INSIDE THE GURU'S GATE - Anpere

cremation. As he reasoned, when people are under the influence of kaliyug the compressed
reading can substitute time-consuming rituals.
The popularity of Akhand path is given many explanations, just as people may
ascribe a kaleidoscope of meanings to the recitation. The cover-to-cover reading of the
whole Guru Granth Sahib without any break indicates completeness and manifests
the total accumulation of gurbani within a set time and space. As Chapter 5 will analyze
the stipulated performance of Akhand path possesses the quality of being apprehensible
to a number of verbally articulated motives and reasons of both secular and
religious nature. There is no single all-embracing meaning that can be traced to the
performance, but Sikhs may attribute the recitation with a variety of meanings, motives
and functions.
A local pathi performs Akhand path
The demands on everyday life, in combination with the required linguistic and liturgical
knowledge for conducting Akhand path in an accurate manner make two important
reasons as to why individuals and families hand over the actual performance to
the service of professional reciters (pathi). Reciting the complete scripture uninterrupted
for two days and nights requires a reading team of between four to six pathis
who are fluent in Gurmukhi and can read at a rapid pace without mispronouncing or
omitting a single word. As the system of Akhand path is shaped today the actual per-
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Published on www.anpere.net in May 2008