A gyani or giani ( Punjabi: ਗਿਆਨੀ ) is an

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an Honorary title (academic), h ...

Sikh title used by someone learned in

Sikhism Sikhism is an Indian religion and Indian philosophy, philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups, major religio ...

and who often leads the congregation in prayers, such as Ardas, or in singing (

kirtan Sikh ''kirta''n with Indian harmoniums and '' Kenya.html" ;"title="tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya">tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya (1960s) ''Kirtana'' (; ), also rendered as ''Kiirtan'', ''Kirt ...

). The word means "knowledge" in Punjabi, being a derivative of the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

word . So a "gyani" is one who has spiritual and religious knowledge and can help the congregation, the Sadh Sangat, in understanding the Sacred Texts and the history of the religion.

Characteristics

A gyani can be a male or a female, as the Sikh religion gives equal rights to both sexes. He or she will have undergone an intensive course of study and evaluation at an academic or religious institute, will have a thorough knowledge of the

Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib (, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth (), its first rendition, w ...

, the Sikh Holy Scripture, and will have the ability to translate the words of sacred text into simple everyday language. Gyanis can also communicate in English (not always the case), a major bonus to western children who are not fluent in Punjabi or

Gurmukhi Gurmukhī ( , Shahmukhi: ) is an abugida developed from the Laṇḍā scripts, standardized and used by the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad (1504–1552). Commonly regarded as a Sikh script, Gurmukhi is used in Punjab, India as the official scrip ...

, the language of the holy scriptures. In religious contexts, a gyani may also be called a brahm gyani. Gyani or Giani is also an academic degree conferred in

Punjabi literature Punjabi literature, specifically literary works written in the Punjabi language, is characteristic of the historical Punjab of present-day Pakistan and India and the Punjabi diaspora. The Punjabi language is written in several scripts, of which th ...

.''A Popular Dictionary of Sikhism'' from W. Owen Cole and Piara Singh Sambhi, Curzon Press, p.68,

Notable people known as 'gyani'

* Sant Giani Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale, Political leader, 14th Jathedar of

Damdami Taksal The Damdamī Ṭaksāl, Jatha Bhindra(n), or Sects of Sikhism, Sampardai Bhindra(n) is an orthodoxy, orthodox Khalsa Sikhism, Sikh cultural and educational organization, based in India. They are known for their teachings of ''Vidya (philosophy ...

* Giani Sant Singh Maskeen, Sikh Ratan * Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, kh politician and Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, one of five seats of temporal authority of Sikhism * Giani Dhanwant Singh Sital (1912-1980), Punjabi writer * Giani Ditt Singh (ca. 1850–1901), historian, scholar, poet, editor and an eminent Singh Sabha reformer * Giani Gian Singh Nihang, Sikh scholar and martial artist, belong to Nihang order * Giani Gurbachan Singh (born 1948), the 30th Jathedar of Akal Takht * Giani Gurdit Singh (1923-2007), one of the greatest contemporary writers in Punjabi * Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir, first Chief Minister of Punjab *

Giani Pritam Singh Dhillon Giani Pritam Singh Dhillon was an Indian independence movement, Indian freedom fighter and Sikh missionary who, as a member of the Ghadar Party, was instrumental in the planning of the failed 1915 Ghadar conspiracy in the British Indian Army. Gia ...

, freedom fighter and prominent member of the Ghadar Party * Giani Zail Singh (1916-1994), the seventh President of India, serving from 1982 to 1987 * Pratap Singh Giani (also Partap Singh Gyani, 1855–1920), Sikh academic, scholar and calligraphist

References

Sikh practices Honorifics Honorary titles {{Sikhism-stub

Characteristics

Notable people known as 'gyani'

See also

References