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Sri Guru Granth Sahib Prakash Utsav is celebrated in the sixth month according to the Punjabi calendar and in the month of August or September according to the Western calendar. Guru Granth Sahib Prakash Utsav is celebrated on the new moon day of the month of Bhadrapada. It commemorates the first Prakash (inauguration ceremony) of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in the year 1604. Sri Guru Granth Sahib contains the spoken words of the Gurus. Also called Gurbani, which means 'from the mouth of the Guru'.

Guru Granth Sahib Ji: History And Significance 

Guru Arjan Dev ji, the fifth Sikh Guru compiled the original version of Guru Granth Sahib ji. Guru Arjan Dev ji felt that the Sikhs needed authentic compilation of the hymns of their gurus. Thus Guru ArjanDev ji started the collection of original verses of all the Gurus. He sent reliable Sikhs like Bhai Piara ji, Bhai Gurdas ji and Baba Buddha ji across the country in search of original manuscripts. Guru Arjan Dev ji travelled to Goindwal, Khadur and Kartarpur to visit the families of the previous Gurus. Guru Arjan Dev ji collected original manuscripts of the Gurus from Mohan ji (son of Guru Amar Das ji), Datu ji (son of Guru Angad ji) as well as Sri Chand ji (son of Guru Nanak ji).

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Compilation And Contents Of Guru Granth Sahib

Many of Guru Nanak ji’s hymns and prayers were preserved and complied by Guru Angad ji and Guru Arjan Dev ji. This collection came to be known as the Adi Granth. The Adi Granth also included writings of 36 Hindu and Muslim writers like Kabir, Ravi Das, Naam Dev and Sheikh Farid. At the time when it was being written, some people poisoned the mind of Mughal emperor Jahangir by spreading a rumour that Guru Granth Sahib ji and Gurbani preached hatred against the Muslims.

An enraged Jahangir ordered Guru Arjan Dev ji to delete some of the hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib ji’s manuscript and imposed a fine of 200,000 rupees. Guru Arjan Dev ji refused to expunge the so-called offensive text or pay the fine. Guru Arjan Dev ji was against making alterations in the hymns as required by Jahangir and instead preferred a martyr’s death. This led to his execution. The Adi Granthwas completed in 1604 and installed in the Golden Temple.

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In 1708, Adi Granth became Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Eternal Guru of Sikhs as was declared by Guru Gobind Singh Ji.