Sri Guru Granth Sahib All Information Arrangement & Layout

Sri Guru Granth Sahib Arrangement & Layout

The majority of the language of the Guru Granth Sahib is the Punjabi dialect prevalent at that time, some hymns are also found in Persian, medieval Prakrit Hindi and Marathi, Sanskrit as well as Arabic. All of these hymns are written in the standard Punjabi script known as Gurmukhi, popularized by the Second Master; Guru Angad. The Guru Granth Sahib is exactly 1430 pages in length. Each page contains in bold print 18 or 19 lines dependent on the page size.

The hymns of the Guru Granth Sahib have been laid out in a very scientific and well planned manner devised by Guru Arjun Dev. The hymns have been arranged according to the melody (Raga) in which they are meant to be sung. Secondly they are arranged on the nature or the metre of the poems themselves. Next they are arranged by author and finally on the clef or key deemed appropriate to them.


Divided into 33 sections. The first section contains the epic Japji poem by Guru Nanak, which is not meant to be sung. The final section is a collection of assorted verses including the Slokas and the Swayyas of Bhatts (a group of musicians). The remaining 31 sections are the Ragas: (1) Sri Rag, (2) Majh, (3) Gauri, (4) Asa, (5) Gujari, (6) Devgandhari, (7) Bihagra, (8) Wadhans, (9) Sorath, (10) Dhanasari, (11) Jaitsari, (12) Todi, (13) Bairari, (14) Tilang, (15) Suhi, (16) Bilawal, (17) Gaund, (18) Ramkali, (19) Nat, (20) Maligaura, (21) Maru, (22) Tukhari, (23) Kedara, (24) Bhairo, (25) Basant, (26) Sarang, (27) Malar, (28) Kanara, (29) Kalian, (30) Prabhati and (31) Jaijawanti.

The Ragas are further divided into the nature of the metre: (1) Chaupadas: an average of four verses each, (2) Ashtpadis: an average of eight verses each, (3) Special long peoms, (4) Chhants: six line verses, (5) Special short peoms, (6) Vars: consisting of two or more paragraphs (Sloks) followed by a concluding stanza (Pauri) and (7) Poems of Bhagatas (various saints).

The Order of the Guru Granth Sahib:

Prayers:

 Japji (Morning); Page 1 to 8
 Sodar (Evening); Page 8 to 10
 So Purkh (Evening); Page 10 to 12
 Sohila (Bed Time); Page 12 to 13

Main Body:

 Musical hymns; Page 14 to 1,353
 Slokas Sahskriti; Page 1,353 to 1,360
 Gatha; Page 1,360 to 1,361
 Phanhas; Page 1,361 to 1,363
 Chaubolas; Page 1,363 to 1,364

Concluding Portion:

 Shlokas of Kabir; Page 1,364 to 1,377
 Shlokas of Sheikh Farid; Page 1,377 to 1,384
 Swayyas; Page 1,385 to 1,409
 Shlokas of the Gurus; Page 1,410 to 1,426
 Shlokas of Guru Tegh Bahadur; Page 1,426 to 1,429
 Mundavani; Page 1,429
 Rag Mala; Page 1,429 to 1,430