Sri Guru Granth Sahib is unique among the world’s great scriptures: It, rather than any living person, is considered the Supreme Spiritual Inspiration and Leader of the Sikh religion.The Guru of the Sikhs is held in great reverence by Sikhs and treated with the utmost respect as a living teacher. It is also unique in that it contains not only the works of its own religious founders but also writings of people from other faiths.

2. The Guru Granth Sahib is a
compilation of the devotional
writings, poetry and “Sloks” or
hymns of seven of the Sikh Gurus
and select writings of Sikh, Sufi,
Hindu and Muslim saints and sages.
There are entries from Siri Guru
Nanak Dev, Guru Angad, Guru
Amardas, Guru Ramdas, Guru
Arjan, Guru Tegbahadur and Guru
Gobing Singh. There are also
contributions from 15 Bhagats, 17
Bhatts, and 4 Sikh Saints.

3. The Guru Granth Sahib is recorded onto
fourteen hundred and thirty pages known as
Angs (limbs) in Sikh tradition.
It can be divided into three different sections:
1. Introductory section consisting of the Mul
Mantra, Japji and Sohila composed by Siri
Guru Nanak Dev.
2. Compositions of Sikh Gurus followed by
those of Different Bhagats who know only
one God, entered according to the order
of Ragas or musical composition.
3. Compositions of Guru Teg Bahadur.
The entries are divided on the basis of their musical setting in different ragas. A raga is a
series of melodic motifs, based upon a definite scale or mode, that provides a basic
structure around which the a musician performs. The ragas are associated with different
moods and times of the day and year. The total number of ragas in the Sikh system is
thirty one, divided into fourteen ragas and seventeen raginis (less definite ragas). Within
the raga division, the songs are arranged in order of the Sikh gurus and Bhagats with
whom they are associated.

4. The Sikh Gurus developed a new writing system, Gurumukhi, for writing their sacred
literature. Unlike the Hindu Scriptures which were written in Sanskrit which could for
the most part only be read by the highly educated Brahmin elite, Gurumukhi was
taught and became the language of the common people of the Punjab and is the
origin of todays Punjabi dialect. Although the exact origins of the script are unknown,
it is believed to have existed in an elementary form during the time of Guru Nanak.
According to Sikh tradition, Guru Angad
is said to have developed the script,
and popularized its use among the
Sikhs. It is stated in Mahman Prakash,
an early Sikh manuscript, that the script
was invented by Guru Angad at the
suggestion of Guru Nanak during Guru
Nanaks lifetime.
The word Gurmukhī translates as "from the mouth of the Guru". The script was
used, from the outset, for compiling Sikh scriptures. Sikhs give a high degree of
reverence and sanctity to the Gurmukhī language script; it is also now the
official script for the Indian State of Punjab and the Punjabi language.

5. During the Life of Guru Nanak, collections of his
hymns were compiled and sent to distant Sikh
communities for use in morning and evening prayer
and meditation. His successor, Guru Angad, began
collecting his predecessor's sacred writings. This
tradition was continued by the third and fourth gurus.
Siri Guru Arjun Dev called Bhai Gurdas to his presence
and expressed to him the wish that the compositions
of the Gurus as well as those of some of the saints and
sufis be collected and compiled.
Great care was taken in the selection of what was to become Adi Granth. Guru Arjun
carried out the work with extraordinary exactness. He arranged the hymns in thirty
different ragas, or musical patterns. A precise method was followed in setting down
the compositions. First came sabdas by the Gurus in the order of their succession.
Then came hands, vars, and other poetic forms in a set order. The compositions of
the Gurus in each raga were followed by those of the Bhaktas in the same format.

6. Having compiled the Adi Granth, the Guru installed it
in the newly- built Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. The
first parkash was performed in the Golden Temple by
Guru Arjan on August 30, 1604. The Guru appointed
Bhai Buddha as the custodian of the Granth . At this
time, the Guru bowed before the scripture,
acknowledging the higher authority of the bani to the
personal importance and significance which he
possessed as Guru. After this time, he no longer sat
at a level above the Granth Sahib, but below it. The
Guru also instituted daily public worship at the
temple where the Granth was recited all day long to
the accompaniment of stringed musical instruments.
Guru Arjun directed that during daytime the Adi Granth should remain in the
Harimandir and by night, it should be taken to the room he had built for himself. As
evening advanced by two watches, Bhai Buddha recited Sohila and made the
concluding ardas or supplication. The Granth Sahib was closed and wrapped in silks.
Bhai Buddha held it on his head and marched towards the chamber of Guru Arjun. The
Guru led the sangat singing hymns. The Granth Sahib was placed on the appointed
resting place, and the Guru slept on the ground by its side.

7. In the fall of 1708 shortly before the tenth
Guru, Guru Gobind Singh left his body, the
Guru’s Sikhs enquired as to whom he was
entrusting his Khalsa.
The Guru accompanied by devout Khalsa went
to Nanded where Adi Granth was installed. He
opened the holy book, bowed before it, then
went round the sacred scripture five
times, bowed every time, and declared it as
the Guru for all times to come.
Guru Gobind Singh named it Granth consisting of two words, Gur and Ant
meaning eternal Guru. He asserted: " In future whoever wishes to seek
englightenment, guidance and solace, let him read the holy granth. He declared
that there will be no more human gurus, and that all of the knowledge and
inspiration needed by the Sikhs existed in the Guru Granth Sahib and proclaimed
that Guru Granth Sahib will be your Guru for ever and ever till eternity.

8. Almost since the time of it’s installation
at Siri Harmandar Sahib, there has been
constant recitation of the Adi Granth and
then the Guru Granth Sahib.
Only on a few occasions under the worst
circumstances has that constant prayer
and devotional music been stopped.
On any given day there are
approximately 24 continuous
recitations or “Akand Paths” of Guru
Granth Sahib occuring simultaneously
at Harimandar Sahib.
Every day in the early hours of the
morning, “Babaji is still brought from
it’s resting spot into the main Darbar
and first thing gives the Hukam or
order of the day (words of wisdom to
live by) for Sikhs worldwide.

9. Today Guru Granth Sahib is the central figure
in every Sikhs life. In Devout households there
is often a special room set aside as Babaji’s
room where Guru Granth resides.
Amrit Dharee or Baptized Sikhs are required
by commitment to recite (at least) five “Banis”
Every day. Four of these Banis are selections
from Guru Granth and one is from Dhasam
Granth (writings of Guru Gobind Singh).
Guru Granth Sahibs are always treated with
great respect and copies and translations are
strictly controlled so that the original writings
of the Gurus and Bhagats are never altered.
When a Guru Granth Sahib is retired it is
cremated with due ceremony.

10. In Sikh Temples or Gurdwaras The Guru Granth
Sahib is the central located to the front of the
worship area and always elevated on a
thronelike “Palki” or “Manji Sahib”.
In communities that can afford it there are often
resident “Granthis” at the Gurdwara that care
for and facilitate Baba Ji’s daily routine
There are Important protocals observed when
handling or reading Guru Granth Sahib:
You must be free from intoxicants, you must
have bathed that day and your hands must be
clean, your head must be covered and your
shoes must be off.
There are english translations of Guru Granth
Sahib online, one of the better ones is at:
www.srigranth.org