A fresco from a ‘Samadhi’ depicting ‘Santhiya’ being taught
Students of the Sikh University, Damdami Taksal, learning Santhiya

Santhiya or Santhya (Gurmukhi: ਸੰਥਿਆ, romanized: Sathi'ā; 'elocution') is the correct pronunciation (ucharan[1]) of Gurbani,[2][3] taught in the manner of the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.[4] It is comparable to the Islamic tajwid. Santhiya is almost always taught via a giani (also known as an Ustadh or Gurdev), who then teaches a vidyarthi (student). Educated vidyarthis can also teach other Sikhs santhiya. It involves the precise recitation and flow (rhythm) of the Gurbani (Sikh scripture) that is being recited. Color codes to stop and pause, known as vishraams, are commonly used to dictate the flow and rhythm of the recitation. Gurbani which is recited by a person who has taken santhiya is known as "shudh ucharan" (Gurmukhi: ਸੁਧ ਉਚਾਰਨ)

History

According to a sakhi, Guru Hargobind once chastised a Sikh for becoming distracted whilst reciting gurbani.[5] Guru Har Rai, the seventh Guru, emphasized the importance of not even changing a single word of gurbani and taught the correct pronunciation of it.[6] In 1706, after the Battle of Muktsar, the army of Guru Gobind Singh camped at Sabo Ki Talwandi, now known as Takht Sri Damdamā Sahib.[7] For nine months, Guru Gobind Singh, Baba Deep Singh, and Bhai Mani Singh scribed an entire volume of the Guru Granth Sahib in a volume known as the Damdama Bir.[4] During this period, Guru Gobind Singh preformed katha of the entirety of the scripture, as well as teaching the proper recitation, or santhiya.[4] This exact bir (copy) was later given the gurgaddi as the 11th Guru of the Sikhs. That year, Guru Gobind Singh is said to have founded a distinguished school of exegesis,[8][9] later headed up by Baba Deep Singh.[10] Damdamā Sahib was considered to be the highest seat of learning for the Sikhs during the 18th century,[11] and the Damdami Taksal claims direct historical ties to Guru Gobind Singh,[12] who entrusted it with the responsibility of teaching the reading (santhyā), analysis (vichār) of the Sikh scriptures.[13]

Elocution

Example of a historical bir (copy) of the Guru Granth Sahib in larivaar

Santhiya is first taught via muharni, or simply the correct pronunciation of the Gurmuhki letters. The Gurmukhi script is used to write virtually all Sikh Scriptures and texts.

The Gurmukhi alphabhet has 35 original letters, as well as six supplementary consonants in official usage,[14][15][16] referred to as the navīn ṭolī, navīn varag, or pair bindi meaning "new group,"[15][16] created by placing a dot (bindī) at the foot (pair) of the consonant to create pair bindī consonants. These are not present in the Guru Granth Sahib, but are present in the Dasam Granth and other Sikh Scriptures.[17]

There are also 10 vowel matras, which are an integral part of the Gurmukhi Script.

In addition, there are three "subscript" letters, called dutt akkhar ("joint letters") or pairī̃ akkhar ("letters at the foot") that are utilised in modern Gurmukhī: forms of ਹ (ha), ਰ (ra), and ਵ (va).[18]

Ex: ਤ੍ਵ ਸਰਬ ਨਾਮ ਕਥੈ ਕਵਨ ਕਰਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਰਣਤ ਸੁਮਤਿ

Correctly pronouncing all of these letters when doing the recitation of Gurbani is considered crucial, as failure to do so can be seen as "changing" the words, and sometimes even the meaning of Gurbani.[19]

The Muharni is the traditional way of learning sounds by actually speaking them. It consists of the letters of Gurmukhi script in its natural order, with each letter followed by a word starting with that letter. It is recited as a rhyme.

