Akhand Path

Sikh tradition, The continuous nonstop recitation of all the verses in the Shri Guru Granth Sahib

Akhand Path (, ) The continuous and uninterrupted recitation of Sri Guru Guru Granth Sahib Ji is known as Akhand Path Sahib.

The continuous nonstop recitation of all the verses in the Guru Granth Sahib from the beginning to the end, in 31 Ragas as specified, in all 1430 pages, lasts more than 48 hours by a team of readers. This ritual is considered very holy and is said to bring peace and solace to the participants and the passive listeners of the recital. During the reading it is tradition for langar (or communal food) to be available at all times, thus requiring the continual service and dedication of those in whose honour the Akhand Path is being held. By definition, a gurdwara is a space that has been appropriately dedicated to receive and house the Sikh scriptures. Gurdwaras play an important traditional role in Sikh society, as they provide food and rest to all visitors, and thus have To commemorate milestone events such as births, deaths, and weddings, Sikh Americans might arrange for the “Holy Book [which is] Guru,” a practice known as Akhand Path, which takes approximately two full days and nights in its entirety. Following this example, the Sikhs started the tradition of dedicating Akhand Paths to various activities. Before battles, the Sikhs would listen to an Akhand Path and then prepare for battle. An Akhand Path was arranged before the Sikhs set out to rescue 18,000 indigenous women captured by the Moghuls and had taken them as slaves. In 1742, when Sikhs were in the jungles of Punjab, one Sikh woman warrior named Bibi Sundari, requested just before she died (due to the wounds inflicted in battle) to have an Akhand Path arranged for her. She lay there next to the Guru Granth Sahib and listened to the full recitation of this Path. After kirtan, Ardas and Hukam, she received the Karah Prashad, uttered "Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh" breathing her last. Thus began the tradition of rendering an Akhand Path within 48 hours.

The practice of Akhand Paths likely began in the late 18th century, a time that is recorded as a turbulent period in Sikh history where it was used as a means of uplifting Sikhs. Its popularity increased during the 19th century, when mass produced printed copies of the Guru Granth Sahib became available to the masses.