Guru Granth Sahib: First Prakash Utsav

By Neeraj Mahajan

The First Prakash Utsav of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is an important landmark for the Sikh community all over the world. Guru Granth Sahib — also called Adi Granth or Adi Guru Darbar– is not any other holy book or scripture for the Sikhs; but a perpetual, ultimate and eternal Guru.

It is probably the only Holy Scripture in the world; written by the founders of a religion in their lifetime. All other holy scriptures were compiled after the founders left for their heavenly abode.

Sikhs all over the world regard Guru Granth Sahib comprising of 1430 pages and 5864 hymns or verses called Shabads as their living Guru. Its contents, considered to be the preaching of the Gurus are referred to as Guru’s bani (the Guru’s voice) or Gurbani.

The first Sikh leader, Guru Nanak Dev, started the trend of collecting his holy hymns for the Sikhs to recite in their morning and evening prayers. His successor Guru Angad Dev continued the tradition.

Guru Arjan Dev– the fifth Sikh Guru compiled the holy Granth incorporating the hymns composed by – Guru Nanak and thirty-six Hindu and Muslim saints like Kabir Das, Ravi Das, Naam Dev and Sheikh Farid. After having selected the best hymns Guru Arjan Dev dictated the final version of the Adi Granth to Bhai Gurdas who wrote the Granth Sahib.

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