Sikhs celebrated the First Parkash Purab of Guru Granth Sahib amidst flower-bedecked environs of Darbar Sahib, Akal Takht Sahib and Gurdwaras in their respective regions. The Sikh Research Institute –SikhRI, through its unique, innovative and monumental The Guru Granth Sahib Project has undertaken to present the essence of Guru Granth Sahib in all its aspects and educational resources to enable Sikhs to lead a Guru-inspired life. Content head Dr Jaswant Singh apprises readers that with the use of modern technological tools accessing Sabads in all its aspects has been made possible.  The World Sikh News presents this gigantic leap by SikhRI to inspire individuals to connect with their roots, and organizations to think critically, based on Guru Granth Sahib’s paradigm of IkOankar, 1-Ness.

THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB PROJECT has been undertaken in earnest and with the same enthusiasm and dedication as all projects by the global platform -Sikh Research Institute -SikhRI. The idea is to provide access to Sabad for today and tomorrow in Panjabi and English.  Research, interpretation, and technology will converge to make Guru Granth Sahib accessible to all. It is an expression of the yearning of Sikhs since the times of the Gurus, to explore and meditate on the revealed teachings of the Gurus.

ਪੀਊ ਦਾਦੇ ਕਾ ਖੋਲਿ ਡਿਠਾ ਖਜਾਨਾ ॥ ਤਾ ਮੇਰੈ ਮਨਿ ਭਇਆ ਨਿਧਾਨਾ ॥੧॥
When I opened to see the ancestral treasure, then my mind was filled with enrichment.
-Guru Granth Sahib 185

Three years ago, The Guru Granth Sahib Project was envisioned as a curative-collaborative effort. So far, the project has completed eight different Banis (Compositions).

In reflecting on the project’s vision, SikhRI Co-Founder and Project Lead of The Guru Granth Sahib Project, Harinder Singh, says, “We are disrupting the Sikh theological space which is currently caught between binaries created by men. This is the first effort in history to include the female perspective in developing an understanding of the Sikh canonical text enthroned to the Guru-Perfection. The process intentionally integrates a diverse array of schools of thought, acknowledges their strengths and biases, and builds on the collective knowledge transfer to expand them for current times. It is for teenagers and seniors, for the religious and the atheists, and so on.”

The prime target is connecting the global audience with Sabad (Wisdom) and allowing it to strengthen our minds and hearts and develop a better understanding of that Wisdom. It is through the universality of Wisdom that we as a community will be able to foster Sikh values and confront the challenges facing both the Panth and the world at large. 

ਪੋਥੀ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਕਾ ਥਾਨੁ ॥ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਗੁਣ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਪੂਰਨ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
The wisdom in the text is the abode of 1-Supreme-Being. Singing virtues of 1-Earth-Knower in the company of spiritual beings, the wisdom about 1-Absolute is received. Pause-reflect. -Guru Granth Sahib 1226

Goal
The goal is to complete the entire Guru Granth Sahib over the next two decades, thereby creating a free, accessible, and collaborative platform for all seekers globally, enabling them to move forward in their journey with Sabad.

Roadmap
Instead of working on the Guru Granth Sahib from cover to cover, the project is following the tradition of working by Banis (Compositions). In the 1st phase, the focus has been on Guru Nanak Sahib’s Banis. We have completed Asa Ki Var, Barahmaha (Tukhari), Arti, Kuchaji and Suchaji revealed by Guru Nanak Sahib. Phase 2 continues with Banis from the other contributors as well. After So Dar, So Purakh, Sohila, we are now working on the Bani of the Ninth Guru. Anand Sahib by the third Guru, Lavan by the fourth Guru and Basant Ki Var by the fifth Guru are other Compositions that we are working on.

Focusing Global Expertise
The project enables global collaboration for Guru Granth Sahib’s annotation and exegesis. The process, when in full rhythm, will encompass the equivalent of at least fifteen full-time subject-matters experts to participate in the collaborative effort and curate content.

The Guru Granth Sahib Project is making use of technology to create online content that will be freely available to a global audience.

