Sikh Calendar
The years of the Nanakshahi Sikh calendar start with the birth of Guru Nanak in 1469, 2011 is considered Nanakshahi 540. The calendar is based on the length of the tropical solar year, instead of the lunar cycle, meaning that dates will not fluctuate from year to year as they did previously under the old lunar based calendar.
The Sikh New Year begins with Chet 1 which in the Common Era calendar is March 14.
Some terms used in the Sikh calendar include Parkash which means birth, Gurgadi which means ascension to Guruship and Jotijot which means death.
| Sikh Month | Common
Era Date for Beginning of Month |
| Chet | March 14 |
| Vaisakh | April 14 |
| Jeth | May 15 |
| Harh | June 15 |
| Sawan | July 16 |
| Bhadon | August 16 |
| Asu | September 15 |
| Katik | October 15 |
| Maghar | November 14 |
| Poh | December 14 |
| Magh | January 13 |
| Phagan | February 12 |
| Common Era | Nanakshahi | Celebration |
| Jan 05 | 23 Poh | Parkash Guru Gobind Singh |
| Jan 31 | 19 Magh | Parkash Guru Har Rai |
| Mar 14 | 1 Chet | Gurgadi Guru Har Rai |
| Mar 14 | 1 Chet | New Years Day |
| Mar 14 | 1 Chet | Hola Mohalla (2008) |
| Mar 19 | 6 Chet | Jotijot Guru Hargobind |
| Apr 14 | 1 Vaisakh | Parkash Guru Nanak (2008) |
| Apr 14 | 1 Vaisakh | Vaisakhi - Creation of the Khalsa |
| Apr 16 | 3 Vaisakh | Jotijot Guru Angad |
| Apr 16 | 3 Vaisakh | Gurgadi Guru Amar Das |
| Apr 16 | 3 Vaisakh | Jotijot Guru Harkrishan |
| Apr 16 | 3 Vaisakh | Gurgadi Guru Tegh Bahadur |
| Apr 18 | 5 Vaisakh | Parkash Guru Angad |
| Apr 18 | 5 Vaisakh | Parkash Guru Tegh Bahadur |
| May 02 | 19 Vaisakh | Parkash Guru Arjan |
| May 23 | 9 Jeth | Parkash Guru Amar Das |
| Jun 11 | 28 Jeth | Gurgadi Guru Hargobind |
| Jun 16 | 2 Harh | Jotijot Guru Arjan |
| Jul 05 | 21 Harh | Parkash Guru Hargobind |
| Jul 23 | 8 Sawan | Parkash Guru Harkrishan |
| Sep 01 | 17 Bhadon | First Installation of Adi Granth |
| Sep 16 | 2 Asu | Jotijot Guru Amar Das |
| Sep 16 | 2 Asu | Gurgadi Guru Ramdas |
| Sep 16 | 2 Asu | Jotijot Guru Ramdas |
| Sep 16 | 2 Asu | Gurgadi Guru Arjan |
| Sep 18 | 4 Asu | Gurgadi Guru Angad |
| Sep 22 | 8 Asu | Jotijot Guru Nanak |
| Oct 09 | 25 Asu | Parkash Guru Ramdas |
| Oct 20 | 6 Katik | Jotijot Guru Har Rai |
| Oct 20 | 6 Katik | Gurgadi Guru Harkrishan |
| Oct 20 | 6 Katik | Gurgadi Guru Granth Sahib |
| Oct 21 | 7 Katik | Jotijot Guru Gobind Singh |
| Oct 28 | 14 Katik | Bandi Chhor Divas (2008) |
| Nov 24 | 11 Maghar | Gurgadi Guru Gobind Singh |
| Nov 24 | 11 Maghar | Jotijot Guru Tegh Bahadur |
| Dec 21 | 8 Poh | Martyrdom Guru Gobind Singhs Eldest two sons |
| Dec 26 | 13 Poh | Martyrdom Guru Gobind Singhs Youngest two sons |
| Definition of Terms Parkash - birth Gurgadi - ascension to Guruship Jotijot - death |
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| Movable Dates |
Three events are still celebrated according to the lunar calendar, meaning that their dates change every year. Guru Nanaks birthday has been traditionally celebrated on Katik Poornamashi. Althought the correct birth date according to the majority of Janamsakhis has been established as Vaisakh 1 (April 14), it continues to be celebrated on Katik Poornamashi until such time as it is changed to Vaisakh 1. Katik Pooranmashi in 2011 is on November 10. |
| Year | Parkash Guru Nanak | Hola Mohalla | Bandi Chhor Divas |
| 2011 | Nov 10 | Mar 20 | Oct 26 |
| 2012 | Nov 28 | Mar 09 | Nov 13 |
| 2013 | Nov 17 | Mar 28 | Nov 03 |
| 2014 | Nov 06 | Mar 17 | Oct 23 |
| 2015 | Nov 25 | Mar 06 | Nov 11 |
| 2016 | Nov 14 | Mar 24 | Oct 30 |
| 2017 | Nov 04 | Mar 13 | Oct 19 |
| 2018 | Nov 23 | Mar 02 | Nov 07 |
| 2019 | Nov 12 | Mar 21 | Oct 27 |
| 2020 | Nov 30 | Mar 10 | Nov 14 |