Origins of the Sikh Calendar
Until the 13th of March, 1998, the Sikhs used a Hindu lunar calendar to determine their feast days. They now use their own Nanakshahi calendar which started on 14 March 1999 Gregorian (1 Chet 531 Nanakshahi ) and aligns with the Gregorian calendar as follows. The era (1 Chet 1 Nanakshahi) is the date of the birth of the 1st Guru, Nanak Dev, in the Punjab in 1469. Although there is an obvious relationship with the Hindu Solar Calendar, the Sikh Organization states that these dates are fixed relative to the Gregorian Calendar.
Baramaha
Baramaha is the name of composition in Sri Guru Granth Sahib which mention the twelve months (Indian names of the months) in a Calender year. Famous Baramaha composed by guru Arjan Dev Ji in Rag Majh is generally read in Gurudwaras on the day of Sangrand. Guru NanakDev Ji also composed Baramaha in Reg Tukhari.
Baramaha is a form of folk poetry in which the emotions and yearnings of the human heart are expressed in terms of changing moods of Nature over the twelve months period.
| Sikh Month
|
Begins
|
| Chet
|
March 14
|
| Vaisakh
|
April 14
|
| Jeth
|
May 15
|
| Harh
|
June 15
|
| Sawan
|
July 16
|
| Bhadon
|
August 16
|
|
|
| Sikh Month
|
Begins
|
| Asu
|
September 15
|
| Katik
|
October 15
|
| Maghar
|
November 14
|
| Poh
|
December 14
|
| Magh
|
January 13
|
| Phagan
|
February 12
|
|
Gurupurabs
The Nanakshahi calendar is used for all the Gurupurabs (festivals marking events in the lives of the Gurus) except the birthday of Guru Nanak which continues to be celebrated according to the Hindu Lunar calendar on Katik Poornamashi. Events such as Maghi and Hola Mohalla continue to be celebrated according to the relevant calendars. Some Gurupurabs are considered more significant that others. These are the ones that commonly appear as holidays and are marked in bold type.
Gurpurabs mark the culmination of Prabhat Pheris, the early morning religious procession which goes around the localities singing shabads (hymns). These pheris generally start three weeks before the festival. Devotees offer sweets and tea when the procession passes their homes. The celebrations start with the three-day akhand path, in which the Siri Guru Granth Sahib is read continuously from beginning to end without a break. The conclusion of the reading coincides with the day of the festival. The Siri Guru Granth Sahib is also carried in procession on a float decorated with flowers throughout the village or city. The Panj Pyares, head the procession carrying Nishan Sahibs (the Sikh flag). Free sweets and langar (community lunches) are also offered to everyone irrespective of religious faith. Local volunteers serve it with a spirit of seva (service) and bhakti (devotion). Sikhs visit gurdwaras (Sikh temples) where special programmes are arranged and kirtans (religious songs) sung. Houses and gurdwaras are lit up to add to the festivities.
| Calendar Year |
| |
Gurpurb / Festival |
Guru Sahib / Festival |
Nanakshahi |
CE |
| |
Parkash Utsav |
Guru Gobind Singh Sahib
|
23 Poh |
5 Jan |
| |
Parkash Utsav |
Guru Har Rai Sahib |
19 Magh |
31 Jan |
| |
Gurgadi |
Guru Har Rai Sahib |
1 Chet |
14 Mar |
| |
Nanakshahi New Year |
Nanakshahi Era 535 commences |
1 Chet |
14 Mar |
| |
Hola Muhalla |
Hola Muhalla Nanakshahi* |
1 Chet |
14 Mar |
| |
Jotijot |
Guru Hargobind Sahib |
6 Chet |
19 Mar |
| |
Parkash |
Guru Nanak Sahib * |
1 Vaisakh |
14 Apr |
| |
Khalsa Day - Vaisakhi |
Khalsa Panth Creation anniversary |
1 Vaisakh |
14 Apr |
| |
Jotijot |
Guru Angad Sahib |
3 Vaisakh |
16 Apr |
| |
Gurgadi |
Guru Amar Das Sahib |
3 Vaisakh |
16 Apr |
| |
Jotijot |
Guru Harkrishan Sahib |
3 Vaisakh |
16 Apr |
| |
Gurgadi |
Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib |
3 Vaisakh |
16 Apr |
| |
Parkash |
Guru Angad Sahib |
5 Vaisakh |
18 Apr |
| |
Parkash |
Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib |
5 Vaisakh |
18 Apr |
| |
Parkash |
Guru Arjun Sahib |
19 Vaisakh |
2 May |
| |
Parkash |
Guru Amar Das Sahib |
9 Jeth |
23 May |
| |
Gurgadi |
Guru Hargobind Sahib |
28 Jeth |
11 Jun |
| |
Martyrdom |
Guru Arjun Sahib |
2 Harh |
16 Jun |
| |
Parkash |
Guru Hargobind Sahib |
21 Harh |
5 Jul |
| |
Miri-Piri Day |