Much of the work is in making annotations in Panjabi in the Gurmukhi script, which fuels the transcreation in both Panjabi and English. Linguistically, we are working word by word, providing meaning, grammar, and etymology. Then, developing meaning (literal translation and interpretive transcreation) for each stanza, so that everything is placed in context for a better understanding and interpretation.

We want to stress the importance of curating a diverse array of schools of thought and interpretation because if we do not discuss where the diversions are, we will not be able to create a meaningful commentary. Historical, musical, and poetical dimensions are a part of version 1 deliveries too; other dimensions such as philosophy, governance, cosmic insights, environment, interfaith, and so on, will be explored in the next versions.

The project is making use of technology to create online content that will be freely available to a global audience.

The end product of this huge collaborative work will be an automated platform, that provides open and intuitive online access to the infinite wisdom of the Guru Granth Sahib, in both Panjabi and English parallelly.

This is another SikhRI milestone on a twenty-year journey to complete the research on each word of Guru Granth Sahib: etymology, grammar, and meaning. The team of subject matter experts first carves a literal translation and an interpretive transcreation. Then, a commentary is composed. All is done in contemporary English and Panjabi while incorporating musical, poetical, and historical dimensions,

Process
Our team is translating based on research. They’re looking at the root and etymology of every word of every sentence and from there on, they are building meaning from context. We take each word, provide meaning and context in addition to definitions. We go line by line, stanza by stanza, ensuring that every interpretation has the utmost context for understanding.

This is just the beginning. As new sections of the Guru Granth Sahib become available through this project, in contemporary English and Panjabi with supporting interpretations and contextual content, we will continue to make them available online -freely and openly for everyone, as was intended.

Disclaimer
Interpretation of the Guru Granth Sahib is extremely challenging. It requires a team effort and rigorous discipline. Everyone tries to interpret the Guru Granth Sahib according to their own knowledge, understanding, and capacity. No one can claim it to be the final interpretation.

There can never be only one correct translation. A variety of translations are possible for all texts, without having to conclude that one of them must be “correct” and the others are “wrong.” It is even possible that different translations could all be “right” in different ways; some can be more correct or accurate than others. Or they could all be “wrong” or inadequate. This ambiguity, imprecision, and multivalence of language are probably some of the greatest challenges in translating religious texts reliably.

Core Team
Since the inception of the project in October 2018, over 127 individuals have been contacted for work (full time, part-time, or contract), review, and consultation. 18 of these are part of the team, another 42 are engaged in varying capacities. 

The core team members are Harinder Singh (Project Lead), Jaswant Singh (Content Lead), Harjinder Singh (Etymologist), Bhagwant Singh (Grammarian), Lakhwinder Singh (History & Philosophy Researcher), Rajinder Singh (Poetics Researcher), Sohan Singh (Panjabi Editor), Surender Pal Singh (English Translator), Jasleen Kaur (English Transcreator),  Inni Kaur (English Editor), and Jashanpreet Singh (Project Manager).

Since the inception of the project in October 2018, over 127 individuals have been contacted for work (full time, part-time, or contract), review, and consultation. 18 of these are part of the team, another 42 are engaged in varying capacities. 

Promise
We will expand the reach of the Sabad, making its wisdom universally accessible for everyone. This is just the beginning. As new sections of the Guru Granth Sahib become available through this project, in contemporary English and Panjabi with supporting interpretations and contextual content, we will continue to make them available online -freely and openly for everyone, as was intended.

SikhRI has gradually and painstakingly developed into an oasis for development and dialogue based on values of excellence, integrity, and service in order to realize full human potential.

Jaswant Singh is a scholar of Sikh Studies. His immense love for Gurbani propels him to read, reflect, research, and share Gurbani’s wisdom and understanding with the wider community. He currently serves as the Director, Gurbani Research at the Sikh Research Institute. He worked at the Sikh Centre (Singapore) conducting various courses on Guru Granth Sahib, Sikh religion and history. He holds a Master’s degree in Religious Studies and a Doctorate in the linguistics of Guru Nanak Bani.