Gurta Gaddi Divas: when Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji became the eternal Guru

Gurta Gaddi Divas remembers the day in 1708 when Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, at Nanded on the banks of the Godavari, ended the line of human Gurus and conferred the Guruship on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Since that day Sikhs have bowed to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as their living Guru, the Guru present in the Word.

The Damdami Bir

The Adi Granth compiled by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji in 1604 did not yet hold the bani of the ninth Guru. At Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, in 1706, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji had the whole scripture written out again, adding the shabads and saloks of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, with Bhai Mani Singh Ji as the scribe. This version, the Damdami Bir, is the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Sikhs read today, its 1430 angs holding the bani of six Gurus and of Bhagats and saints of many backgrounds.

The Guruship passes to the Word

Wounded by an assassin at Nanded and knowing his time was near, the Guru gathered the sangat. Tradition remembers that he placed five paise and a coconut before the Granth, bowed to it, and declared that from then on Sikhs should regard it as their Guru, with the Guru Khalsa Panth, the community acting together, guided by it. No living person would hold the Guruship again. Sikhs recall the instruction in the Dohra sung after Ardas.

How the day is observed

The day is celebrated with Akhand Paath, kirtan and Nagar Kirtan, above all at Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib in Nanded, which held a great celebration at the tercentenary in 2008. In homes and gurdwaras, it is a day to give thanks for the Guru who is always present and always within reach.