INSIDE THE GURU'S GATE - Anpere

ing. He should know the full Ardas and he has to do full service [seva]
to Guru Granth Sahib ji. If there is any program it is the Granthi’s duty
to sit down and do service to Guru Granth Sahib ji. In the evening he
will do the reading of Rahiras Sahib and Ardas, and then Sukhasan.
People in general perceive the granthi as the principal guardian of the Guru Granth
Sahib and his work is explicated in terms of selfless service (seva) to the Guru and the
Guru’s house. “He is the servant of God who takes care of Guru Granth Sahib ji, takes
care of the place of Guru Maharaj ji, and there should be no disrespect to Guru ji”, a
younger man said. The emphasis on ritual precision in the enactment of daily liturgies
is justified by the presence of Guru Granth Sahib. The granthi ensures that all
worship is conducted in ways which will provide the scripture due respect. Ritual
knowledge, or the knowing of how to perform ritualized acts, is a product of collective
life and belongs to all devotees within the community, but the granthi sets the
model for the ways to approach and handle the Guru.
The status of a granthi is also evaluated after his moral qualities and ethical
conducts. As a general rule all people holding positions in the gurdwara are expected
to be Amritdhari Sikhs who know and observe the normative Sikh regulations and
routines in their daily life. The gurdwara staff and community members frequently
assert that being an Amritdhari by definition guarantees a high level of purity and
morals as they are prohibited to consume alcohol and drugs and keep a vegetarian
diet consisting of food prepared by other Sikhs. Equally important, they must refrain
from extra-marital relations, keep up personal care and display a dignified appearance
and behavior. The granthi in particular is expected to have inculcated ethical
values of the Sikh teaching to behave and lead a life in an exemplary fashion.
The profession of a granthi entitles the person occupying the post a public representational
role. At public events and in interactions with the surrounding society
the granthi often works as a representative of the Sikh community. For instance, when
the funeral procession of the late Maharaja of Varanasi was taken out from the royal
residence at Nadeshar in 2000 the head granthi of Gurubagh Gurdwara presented an
Ardas for the peace of the departed soul and offered the shrouded corpse a robe of
honor and a rosary on behalf of the congregation. The granthi is expected to personify
Sikh ideals, virtues and orthodoxy through his own deeds and way of living. Externally
this is expressed in a dignified appearance and avoidance of more dubious
activities, such as gambling or attending cinema shows. The granthi, like other performers
in the gurdwara, should wear attractive but sober traditional pyjama kurta
dress in neutral shades and a turban in any of the five accepted colors. 376 He should
also keep his beard clean and natural without fixing it with hair products. The stipulated
dress code was spoken of as a “uniform” which people in service at the Guru’s
house should wear, whereas “modern” outfits like pants and shirt was the “civil
dress” worn on private excursions outside the gurdwara.
376
The sanctioned colours of the turban are white, black, saffron, royal blue, and sky blue.
201
Published on www.anpere.net in May 2008