Guru Hargobind Sahib |
6 Sawan |
21Jul |
| |
Parkash |
Guru Harkrishan Sahib |
8 Sawan |
23Jul |
| |
First Parkash |
Guru Granth Sahib |
17 Bhadon |
1 Sep |
| |
Jotijot |
Guru Amar Das Sahib |
2 Asu |
16 Sep |
| |
Gurgadi |
Guru Ramdas Sahib |
2 Asu |
16 Sep |
| |
Jotijot |
Guru Ramdas Sahib |
2 Asu |
16 Sep |
| |
Gurgadi |
Guru Arjun Sahib |
2 Asu |
16 Sep |
| |
Gurgadi |
Guru Angad Sahib |
4 Asu |
18Sep |
| |
Jotijot |
Guru Nanak Sahib |
8Asu |
22 Sep |
| |
Parkash |
Guru Ramdas Sahib |
25 Asu |
9 Oct |
| |
Jotijot |
Guru Har Rai Sahib |
6 Katik |
20 Oct |
| |
Gurgadi |
Guru Harkrishan Sahib |
6 Katik |
20 Oct |
| |
Gurgadi |
Guru Granth Sahib |
6 Katik |
20 Oct |
| |
Jotijot |
Guru Gobind Singh Sahib |
7Katik |
21 Oct |
| |
Gurgadi |
Guru Gobind Singh Sahib |
11 Maghar |
24 Nov |
| |
Martyrdom |
Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib |
11 Maghar |
24 Nov |
| |
Martyrdom |
Elder Sahibzadas |
8 Poh |
21 Dec |
| |
Martyrdom |
Younger Sahibzadas |
13 Poh |
26 Dec |
Pooranmashis for 2004-2005:
Jan7, Feb 6, Mar 6, Apr 5, May 4, Jun 3, July 2, and 31, Aug 30, Sep 28, Oct 28, Nov 26, Dec 26, Jan 25, 2005 , Feb 24, Mar 25, Apr 24
|
Amavasyas for 2004-2005:
Jan 21, Feb 20, Mar 20, Apr 19, May 19, Jun 17, Jul 17, Aug 16, Sep 14, Oct 14, Nov 12, Dec 11, Jan 10, 2005 , Feb 8, Mar 10, Apr 8
|
Day 1 (sangrand) of Nanakshahi months in CE Calendar
Chet / Mar 14 Vaisakh / Apr 14 Jeth / May 15 Harh / Jun 15 Sawan / Jul 16 Bhadon / Aug 16
Asu / Sep 15 Katik / Oct 15 Maghar / Nov 14 Poh / Dec 14 Magh / Jan 13 Phagun / Feb 12
|
|
| |
Hola Mohalla |
Bandi Chhor Divas |
Parkash Guru Nanak Sahib |
| 2003 |
| 2004 |
| 2005 |
| 2006 |
| 2007 |
| 2008 |
| 2009 |
| 2010 |
| 2011 |
| 2012 |
| 2013 |
| 2014 |
| 2015 |
| 2016 |
| 2017 |
| 2018 |
| 2019 |
| 2020 |
Other Important Days
Chet
1 Chet / 14 March - Nanakshahi New Year Day
2 Chet / 15 March - S. Baghel Singh's conquest of Delhi
12 Chet / 25 March - Shaheedi Bhai Subeg Singh, Bhai Shahbaz Singh
27 Chet / 9 April - Birthday Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji
Vaisakh
1 Vaisakh / 14 April (Vaisakhi) - Birth Anniversary of Khalsa
Jeth
3 Jeth / 17 May - Chhota Ghallughara
21 Jeth / 4 June - 1984 Ghallughara (Attack on Sri Akal Takht Sahib)
23 Jeth / 6 June - Shaheedi Sant Baba Jarnail Singh Ji
Harh
11 Harh / 25 June - Shaheedi Baba Banda Singh Ji Bahadur
15 Harh / 29 June - Barsi Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji
25 Harh / 9 July - Shaheedi Bhai Mani Singh Ji
Sawan
1 Sawan / 16 July - Shaheedi Bhai Taru Singh Ji
24 Sawan / 8 August - Morcha Guru Ka Bagh
Bhadon
15 Bhadon / 30 August 2004 - Mela Baba Bakala
Assu
17 Assu / 1 October - Foundation Day Singh Sabha
21 Assu / 5 October - Mela Beerh Baba Buddha Ji
Katik
8 Katik / 22 October 2004 - Khalsa Darbar
14 Katik / 28 October - Foundation Day Chief Khalsa Diwan
14 Katik / 28 October - Saka Panja Sahib
18 Katik / 1 November - Punjabi Suba Day
30 Katik / 13 November - Shaheedi Baba Deep Singh Ji Shaheed
Maghar
1 Maghar / 14 November - Foundation Day SGPC
11 Maghar / 24 November - Shaheedi Bhai Mati Das Ji, and Bhai Sati Das Ji
15 Maghar / 28 November - Birthday Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji
19 Maghar / 2 December - Shaheedi Baba Gurbakhsh Singh Ji
29 Maghar / 12 December - Birthday Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji
30 Maghar / 13 December - Foundation Day Shromani Akali Dal
Poh
8 Poh / 21 December - Shaheedi Sahibzada Ajit Singh, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh , and other Shaheeds of Chamkaur Sahib ---- 300th Anniversary
8 Poh / 21 December - Shaheedi Baba Jeevan Singh Ji
13 Poh / 26 December - Shaheedi Sahibzada Zorawar Singh, Sahibzada Fateh Singh, and Mata Gujri Ji's passing away ---- 300th Anniversary
Magh
1 Magh / 13 January - Mela Maghi Muktsar
1 Magh / 13 January - Foundation Day Sri Harimandar Sahib
7 Magh / 19 January - Morcha for Keys
25 Magh / 6 February - Mela Kottha Sahib
27 Magh / 8 February - Great Holocast
30 Magh / 11 February - Birthday Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji
Phagun
10 Phagun / 21 February - Saka Nankana Sahib
10 Phagun / 21 February - Jaito Morcha
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