Larivaar and Pahd-Ched

The Mool Mantar of Sikhism with Vishraams and Color Marking. Letters are joined in "Larivaar"

Gurmukhi can be written in two ways: split (phad-ched) and the traditional way, known as larivaar. In larivaar Gurmukhi, there are no spaces between the letters in a sentence.[20]

The Sikh Maha Mantar in larivaar (joined) Gurmukhi[lower-alpha 1] ੴਸਤਿਨਾਮੁਕਰਤਾਪੁਰਖੁਨਿਰਭਉਨਿਰਵੈਰੁਅਕਾਲਮੂਰਤਿਅਜੂਨੀਸੈਭੰਗੁਰਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ॥
The Sikh Maha Mantar in phad-ched (split) Gurmukhi ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ॥
The Gurmukhi Alphabet with marks showing pronunciation (ucharan).

Before the printing of the Guru Granth Sahib was widespread, the copies or birs of the scripture were handwritten almost always in larivaar script.[20] This made reading Gurbani significantly harder, thus providing greater necessity for santhiya.[20] In order to mark pauses, vishraams are used. A vishraam literally means "pause", and they are frequently used in Gurbani to specific a specific metre (such as a Salok or Doh(i)ra, some of the most common poetic metres in Sikh Scriptures) and regulate the reciter's elocution. The green vishraams mark a short pause, magenta and red a medium pause, while the orange vishraams mark a long pause.

Punctuation can also be used to mark the vishraams, or pauses. A period "." marks the smallest pause, a comma "," marks a medium pause, and a semicolon ";" marks a long pause.

Ex: ਜਲ ਤੇ ਉਪਜ ਤਰੰਗ ਜਿਉਂ ; ਜਲ ਹੀ ਬਿਖੈ ਸਮਾਹਿ॥੬੦॥

Transliteration: jal thae oupaj tharang jio ---- jal hee bikhai samahi ||60||

Notes

  1. ↑ The "Maha Mantar" refers to the first half of the "Mul Mantar", up to Gurprasad(i)

