The nature of the sun and the moon brought with them calendars in world history. People throughout the ages understood the sun to be a loyal and steady “truth” year after year. Many people also noticed that the moon changes its shape at the same time about every 30 days. Some people also observed the stars move across the sky and return to their original positions after about 365 days.
The Sikh calendar is called the Nanakshahi calendar. It is named after Guru Nanak Sahib, the first Sikh Guru and founder of Sikhi, the faith, and its adherents. Its Year 1 is 1469. “Shah” is a Persian word that means “king;” in Iran, it was used as a title for princes, lords, kings, and emperors.
People from Sri Lanka to Saudi Arabia called “Nanak” their Shah, for the Guru ruled their hearts. Guru is for those who adopted “Nanak” as their “Perfect-Guide,” and “Sahib” is for those who only take orders from their “Sovereign.” Thus, Nanakshah-i is anything that belongs to the Nanak, the Ruler. It can be term ‘Era of Nanak the Sovereign.’
From 1469, the Sikhs named their calendar, coins, and bricks Nanakshahi. The term Nanakshahi proclaims this era in the name of Guru; it is invoked to mark milestones. For example, when Banda Singh Bahadar established the Khalsa Raj in May 1710, he was the first to issue the Nanakshahi coin (Sikka).
The term for the year is “Sammat”; it is Punjabi for Samvat. “Thiti” is the term for “lunar day” that appears in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib.
The Sikh calendar begins with the month of Chayt, which typically takes place mid-March through mid-April on the Gregorian Calendar.
~Excerpted and adapted from “Nanakshahi: Calendar & ‘Era of Nanak the Sovereign” by Harinder Singh, Sikh Research Institute (2021).
Nanakshahi Calendar
Numerous references to Lunar Days (thiti), and days of the lunar cycle, appear throughout the Siri Guru Granth Sahib.
The dates of celebration for Sikh Gurpurbs, holidays, and historical commemorations vary year-to-year and are movable dates determined by the Lunar Calendar.
The SGPC (the chief management authority for the Golden Temple and Sikh Gurdwaras throughout India) shares the official Gurpurb calendar for the year ahead at the start of each Lunar New Year (typically occurring in the month of March on the Western calendar).
Click Here to View the Current Sikh Gurpurb Calendar on SikhNet
*Note: the subject of the Sikh calendar and yearly “Gurpurb” dates (the dates of Sikh holidays, historical commemorations, and festivals honoring the Gurus and events from Sikh history) is an ongoing area of debate among Sikh leaders and scholars.
