Saptahik Path

Saptahik Path, is part of the Khalsa culture wherein entire Gurbani (a language) contained in Granth Sahib, is jointly learnt in a systematically organised manner. The event thakes a week's time. Sikhs believe that Gurbani being GOd's own language, is to be flawlessly learnt by all those who call them self Sikhs. Saptahik path thus is a formal & social routine is Sikh Society exactly on lines of the environ ment of a traditional School in India. The atmosphere for the event draws its strength from the very name of the faith, Sikhism, which implies entire Sikh society being a huge school where in Teacher's nay! principal's dictates are the ultimate words which have to be acted upon without any doubt what so ever.

The ambiance of the environment is precisely on lines of a the classroom of students sitting & learning their lessons from their teacher. Here teacher is holy Granth Sahib who uses the mouth of the Sikh reading the text. In fact 'singing' and not 'reading' may be more appropriate a word to use here.

Wonerful mix of faith of the entite conggrigation in the devine Guru, format of the entire Gurbani it self encompassing wide range of poetic styles reflecting Indian spritual, social, socio-political & cultural sentiments of the trbulent times of the writings flawlessly structured in the background of pure Indian classical Raags, make the stream of words flowing out of the reader sound almost like being sung with the only exception of music not being there.

Through the entire spritual shedule music being conspecous, is the entity the conggregation yerns for. That is what comes at the end of the course, formal singing of Bani with Music. The Saptahic path culminates with Keertan, ie Singing of selected Shabads from Guru Granth Sahib duly supported by music. Depending upon the Musical & lingustic Gurbani skills of the Singers, time avilable and other wordly commitments for the participants ahead, the Singing may be for about an Hr or so.

One of the elderly lead member seeks volunteers out of the participants to gift He/r mouth to the the Guru a few days in advance and teach others exactly like a teacher teaching the cllass for a perod of say one hour before the turn of the nest teacher of the , neibourers, relatives & guests, take turns in reading Gurbani aloud to others who patiently listen to it & assimilate the holy message of great Indian saints & Sikh Gurus. This way the teacher & all the students as one class go through a sheduled, planned & formally structured one week's capsule course on Gurmat(Name of Sikh Philosophy).

Any individual, man or woman, or a group of persons by the relay method may perform this path which is commenced seven days ahead of the coming occasion, ceremoney or rite. One or more professional pathis may be engaged to perform the path or to help the individual or family in completing it. As with a sadharan path, before the commencement and at the conclusion of a saptahik path, generally a simple religious service takes place at which kirtan is recited, ardas or suplicatory prayer said and prasad or Sikh communion distributed.