Page:The Sikhs (Gordon).djvu/219

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CHAPTER XIII.

THE 'GRANTH,' THE SIKH SACRED BOOK RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES.

The 'Granth' is the holy scripture of the Sikhs, containing spiritual and moral teaching. Its leading creed may be summed up in the words, The one God is a spirit, and is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. It is written in verses, measured by quantity only, in the form of psalms, chants, and songs of praise. They rhyme together, intended for singing or intoned rhythmical recitation, great attention being paid to the rhyme. They are sung in public worship, especially in the Hur-mandar (the House of the Lord) at Amritsar, accompanied by stringed musical instruments. The book is written in the Punjabi dialect spoken by