue. Then what was the need to make this change originally and cause such disunity in the Panth?

Some of my Gursikh friends will be shocked to read what I have written above because all these years, I have been a staunch supporter of the Nanakshahi calendar but in the light of more knowledge, contemplation on this issue and considering the unity factor in the Panth, I have reached the conclusion, written above.

Bhul chuk dee Muaafi jee.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh

I'm surprised how many on this forum believe in the idol worship of the sun and the moon. Guru Sumat Bakhshe

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I'm surprised how many on this forum believe in the idol worship of the sun and the moon. Guru Sumat Bakhshe

I am surprised that you believe that celebrating Guru Sahib's Gurpurab equals "idol worship of the sun and the moon".

All calendars are based on either sun or moon or both (Bikrami). No matter which calendar you follow, the movements of sun or moon have to be considered and I don't understand how this makes you a worshiper of sun or moon.

Kulbir Singh

Daas is not a calendar expert but fundamental principle of a calendar cannot be ignored when deciding which calendar is better. This is a fact that for any calendar to work it should have a proper TIMEBASE. Due to inaccurate time base (lunar) of Bikrami calendar, for its proper function it requires the adjustment of days and months by referring to solar calendar. This makes it lunar solar calendar. Which means it is using solar calendar as time base for its functioning then one argues why not follow solar calendar on its own. Solar calendar works around the tropical calendar which means adjustment required according to weather is far less than Bikrami calendar. If it is proven worldwide that solar calendar is more accurate then why we are hesitant.

Aside from others a big deficiency of imposed calendar which we all witnessed recently is Gurpurab date of Siri Guru Nanak Dev Jee Maharaaj in 2012. Gurpurab supposed to be on POORANMASHI OF KATAK but according to screwed up calendar (Bikrami based) as advertised by pseudo Saadh lobby it fell on PoranMashi of Magar. What a blunder. How one can explain this big flaw. Who cares you added one extra month or 30 days to match with solar calendar, what matters is the end result. If calendar could not meet to POORANMASHI OF KATAK then what’s the use?

Calendar issue is dividing if no rules are followed. No doubt NanakShahi calendar2003 itself is not foolproof for some dates but I believe it is still better step in following accurate time base of the era than screwed up calendar.

In Sikh circles Bikrami calendar is already fading away since last century. All the Shaheedi days of last century and other days are recorded and commemorated according to solar calendar. Shaheedi Saka of Jilianwala Baag, Shaheedi Saka of Nankana Sahib, Shaheedi Saka of Jaito ka Morcha, Ghadar Lehar, Gurudwara Sudar lehar, Saka of 1947, Saka of 1978, 1984 Darbar Sahib Ghalughara, Sikh Masscare of 1984, and all the observing days of past 100+ years are recorded according to Solar calendar in Sikh and world history as well.

Do we follow Vadees and sudee dates for these days? Answer is no. Then why irritates from solar only.

Can someone tell the vadee sudee day of Shaheedi day of Baba Jarnail Singh Jee Bhidrawaley? Throughout the world history his Shaheedi date will remain June 6, 1984. Furthermore try changing all above historic dates according to Bikrami calendar (lunar part) and see what happens!

Within few centuries all dates of Sikh history will be recorded according to solar calendar anyway. Why we are running away from this fact?

Daas still believe with solar calendar it is much easier to remember Gurpurabs dates with the merit of original Gurpurabs dates of Bikrami calendar. However, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter on what day you commemorate the Gurpurabs as purpose is not the celebration of the day but to observe Gurmat Karams with Naam and Baani.

In last but not least Daas favor Panth over own Vichaar and whatever Gurbhais in general decide should be acceptable.

With Regards,
Jasjit Singh

Kulbir Singh Wrote:
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>
> All calendars are based on either sun or moon or
> both (Bikrami). No matter which calendar you
> follow, the movements of sun or moon have to be
> considered and I don't understand how this makes
> you a worshiper of sun or moon.
>
> Kulbir Singh


Calendars are not meant to be taken literally. They are only created to space out the days in an organized fashion. Calendars are not really literal. You seem to be taking calendars too literally. Really, calendars are just a fantasy or the imagination, they are nothing real.

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Calendars are not meant to be taken literally. They are only created to space out the days in an organized fashion. Calendars are not really literal. You seem to be taking calendars too literally. Really, calendars are just a fantasy or the imagination, they are nothing real.