References

  1. ↑ Sri Dasam Granth: Facts Beyond Doubt. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Academy. 2021. pp. iv. ISBN 9781527282773.
  2. ↑ Jacobsen, Knut A.; Myrvold, Kristina (2016). Young Sikhs in a Global World: Negotiating Traditions, Identities and Authorities. Routledge. ISBN 9781134790883. It is primarily in the larger congregation of Stockholm that a few active volunteers have taken the responsibility to teach the younger children in the Punjabi alphabet and those with basic reading competence in the correct pronunciation of gurbani text (gurbani santhiya) on Sundays after the ordinary liturgy.
  3. ↑ Singh, Jasjit. "Lost in translation? The emergence of the digital Guru Granth Sahib." Sikh Formations 14.3-4 (2018): 339-351.
  4. 1 2 3 Singh, Harjinder (2017). Sri Guru Gobind Singh Jee - A Short Biography. Akaal Publishers. pp. 47–49. ISBN 9780955458781.
  5. ↑ Nirankari, Maan Singh (2008). Chowdhry, Neelam Man Singh (ed.). Sikhism: A Perspective. Translated by Singh, Kulwant. Unistar Books. pp. 37–38. ISBN 9788171426218. Episode (Sakhi) 1 : Both concentration of mind and correct pronunciation and recitation are extremely essential while reciting Gurbani. Once Sri Guru Hargobind declared in a congregation that a devout Sikh should recite Japuji with complete concentration. Following Guru ji's instructions, a Sikh recited Japuji with total concentration and correct pronunciation. However, while reciting the concluding lines of Japuji, he wished fondly how nice it would be if the Guru gave his horse to him as a reward for his excellent recitation. The Guru, being omniscient, saw through the Sikh's psychological state of mind. The Guru told the devout Sikh that the latter had got distracted merely for the acquisition of a horse while the Guru was even ready to handover his Guruship as a reward for his excellent recitation done with such deep concentration.
  6. ↑ Vaid, Haribala Rani Kaur (2007). The Sikh Religion: An Introduction. Star Publications. p. 20. ISBN 9788176502306.
  7. ↑ Dhillon, Dalbir (1988). Sikhism Origin and Development. Atlantic Publishers & Distri. p. 152.
  8. ↑ Harjot Oberoi (1996). "Sikh Fundamentalism: Translating History into Theory". In Martin E. Marty; R. Scott Appleby (eds.). Fundamentalisms and the state: remaking polities, economies, and militance. The Fundamentalism Project. Vol. 3. University of Chicago Press. pp. 266. ISBN 978-0-226-50884-9. In 1706, when Gobind Singh...he is said to have founded a distinguished school of exegesis.
  9. ↑ Singh, Harjinder; Singh, Sukha; Singh, Jaskeerth (December 2020). Sikh Code of Conduct: A Guide to the Sikh Way of Life and Ceremonies (6th ed.). Akaal Publishers. p. 133.
  10. ↑ H. S. Singha (2000). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Hemkunt Press. p. 57. ISBN 9788170103011.
  11. ↑ Kapoor, Sukhbir (2003). Dasam Granth An Introductory Study. Hemkunt Press. p. 12. ISBN 81-7010-325-8.
  12. ↑ C. K. Mahmood (1996). Why Sikhs Fight (Anthropological Contributions to Conflict Resolution). The University of Georgia Press. p. 17. ISBN 9780820317656.
  13. ↑ Singh, Jasjit. "Global Sikh-ers: Transnational learning practices of young British Sikhs." Sikhs across borders: Transnational practices of European Sikhs (2012): 167-192.
  14. ↑ Harjeet Singh Gill (1996). "The Gurmukhi Script". In Peter T. Daniels; William Bright (eds.). The World's Writing Systems. Oxford University Press. pp. 395–399. ISBN 978-0-19-507993-7
  15. 1 2 "Let's Learn Punjabi: Research Centre for Punjabi Language Technology, Punjabi University, Patiala". learnpunjabi.org. Punjabi University, Patiala. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  16. 1 2 Kumar, Arun; Kaur, Amandeep (2018). A New Approach to Punjabi Text Steganography using Naveen Toli. Department of Computer Science & Technology, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India. ISBN 978-81-933897-0-6
  17. ↑ Gill, Harjeet Singh. "The gurmukhi script." The World’s Writing Systems. Oxford University Press, New York, NY (1996): 395-398.
  18. ↑ Bāhrī, Hardev (1997). Siṅgh, Harbans (ed.). Gurmukhī (3rd ed.). Patiala, Punjab, India: Punjab University, Patiala, 2011. pp. 181–184. ISBN 978-81-7380-530-1
  19. ↑ Bakhshi, Surinder (2008). Sikhs in the Diaspora: A Modern Guide to Practice of the Sikh Faith: A Knowledge Compendium for the Global Age. Sikh Publishing House. p. 174. ISBN 9780956072801. Correct pronunciation and intonation of Gurbani is mandatory so that the Sangat understands the words and the meaning of the Shabad. The singer is not allowed to introduce any words of his own or make interpolations.
  20. 1 2 3 Singh, Jasjit (2014). "The Guru's Way: Exploring Diversity Among British Khalsa Sikhs" (PDF). Religion Compass. School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science, University of Leeds. 8 (7): 209–219. doi:10.1111/rec3.12111 – via White Rose. ...until the early 1970s all copies of the Guru Granth Sahib were presented in larivaar format, in which all the words were connected without breaks, after which point the SGPC released a single-volume edition in which the words were separated from one another in 'pad chhed' format (Mann 2001: 126). Whereas previously readers would have to recognize the words and make the appropriate breaks while reading, pad chhed allowed "reading for those who were not trained to read the continuous text." (Mann 2001: 126). The AKJ promotes a return to the larivaar format of the Guru Granth Sahib.
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