Kattak, not Vaisaakh

About 100 years ago, Sardar Karam Singh Historian’s book “Kattak ke Vaisaakh” came out In market and this started the controversy of whether the Gurpurab of Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee is in the month of Kattak (on the Pooranmashi day) or in the month of Vaisaakh. I personally was affected after I read this book many years ago and on the day of Kattak Pooranmashi, when the whole Panth used to celebrate Maharaj jee’s Gurpurab, my spirits used to dampen a bit because of the seed of doubt that had been sowed in my mind by the aforementioned book.

This year in 2009, I read some Gurmat material especially the book on Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee, written by Dr. Trilochan Singh. In this book Dr Sahib has strongly advocated the Gurpurab on the traditional day i.e. Kattak Pooranmashi. Then I did some more research and found that Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee was of the firm opinion that the Gurpurab is on Kattak Pooranmaashi. Presented below is a very explicit and clear mention of the Gurpurab date by Bhai Sahib:

ਪੂਰਨ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਪੂਰਾ ਪੂਨਿਓਂ ਆਕਾਸਿ ਚੰਦ, ਘਟਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਦੀਵਟੀ ਸਦੀਵ ਹੀ ਜਗਾਏ ਹੈਂ।
ਦੀਪਕ ਜਗਾਇ ਘਟਿ ਆਰਤੀ ਉਤਰਵਾਇ, ਆਪਣੀ ਹੀ ਆਪਿ ਗੁਰੂ ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਵਾਏ ਹੈਂ।
ਸਦ ਨੌਂ ਬਹਾਰ ਸਸਿ-ਭਾਨ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਰੁਤਿ, ਕਾਰਤਕ ਮਾਸ ਗੁਰ ਪੁੰਨਮ ਮਨਾਏ ਹੈਂ।
ਕਾਰਤਕ ਮਾਸ ਗੁਰ ਪੁੰਨਮ ਸਦੀਵ ਤਾ ਕੈ, ਜਾ ਕੈ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਜੋਤੀਸ਼ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਾਏ ਹੈਂ।14।

The above poem of Bhai Sahib written on the day of day of Kattak Pooranmashi (Gurpurab day) in 1934, leaves no doubt that Bhai Sahib believed that the Gurpurab day falls on this day. The last line makes it clear that Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee got pargat in the Kattak (Kartak) month and on the Pooranmashi (full moon day) of this month.

Bhai Sahib’s opinion matters a lot to me and I think if he used to celebrate the Gurpurab so fervently, on Katak Pooranmashi, it means he used to believe this to be the correct date. Bhai Sahib knew the vichaars of Professor Gurmukh Singh and Karam Singh Historian and still celebrated the Gurpurab on this date. This tells us that he believed Katak Pooranmashi to be the correct date.

On the date of Katak Pooranmashi in 1934 (21 November), Bhai Sahib was in deep ecstasy due to Guru Sahib Gurpurab. He wrote a beautiful poem and he clearly writes this to be the Gurpurab date of Guru Sahib:

ਸੋਹਿਲੜੇ ਗਾਏ ਅਨਹਦ ਬੇਨ ਵਾਏ,
ਘਰਿ ਘਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਨ ਪੁਰਬ ਮਨਾਏ ਹੈ।
ਕੀਰਤਨ ਕਰਿ ਗੁਰਪੁਰਬ ਮਨਾਏ ਘਰਿ,
ਪਾਵਨ ਪਵਿਤ੍ਰ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਆਜ ਮੋਰੇ ਆਏ ਹੈਂ

Notice that this poem uses the asthaayee of Bhai Gurdas jee’s kabit. For details refer to Bhai Sahib’s book Darshan Jhalkan. There are several poems dedicated to Guru Nanak Dev jee and written on Katak Pooranmashi. If Bhai Sahib believed Vaisakh sudi 3 to be the Gurpurab, they would have written something on that day as they would have felt it that way. But Bhai Sahib was divinely inspired to write these poems only on Gurpurabs. On the Gurpurab of Siri Dasmesh jee, he wrote several poems on one day.

Now here are some proofs presented by Dr Trilochan Singh in favour of Katak Pooranmashi:

1) The greatest proof of Katak Pooranmashi is the writing of Bhai Gurdas jee in Kabit Savaiya 345:

ਕਾਰਤਕ ਮਾਸ ਰੁਤਿ ਸਰਤ ਪੂਰਨਮਾਸ਼ੀ,
ਆਠ ਜਾਮ ਸਾਠ ਘੜੀ ਆਜ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਾਰੀ ਹੈ।
ਅਉਸਰ ਅਭੀਚ ਬਹੁ ਨਾਇਕ ਕੀ ਨਾਇਕਾ,
ਰੂਪ ਗੁਣ ਜੋਬਨ ਸਿੰਗਾਰ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀ ਹੈ।
ਚਾਤਰ ਚਤਰ ਪਾਠ, ਸੇਵਕ ਸਹੇਲੀ ਸਾਠ,
ਸੰਪਦਾ ਸਮਗਰੀ ਸੁਖ ਸਹਿਜ ਸੰਚਾਰੀ ਹੈ।
ਸੁੰਦਰ ਮੰਦਰ ਸੁਭ ਲਗਨ ਸੰਜੋਗ ਭੋਗ
ਜੀਵਨ ਜਨਮ ਧੰਨ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਪਿਆਰੀ ਹੈ।

