http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Granth_Sahib
The Guru Granth Sahib (Punjabi: ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ, gurū granth sāhib), or Adi Granth, is the holy scripture of Sikhism. The book itself is also officially regarded as the final Guru of the Sikhs.[1] It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh Gurus, from 1469 to 1708.[1] It is a collection of hymns or shabad, which describe the qualities of God[2] and why one should meditate on God's name. Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), the tenth of the Sikh Gurus, affirmed the sacred text Adi Granth as his successor, and elevating the book to Guru Granth Sahib.[3] Thenceforward the text remained the holy scripture of the Sikhs, regarded as the teachings of the Ten Gurus.[4] The role of Adi Granth, as a source or guide of prayer,[5] is pivotal in worship in Sikhism.
Guru Arjan Dev and Bhai Gurdas were engaged in the compilation of Granth Sahib. After the completion of sacred task, Granth Sahib was taken to Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, with reverence and installed there.
World faiths have for centuries celebrated key events or aspects of their religious tradition. Such celebrations have been an opportunity to re-enact and re-live encounters with and experiences of the Divine. These significant moments, celebrated each so differently, all converge in their shared belief in something both within and transcendent of this world.
Rosh Hashanah, Easter, Eid al-Fitr, Dipavali, Vesakh, Vaisakhi and numerous other significant celebrations mark this calendar. Their respective meanings, their purpose for being on the calendar, vary widely. However, a common thread is that love, faith, compassion, atonement, forgiveness, thankfulness, leadership, protection, generosity, indeed a sense of the Divine, infuse these celebrations and bring them to life in the spirit of community.
Whatever your faith, tradition, customs, language and heritage, celebrations are a defining part of our Australian identity and history. May yours bring you a sense of peace and hope in the coming year!
George Lekakis
Chairperson
Victorian Multicultural Commission.
* Jewish holidays typically begin at sunset on the evening before the indicated day.
** Local customs and tradition differences may vary this date.
For further information about religious affiliation in Victoria, please see the 2001–2006 census data, which is available at http://www.multicultural.vic.gov.au
