Riverside, California Sikhs mark the 414th Anniversary
of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib
at the Inland Sikh Education Empire, Riverside, California

Los Angeles, Sep. 10, 2018
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh Grewal

Inland Sikh Education Empire, Riverside, California (Riverside Gurdwara)’s management and local Riverside Sikh Sangat carried the Guru Granth Sahib, the religious text of Sikhism, procession around the  building  to mark the 414th anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

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Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book was installed in the centre of the inner sanctuary on Bhadon Sudi 1, 1661 or August 16, 1604 with great ceremony
Guru Granth Sahib, (holy book of Sikhs),  the Holy Volume was compiled by Guru Arjun (A.D. 1563-1606) and was  installed in the newly built Harimandir at Amritsar.

Guru Granth Sahib contains Guru Bani (precious words spoken by Guru). These verses or Guru Bani are highly revered by the Sikhs. Guru Arjan Dev Ji desired to add all the sacred principles and beliefs associated with Sikhism. He called Bhai Gurdas and told him to gather compositions of the Gurus as well as of some of the saints and Sufis.

The compilation of the Holy Guru Granth Sahib was very difficult task.

• Bhai Gurdas went Goindwal to bring the pothis of hymns chanted by Guru Amar Das. In the Gurbilas it is mentioned that the pothis were carried in a bejeweled palanquin and Guru Arjan Dev Ji walked behind barefoot considering the pothis the soul of Gurus (his four predecessors).
• At Khadur Sahib, Hargobind (son of Guru Arjan) joined him and they continued their journey towards Amritsar.
• The material was then arranged in thirty different ragas (musical patterns). The compositions were arranged in symmetryl
• The Granth with 7,000 hymns comprising compositions of the first five Sikhs Gurus and fifteen Bhaktas (devotees) and sufis from all over India, including Sheikh Farid, Kabir and Ravidas
• The material used in compilation was the compositions of four Gurus preceding Guru Arjan Dev Ji, his own compositions, songs and hymns by various Hindu and Muslim saints.
• First place was given to sabads (in the order of the succession of the Gurus), then chhands, vars, and other poetic forms in a set order
• The place where the compilation of Guru Granth Sahib took place is now known as Ramsar.

Guru Arjan Dev told the Sikhs to equal the Granth with the Guru:

• Agya Bahi Akal ki, Tabhe chalayo Panth,
  Sab Sikhan ko Hukum Hai Guru Manyo Granth
• Guru Granth ji manyo pragat Guran ki deh
  Jo Prabh ko milbo chahe Khoj sabad mein Leh"