The Sikhs at home and abroad celebrate with great devotion and dedication the 406th anniversary of the first installation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. It was on this day in 1604 AD that the Guru was first installed at Harimandir Sahib in Amritsar, Punjab.
Compiled and edited by the fifth Sikh Guru Sri Guru Arjan Devi ji, it was written by the 6th scholar Bhai Guru Das ji. The holly book then called “Pothi Parmeshwar” contained in 30 Raghas hymns of the first five Sikh Gurus, 15 bhagats, 11 bhats and 3 Sikhs. The bhagats belonged to different castes mostly to the socially low castes.
The holly “Pothi Parmeshwar” gave a loud and clear message of oneness of God, truth and truthful living, universal brotherhood for the entire mankind. The present form of Guru Granth Sahib was got re-written by the 10th Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji and included the hymns of the 9th Sikh Guru Sri Guru Tegh Bahardur ji who also used the 31st Raghas, the “Jai Jai Wanti”. It was actually restored guruship by the 10th guru at Nanded 1708 AD ending the concept of guru in person.
The Sikhs thronged the tastefully illuminated Gurudwaras to listen to Shabad Kirtan and discourses on Gurbani. The Guru Ka Langer was arranged for all in different gurudwaras. The veteran sikh Baba Budha Ji was appointed the first priest or Granthi at Harimandir Sahib and the first scripture he read was “Santa Ke Karaj Aap Khaloya Har Kam Karavan Aaya Ram”.