2) Dr Sahib writes that during the times of Guru Sahibaan, this Gurpurab was indeed celebrated on Katak Pooranmashi. He quotes from the ‘Sakhi Pothi’ of time of Bhai Mani Singh jee where the following words appear with context of Siri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee:

ਦੀਵਾਲੀ ਕਾ ਮੇਲਾ ਆਇਆ, ਸੰਗਤਾਂ ਆਈਆਂ। ਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਬਚਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਪੰਦਰਾਂ ਦਿਨ ਇਥੇ ਹੋਰ ਰਹਿਣਾ ਹੈ। ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਪੂਰਣਿਮਾਂ ਕਾ ਪੁਰਬ ਕਰ ਕੇ ਚੜ੍ਹਾਂਗੇ। ਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਪੁਰਬ ਹੈ, ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦ ਕਰੋ, ਤਸਮਈ ਵੀ ਤੇ ਕੜਾਹ ਵੀ। ਹੋਰ ਪੂਰੀ ਕਚਉਰੀ ਵੀ। ਦਿਨ ਚੜ੍ਹਦੇ ਨੂੰ ਪੰਗਤਾਂ ਬਿਠਾ ਦਿਤੀਆਂ। ਸਿਖ, ਸਾਧ, ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ, ਫਕੀਰ ਸਭਨਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ। ਪੂਰਣਿਮਾਂ ਦਾ ਜਗ ਪੂਰਾ ਹੋਇਆ।

3) The Granth of Baba Binod Singh who was from the family lineage of Siri Guru Angad Dev jee and who was one of the 5 Singhs who were to lead Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, states that the date is Katak Pooranmashi:

ਉਰਜ ਮਾਸ ਕੀ ਪੂਰਨਮਾਸ਼ੀ।
ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤ ਸੀ ਜੌਨ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ੀ।
ਸੰਮਤ ਨੌ ਖਟ ਸਹਿਸ ਛਬੀਸਾ।
ਭੈ ਅਵਤਾਰ ਪ੍ਰਗਟੇ ਜਗਦੀਸ਼ਾ।

4) Kesar Singh Chhiber in 1780 wrote that ਸੰਮਤ 1526 ਭਏ। ਤਬ ਬਾਬਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜਨਮ ਲਏ। ਮਹਾਂ ਕਾਰਤਕ ਦਿਨ ਚਾਰ। ਪੁੰਨਿਆ ਰਾਤ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਲੀਨਾ ਅਵਤਾਰ।


Besides this Cunningham, Mahakavi Santokh Singh, Giani Gian Singh and many others have written Katak Pooranmashi as Guru Sahib’s Gurpurab.

I think by far the best proof of this is from the Bhatt Vahees. Please refer to sakhi 24th of Bhat Vahees Guru kiyaan Sakhiyaan. The Bhatts write ਮਾਤਾ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾ ਪਿਤਾ ਕਾਲੂ ਜੀ ਕੇ ਘਰ ਬੇਦੀ ਬੰਸ ਮੇ ਸੰ:1526 ਮੈ ਕਾਤਕ ਸੁਦੀ ਪੁਨਯਾ ਕਾਤਕਗਤੇ ਤੇਰਾ ਗੁਰਵਾਰ ਅਧੀ ਰਾਤ ਕੋ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਅਵਤਾਰ ਹੂਆ….।

Regarding the Puratan Janamsakhi, the date of 1634 is debated by many scholars and they believe it to be a composition of after Siri Dasmesh jee. Regarding Bhai Mani Singh Janamsakhi, Dr Trilochan Singh has written in detail how the wrong date appeared in it and how some old versions of this sakhi contain the correct date of Katak Pooranmashi. I think you should read up this book yourself and then form an opinion.

Only Guru Sahib knows the ultimate truth. We can only conjecture.

Kulbir Singh

Guru Piyare Kulbir Singh jio,

Waheguru ji ka khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh

Thanks for this post but daas feels Katak vs. Vaisaakh should not be an issue at this point. The real issue is to fix the date according to NanakShahi calender in the month of Katak first. As there is no doubt Guru Sahib's aagman purab said to be on the day of PuranMaashi (full moon) day, so it makes much easier from Nanakshahi calender to fix the date.

With Regards,
Daas,
Jasjit Singh

Veer Jasjit Singh jeeo,

One of the things that is sought by many is to change the date of Siri Guru jee's Gurpurab to Vaisaakh. Many of our Gursikhs brothers and sisters also believe that the date falls on Vaisaakh and not in Kattak as it is celebrated today. I just wanted to clear this misunderstanding.