If not to be taken literally then you should not have any problem with the Bikrami calendar and you won't even bother participating in this Vichaar because you believe that calendars should not be taken literally.

Joke aside, overall, I agree with you.

Kulbir Singh

Sikhs already had their calendar before 1999.it was named Nanakshshi samvat and started from his birthyear 1469 aD. Purewal based his calendar on 1999 with no correction factor as length of year had changed and ignored 530 years of sikh history.. is it condonable? in my view not.

Vedanti may say anything and it does not become law for sikhs. i was in amritsar this january , may be not even one gurudwara celebrated gurpurab of Guru Gobind singh ji on jan 5.

He has played such tricks earlier also when he went to dashmesh darbar , cartret,nj to release purewal's calendar after amendment was implemented.Even that gurudwara is not following his released calendar anymore. they follow sgpc calendar.

after retirement he does many things that keep him in news.recently he uprooted a nishan sahib to grab land.

[sikhsangat.org]

Nishan Sahib axed, Joginder Singh Vedanti (ex-jathedar) blamed
1
SSNews April 23, 2012 Asia, Featured

Muktsar, Punjab: The cutting of a 40 year old Nishan Sahib on Wakf board property on Sunday landed former Akal Takht jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti in a scene.

The Nishan Sahib at Saravan Bodla village in the Lambi assembly constituency was on a land on lease with Vedanti. The former jathedar axed Nishan Sahib to clear the 22 acres for commercial purpose, some families who live in a cluster of houses nearby have alleged.

Ex-Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti

“Vedanti had the Wkaf board land on lease for the past few years ,” said a villager (name withheld on request). “He was desperate to use it for commercial purpose but unable to because of the Nishan Sahib that stood in a corner of the plot.”

Seven men had come to the village on Sunday afternoon to remove the Nishan Sahib, said villagars. They had sliced the flag mast with the help of a gas cutter and were almost ready to leave with the pieces of the insignia when the families in the cluster became aware of it.

The families called the villagers of Saravan Bodla to the spot and together they laid a cordon around the intruders. Vedanti also reached the spot, and the police was called to register a case against his men.

The villagers, later, protested against Vedanti and forced him to “step back from his action”. “Both parties have agreed to give a piece of the land for building a gurdwara,” a police officer confirmed. “There was also a agreement to reinstall the Nishan Sahib.”

Source: HT

Many Gurmukh Pyares have made valid arguments and dass agrees with hybrid solar-lunar calendar – the Bikrami calendar. The calendar needs balance of both Solar and Lunar, as one alone would not suffice. The reason is described below.

Dass would like to explain the calendar and dates issue in the light of Scientific evidence. Hence, dass seeks forgiveness at your feet if it sounds blasphemous to your feelings.

All Gurmukh Pyares will agree that Sun is just like another Star which will run out of fuel one day. Slowly, as the Sun burn out its fuel it loose it’s gravitational pull with planets. Due to this, the rotation of planets around its own axis and revolution around sun will be affected if there are changes in gravitational pull from sun. Not only planets but other planetary bodies like Moon, Asteroids etc... are also affected due to changes in gravitational pull. It is also to be noted that rotation of massive planet like Jupiter and Saturn on its own axis contribute to the gravitational pull with nearby planets and planetary bodies.

From above Scientific evidence we can conclude that
1. Distance between Sun & Earth and distance between Earth & Moon will Not remain same forever.
2. Due to changes in distances, the earth's rotation cycles will not remain 24 hours and earth's revolution cycles will not remain 365 days as same forever. The revolution cycles of Moon around Earth will also Not remain same forever.
3. The solar and lunar cycles will change and it will not be uniform. This is because the revolution trajectory is elliptical in shape and planetary bodies are not uniformly distributed in space.

We all know that the World Map which we see today was not as same as thousand years back. Earlier, continents were connected and then it drifted apart due to tectonic plate shifting. Same goes with vast Universe out there.

Universe is a dynamic place and it knows how to keep everything in balance. It is we who need understand these aspects and adjust our calendar and dates according to natural astronomical changes. The span of time between 2 Gurparabs will not remain finite and we need to keep updating our calendar accordingly.

Everything eventually changes whether it is Lunar cycle, Solar cycle, Calendar or Dates. Nothing is fixed, only Waheguru is Atal Sultan.

The Gurmukh Pyares are more educated and learned than me, hence take this post with a pinch of salt.

Bhul Chuk Maaf.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.