Sikh Guru Granth Sahib

Timeline

1. 1603–1604Amritsar (Harmandir Sahib) · PunjabThe fifth Guru Arjan Dev (Guru Arjan Dev) enlisted Bhai Gurdas to compile the poetry and prayers of successive Gurus as well as Hindu and Islamic Sufi poets, completing the compilation by Lake Ramasar and enshrining the Adi Granth (the scripture of the first Guru) at the Golden Temple's sanctum, establishing the core text of the Sikh scriptural tradition.
2. 1664–1675Delhi (Mughal imperial capital) · DelhiThe ninth Guru Tegh Bahadur (Guru Tegh Bahadur, r. 1664–1675) widely propagated Sikh teachings throughout his reign and enriched the spiritual content of the Adi Granth with his poetry. In 1675 he was executed in Delhi for refusing the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's forced conversion order, becoming the most important martyr in Sikh history; his sacrifice greatly strengthened the Sikh community's identification with the scripture and faith.
3. 1699–1708Damdama Sahib (Punjab) · PunjabThe tenth Guru Gobind Singh (Guru Gobind Singh) incorporated his father Tegh Bahadur's poetry into the scripture and completed the final version at Damdama Sahib; shortly before his death in 1708 he declared the Guru Granth Sahib the eternal living Guru of Sikhism with no further human successor, making the scripture itself the community's supreme spiritual leader.
4. 1708Global Sikh community · IndiaThe Guru Granth Sahib is enshrined under a canopy in every Gurdwara and recited daily, serving as the spiritual guide for personal and communal life. Written in Gurmukhi script, it contains 1,430 pages comprising 5,894 hymns, blending Punjabi, Sanskrit, Persian, and Rajasthani, and serves as the core bond of identity for some 30 million Sikh believers worldwide.