Kulbir Singh

wjkk
wjkf

Kuljit singh jio,

Broad ur research, still incomplete abt kattak ke Vaisaakah ......?

So which is the correct date, 2nd or 21st November?

katak pooranmashi fell on october 21st in 1469. in 2010, katak pooranmashi will be on october 27. so it changes every year. this is another reason we need to fix the dates of gurpurabs according to the nanakshahi calender, so we don't get confused.

also if someone is a good writer (kulbir singh veerjee!), please take the time to update the wikipedia entry about guru nanak dev jee gurpurab because it's wrong- it shows his birthday on vaisakhi instead.

[en.wikipedia.org]

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Bhai Kulbir Singh Ji,


Reading Bhai Gurdas jee's Kabit Savaiya 345, I can't help but think of the time when Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj, 'disappeared' at the river bank and Akaal Purukh revealed Himself to him. What intrigues me, is the time reference:

ਆਠ ਜਾਮ ਸਾਠ ਘੜੀ

What exactly does this mean? Eight days? 60 Gharis? If eight days, why eight days? Though most Janamsakhis say Guru Ji was missing for three days, Bhai Mani Singh's Janamsakhi states that Guru Ji was missing for eight days. Is this a link?

I can't find any date reference to when Guru Ji disappeared at the river bank in any Janamsakhi, apart from his age being approx. 30 years. My link between the two is pure conjecture.

I personally feel that the two dates of Vaisakh and Katak possibly relate to these two events; One of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's actual birth in this world, and the second Akaal Purukhs revelation to Guru Ji (and the revelation of the Mool Mantar). Bhai Sahib, do you think the celebration of these two events would be in line with Gurmat?

Below is an extract from Pal Singh Purewal's (originator of the Nanakshahi Calender) book on the Birth Date of Guru Nanak Dev Ji:
The full write up can be read at

“The author believes that 70 years, 5months and 7 days is the correct age of Guru Ji as mentioned in earliest records, and also that Asu vadi 10, 1596 BK is the correct Jyoti Jot date, since this date has been found recorded in very old handwritten recensions of Adi Granth Sahib Ji, and according to Dr Piar Singh the 'story' about this date got 'established' even before the time of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. If the date were spurious and it were a story only, surely Guru Arjan Dev Ji would have taken steps to rectify it. With these values let us do the calculation in a different manner, the way neither of the two schools have done before:

Asu vadi 10,1596BK = 1596 Asu 8 (Sunday)
subtract age 70y 5m 7d
______________
Birth Date =1526 Vaisakh 1 (Monday)

*** It was also pooranmasi on that date ***

Why no one arrived at this result before was due to two reasons. First, researchers consistently ignored the calculation by solar calendar. Second, even if they had done the calculation as above they would have arrived at the wrong conclusion because Dr Ganda Singh erroneously gave 1596 Asu 7 BK as the equivalent of Asu vadi 10., when actually it was Asu 8, according to Punjab usage of the Bikrami Calendar.

The calculation given above shows that both schools are partly right and partly wrong. From Katik 4 pooranmasi the pooranmasi portion is right and from Vaisakh sudi 3 the Vaisakh portion is correct.

Guru Ji's correct birth date is Vaisakh 1, 1526 BK (Vaisakhi day), Monday, it also being Chet sudi 15 (pooranmasi). The Common Era date is 27 March, 1469. This date may help reconcile the two opposing schools. If the highest religious authority accepts this date, then it would have to decide whether to celebrate Birth day Gurpurab of Guru Ji on Vaisakhi or on pooranmasi.

With this date one does not have to stretch one's imagination to interpret the word 'vasoaa' in Bhai Gurdas's famous line 'Ghar ghar andar dharamsaal hovai keertan sadaa vasoaa'! 'Vasoaa' means 'Vaisakhi' or Vaisakh 1, and nothing else. The author of this article is convinced in his mind that the starting of Vaisakhi celebrations by Guru Amar Das Ji, and picking of this day for creation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh Sahib was not coincidental, but because it was Guru Nanak Dev Sahib's birthday.”

regarding 'Nanak Parkash' by Kavi Santokh Singh:

"And finally the Nanak Parkash, which gives the full moon in Kartik Sambat 1526, as the time of Guru Nanak's birth and the tenth of the dark half of Assu, Sambat 1596, as the date of his death, states with strange inconsistency that he lived seventy years five months and
seven days, a total which is irreconcilable with these dates, but it is very nearly reconcilable with the date of the Guru’s birth given in the old Janamsakhi. "

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

There is another book "Vasiakh nahi katak" by Ishar singh ji Nahra that states that Guru Nanak dev ji was born on katak pooranmashi. Sikhism has not very long history and hence tradition of celebrating Guru sahib's birthday on kartik pooranmashi can never be wrong.

The book "Vaisakh Nahin Katak" by Giani Inder Singh jee is available at the following link:

[www.panjabdigilib.org]