Is There Any Reason Only One Gurdwara Prints Official Copies Of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

[Hardas Singh]

I read recently that only one gurdwara prints official copies of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, but why? Wouldn't it be better if anyone could get permission to create official copies in order to ensure accuracy in each copy and to maintain respect for Guru ji.

I've heard of some people making unofficial copies, but there is no difference between an official and unofficial copy except the place it is printed.

What if I decided to print and bind my own copies in my house and then gave them to gurdwaras, would I be criticized for doing this?

Is there anyone who still hand writes Sri Guru Granth Sahib? That seems like a great way to spend time meditating on bani and it would help with memorizing more bani too.

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

Re: Is there any reason only one gurdwara prints official copies of Sri Guru Granth S

The SGPC..is NOT .."A Gurdwara"....its the Apex Body of Sikhs under the Gurdwara Act 1925 that controls and manages ALL historical Gurdwaras and Takhats of Punjab/Haryana/Himachal. The Members of the SGPC are elected by the Sikh Voters of Punjab/Haryana /himachal.

Having said that..the SGPC took sole rights to printing of SGGS due to the Rampant abuse of thsi facility by the Private Booksellers/printign houses in Punjab and elsewhere. These have been printign sggs with hundreds of mistakes and not taking due care and process of maryada...BUT SADLY the idea behind this takeover..is MONETARY GAIN !! not maryada/satikaar or other reasons....There is simply TOO MUCH MONEY in SGGS...!!
SGGS takes care of MILLIONS...Gurdwara builders, paathis, kirtaniyas, kathakaars, granthis, jatehedars, musicians, nihungs,Granthis, Gyanis, staff of sgpc, takhats, printers of sggs, palki builders, manji makers, rumalla makers, sellers, siropa makers, sellers, buyers, the "TRADE" that revolves around SGGS is billions YEARLY....and MONEY CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY !!
3. There are many handwriters of SGGS..one famous one is from MALAYSIA..he has completed THREE handwritten copies of SGGS...one is in Singh sabha Southall London, One in Harmandar sahib Amrtisar, One is in Canada and one is underway in the USA. His sewa is FREE although the Gurdawaras have sponsored his works...he takes about 5 years to write one copy...there are others as well...
4. THERE shoudl be ONE CENTRAL AUTHORITY to vett each copy and make sure its authentic, mistake free and etc. This CA shoudl be CORRUPTION FREE (SGPC is not ).
IF every Tom **** and harry is allowed to print the SGGS off the Net..who is to say alterations/additions changes etc wont occur...mistakes may occur as well...and reading WRONG GURBANI is a s good as NOT reading Gurbani at all..
SIKHS all over the WORLD must be involved in any such procedures to standardise SGGS and authenticate each copy.

 

[Hardas Singh]

Re: Is there any reason only one gurdwara prints official copies of Sri Guru Granth S

Thanks, Gyani Jarnail Singh, another helpful answer!

Now that I know there are Sikhs who still handcopy SGGS, how would go about learning how to handcopy SGGS as a form of seva. Obviously I'd need to improve my extremely weak understanding of gurmukhi, but aside from that is there anything I should know about hand copying SGGS? Is there any specific things that need to be done in order to show respect towards our Guru? For example, I heard that old copies of SGGS are cremated and poured in a body of water in the same way a funeral is conducted.
What writing instrument is used to create hand copies? A calligraphy pen, a reed, a brush? I guess what I'm really saying is "how does someone learn how to perform this seva?

 

[CaramelChocolate]

Re: Is there any reason only one gurdwara prints official copies of Sri Guru Granth S

What writing instrument is used to create hand copies? A calligraphy pen, a reed, a brush? I guess what I'm really saying is "how does someone learn how to perform this seva?

I cannot speak for this individual and their methods, but from my recent research:

With regards to the pen, the pen used to write Indic scripts in a calligraphic manner or for such a use as the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, would be a left handed oblique nib, which is used for Arabic/Urdu/Calligraphy.

It is basically a nib at an oblique angle, designed for left handers (english) or right handed writers of Arabic/Indic calligraphy. This is a dip nib, (i.e. it goes into a holder and then gets dipped in the ink).
Then you need a special paper with a high GSM (weight) and a good tooth (i.e. not too bumpy). You cannot use regular paper as the ink bleeds - watercolour should be ok.

I hope this helps - I was researching this issue not to long back as I am getting into Urdu/Shahmukhi calligraphy myself. I can also read/write Devnagri (Hindi) and Gurmukhi so I looked this up also out of curiousity at the time.