The year 2004 witnessed three big centenaries. Numerous events were organized and many announcements for both short-term and long-term programmes were made. However, in the midst of all these celebrations, one silent but far reaching movement went largely unnoticed. And the marvel is that the movement is still continuing and is bound till the year 2008.

This is the SEHAJ PAATH movement in which over 13000 students and youth participated in connection with quad-celebrations of first parkash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. An uninterrupted and full reading of the holy book is known as Akhand paath while a full reading not in a continuous mode is commonly known as Sadaran paath, Khula paath or more appropriately Sehaj paath.

The community used to view as a cause of serious concern rather an alarm that majority of them are not able to recite themselves the gurbani from Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Earlier, whenever, a child was mature enough to read gurbani, he/she was initiated into a ceremony, sometimes also known as gurcharni lagna. Going to gurudwaras meant that one would bow before the guru, read out the hukamnama and a few pages as per his/her personal Sehaj Paath. But today not only children or youth, but even the elders too can’t recite hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Going to gurudwaras just means bowing the heads and coming back. Not many people do their Sehaj Paath regularly.

More so, the Gurus ordained to recite bani (paath karna) but now the people started hiring persons on payment to recite bani (paath karana).

Paath karna and paath karana -- This extra kanna has led the Guru Panth astray from Guru Granth. Even the Sikh Rehat Maryada states clearly that every Sikh, man, woman, boy or girl, should learn Gurmukhi to be able to read Sri Guru Granth Sahib. It is desirable that every Sikh should carry on a continuous reading of the Guru Granth and complete a full reading in one or two months or over a longer period. (Chapter VII, Article VIII)

As the recitation and understanding of gurbani is the most excellent way of celebrating the quad-centenary, we have initiated a massive Sehaj Paath movement. It got immense response from youth all over the country especially Punjab.

The organizers anticipated a total of just 500 participants but an overwhelming 13,000 students started their sehaj path all over Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, and other states. So much so, there was a shortage of Sanchies (in two parts) and Shabdarths (in four parts with meanings of the text) with the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandak Committee (SGPC) and the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC). The SGPC facilitated the movement by supplying the Shabdarths at half price.

Nearly 4000 students completed the first full reading of Sri Guru Granth Sahib on September 1, 2004 and participated in the examination. About 200 Hindu students and one muslim girl also recited the full sehaj path. Though the upper age limit for competition was 25 years even students of nine years age also participated. The ETC Punjabi channel has also recorded a full recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib exclusively done by students only. A nine year old student of class 4th from Mohali also recited the sehaj paath.

Only those who themselves do sehaj paath were invited to give away prizes to the winners of this competition. It was decided that the students would be awarded prizes in their respective schools so that others may also be inspired to participate next year. It is also noteworthy that majority of the top prizes were won by rural students. Ms Simranjit Kaur of Guru Harkrishan School, village Nayagaon, tehsil Samana, district Patiala won computer. In district Amritsar, Inderjit Kaur, a 12th standard student of Guru Ke Ber and Shamsher Singh, a tenth class student of Ghaseetpura, Taran Taran won refrigerators. Similarly in other districts students won refrigerator, TV, Casio, etc. Maximum participants were from district Patiala, followed by Ludhiana, Sangrur and Amritsar. Other prizes included cycles, wristwatches, handbags, sewing machines, table lamps, electric irons, blenders etc.

Impressions

The impressions of the students who completed their sehaj paath are marvelous. While many students mentioned that they got peace of mind by gurbani recitation, there were others who admitted that disputes and quarrels in their families lessened significantly. Even many students informed that their fathers have quit drinking liquor or have shun drug abuse. When asked the reason, students replied that sometimes when they were reciting Sehaj path at home their fathers used to come home drunk or with a liquor bottle, and felt ashamed watching the kids doing holy recitation.

Many students shared that with this movement of recitation of Sehaj path their TV viewing time reduced drastically, as now whenever free, they preferred to recite the scripture rather than watching or surfing the TV channels. An overwhelming number of students informed that seeing them doing the sehaj path now their mother / father / relatives or even neighbours have also stated doing the Sehaj path. Some of the participants stated,

“Uncle! Now only we have come to know that Sri Guru Granth Sahib is for reading. Earlier, we thought only to bowing to it is enough”.

“Now that I have completed one paath, I wish to start another. I have found an aim of my life”.

“I get peace of mind. My anger and stress have come down heavily”.

The organizers feel that in a way, the Sehaj Paath is the Cure-all of all ills. One daily gets novel spiritual food. Hence, will not fall to apostasy; will be saved from drugs and other evils; shall not fall in the trap of so called ‘saints’ and ‘deras’…. furthermore, Gurbani is so cosmic that we get the answer of our doubts/problems, the guru shows the way to come out of miseries. Sometimes, it is felt that this particular shabad has been written for me only. It absolutely suits my state of mind.

Competition will continue

Now on the demand of the students, it has been decided that the competition will continue till the year 2008 when tercentenary of gurgaddi purab of Sri Guru Granth Sahib will be celebrated. New students and already enrolled students can now start or continue their Sehaj Paath, and should complete before August 1, 2008. The old students will now be considered as second / third / fourth year participants of the competition. They will have to learn by memory banies and also comprehend the meaning of Japji Sahib etc in addition to the recitation of the Sehaj Paath.

Interested participants can get a copy of Sehaj Paath Diary free of cost from Sukrit, # 3454, Urban Estate, Dugri, Ludhiana –141013 or can email their demand at www.sukrittrust.com or singh.renukass@gmail.com or call on at 09855400300, 09855612005.