17 January 2024
Punjab Regional holiday | Wednesday |
Parkash Utsav Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is a regional Indian holiday observed in Punjab State. It takes place on the 15th day (new moon) of Bhadon, the sixth month in the Punjabi calendar, which occurs in August or September in the western calendar. This day commemorates the first Parkash (opening ceremony) of the Guru Granth Sahib at the newly built Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, in 1604.
The Sikh scripture is called the Guru Granth Sahib, which is considered the revealed Word of God spoken through Sikh Gurus and other blessed Saints. The Holy Words contained in the Scripture is called Gurbani which literally means from the Gurus mouth. The traditional Sikh belief is that the scriptures contain the actual words and verses spoken by their Gurus. Sikhs believe that the gurbani (the message within) is literally the word of Waheguru (God). The Granth Sahib began with the first Guru, Nanak Dev, as a collection of his holy hymns. The scripture was known as Adi Granth and was added to by subsequent Gurus.
The installation of Adi Granth by Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Guru, took place in Sri Harmandir Sahib (popularly known as Golden Temple) on October 16th 1604.
In 1708, Adi Granth became Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Eternal Guru of Sikhs as was declared by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The Sikhs consider Guru Granth Sahib as an eternal living guru.
The Guru Granth Sahib is always placed on a dominant platform in the Darbar Sahib or Main Hall. The platform is covered by a decorated canopy made of expensive and colourful materials. The attractive cloth covering the Granth bears the word in Gurmukhi meaning – from the Gurus mouth. The Guru Granth Sahib is considered to be the ultimate and most sacred authority in Sikhism. All Sikhs bow before it and recite its hymns in the gurdwaras and their homes. All Sikh ceremonies are considered incomplete unless performed in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib.