Sri Guru Granth Sahib: The Installation of the Holy Scripture

by A.C. Katoch

The emergence of Guru Nanak in the national landscape was an epoch making event in the chequered history of India. The country was passing through complex and cumulative crisis and was at crucial crossroads due to internal dissensions and external aggressions. The society was divided due to the Brahmanical social order, rigid caste system and social stratification and obscurantist and superstitious orthodoxies. In his essay on Hinduism, Dr. Karan Singh has perceptively spelt out the social stratification of Indian society which was developed by our thinkers and seers. The Indian Society was classified into four categories on the basis of their intrinsic qualities. The highest caste consists of Brahmins, the thinkers, philosophers and priests whose main job was to provide educational inputs and religious guidance to society. The Kashatriya's Dharma was to rule the nation and defend it against any aggression. The Vaishyas's main vocation was to carry out commercial and agricultural operations. The fourth category was that of Shudras whose main job was to provide labourers. There were certain categories which were known as out-castes and had been facing socio-economic exploitations and psychological humiliations for centuries. Thus, the system of untouchability has been a disgrace to the remarkable achievement of Hindu civilisation. Despite great trauma and turmoil for many centuries in the whole of India due to Muslim aggressions and conquests; Hinduism had to look inward to preserve itself against the wide spread persecution by Muslims. At the same time, we witnessed the dawn of a synergic movement in which at the mystical level, there was a synthesis between two faiths-Hinduism and Islam. These factors led to a devotional revival which is known as Bhakti Movement. The book contains detailed account of the composition of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The book deals with the setting up of Gurudwaras. It also throws light on significant thoughts and announcements made by the President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh during their visits to Amritsar in August and September in 2004 on the auspicious occasion of the 400 Anniversary of the installation of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. An attempt has been made to look at Sri Guru Granth Sahib as a sacred scripture of the world. It also focuses on the fascinating life story of all the Gurus. The teachings of Guru Nanak have been discussed in depth in the book. The book is rounded off with a chapter on the role of the women in Sikhism. Guru Nanak did not attach any impurity to the women and advocated the equality of sex. In his teachings, he has throughout maintained that the men and women are equal in the eyes of the almighty.