A Granthi (, ) is a person, female or male, of the

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

religion who is a ceremonial reader 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 ...

, which is the

holy book Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They often feature a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments and ...

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 ...

, often read to worshipers at Sikh temples called a

Gurdwara A gurdwara or gurudwara () is a place of assembly and place of worship, worship in Sikhism, but its normal meaning is "place of guru" or "home of guru". Sikhism, Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths and rel ...

. The name Granthi comes from 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 ...

granthika, which means a relater or narrator. Any Sikh individual appointed the title of being a Granthi is considered a principal religious official of Sikhism. Although they are considered religious officials in Sikhism, they are not considered to be the equivalent of a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

, as the belief is that there are no such religious intermediaries.

History

According to Sikh lore, the first Granthi was Baba Buddha, whom had been appointed by Guru Arjan to recite the then newly-compiled Adi Granth when it was first installed in the Harmandir shrine.

Kavi Santokh Singh Kavi Santokh Singh (8 October 178719 October 1843/1844) was a Sikh historian, poet and writer. He was such a prolific writer that the Sikh Reference Library at Darbar Sahib Amritsar was named after him, located within the Mahakavi Santokh Singh H ...

, in '' Suraj Prakash'', describes this moment:

Qualifications

To be appointed a Granthi, one of the main qualifications is the commitment to the Sikh religion by becoming an Amritdhari Sikh. This is an acceptance of the full physical and spiritual discipline outlined in the Sikh Reht Maryada through a religious ceremony performed at the Gurdwara called an Amrit Sanchar. This ceremony is approved and conducted by the Panj Pyare. The five who are selected to perform this ceremony are chosen by the holy congregation referred to as the Sarbat Khalsa. Other important qualifications include being able to read the holy scriptures of the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the duty of a Paathi in the Gurdwara. A Granthi must be able to interpret the sacred hymns written in the Guru Granth Sahib, referred to as Gurbani, and must be able to fluently deliver sermons to the Sangat at the Gurdwara. Another important qualification is the ability to complete all duties related to taking care of the Guru Granth Sahib at ceremonies as it is referred to as the "living Guru" in a Gurdwara and by Sikhs worldwide. A Granthi has to spend a few years as an assistant to a qualified reputable Granthi, who will act as a mentor and pass on his or her knowledge to teach ceremonial aspects of his or her duties. Assistant Granthis must possess the skills to play

tabla A ''tabla'' is a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, it has been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music, where it may be played solo, as an accompaniment with other instruments a ...

, which is a pair of percussion drums use in classical Indian music. This is a necessity as they are required to join the head Granthi during Gurmat Kirtan, which is the rendering of verses from the Guru Granth Sahib in the Ragas in the Guru Granth Sahib, Taalas, and musical scores composed in the scripture, considered the most important aspect of a prayer gathering. It is expected that an assistant Granthi looking to become a qualified Granthi be mentored for a minimum of three years so that they learn all aspects of the ceremonial procedures and that they build up their ability to become a head Granthi at a Gurdwara who can recite prayers to a medium- to large-size Sangat.

Gallery

File:Sikh preacher (Granthi), ca.1845.jpg, Sikh preacher (Granthi), ca.1845., by Godfrey Vigne File:"Sikh priest (Granthi) reading the Grunth (Guru Granth Sahib), Umritsur (Amritsar)", by William Simpson, circa 1867.png, "Sikh priest ranthireading the Grunth uru Granth Sahib Umritsur mritsar, by William Simpson, circa 1867

References

{{reflist

External links

Gurudwara Guru Nanak DarbarSikh Missionary Society (U.K.)
Sikh religious workers Sikh practices Religious occupations