Authenticity of Kartarpuri Bir - Global Sikh Studies
Authenticity of Kartarpuri Bir - Global Sikh Studies
Authenticity of Kartarpuri Bir - Global Sikh Studies
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40<br />
Banno <strong>Bir</strong>. In the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong> at the last part <strong>of</strong> page 810/2,<br />
it stands scored out. We know that the scoring out <strong>of</strong><br />
unapproved Bani is a common feature <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong><br />
which suggests both that the Guru did not approve the<br />
concerned Bani and that the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong> is the original <strong>Bir</strong>.<br />
Even otherwise as these hymns <strong>of</strong> Bhagat Surdas and Mira<br />
Bai involve no issues <strong>of</strong> ideology, the question <strong>of</strong> the scribe<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong> having irregularly ommitted them does not<br />
really arise. On the contrary, this is a distinct pointer to the<br />
originality <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong>, because the scribe <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Karlarpuri <strong>Bir</strong> was not merely a copyist but he was a person<br />
working under the distinct directions and authority <strong>of</strong> the Guru,<br />
who alone approved or disapproved what had to be recorded<br />
or retained. Hence the absence <strong>of</strong> the hymn <strong>of</strong> Mira Bai and<br />
Bhagat Surdas in the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong> and the presence <strong>of</strong> only<br />
one verse <strong>of</strong> Bhagat Surdas lends support to the original<br />
character <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong> and not at all to the contrary<br />
suggestion <strong>of</strong> the originality <strong>of</strong> the Banno <strong>Bir</strong>.<br />
Lastly, there are said to be some hymns <strong>of</strong> Ramkali<br />
Mahla 5 which are present only in the Banno <strong>Bir</strong> but are not<br />
there in the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong>. Here too the position is virtually<br />
the same as in the case <strong>of</strong> the additional verses <strong>of</strong> Bhagat<br />
Surdas. In the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong>, there are only two verses <strong>of</strong><br />
Ramkali Mahla 5, in the middle <strong>of</strong> page 703/1. The hymns are<br />
in the same hand as <strong>of</strong> the scribe who had written the earlier<br />
part <strong>of</strong> the page, but the pen and ink used for writing these<br />
verses are different. Below this the remaining half page and<br />
subsequent four pages are blank. This clearly shows that at<br />
the time the scribe wrote these two verses, the earlier half<br />
page already stood written upon, and that the scribe intended<br />
to write, and actually wrote, only these two verses. Had the<br />
scribe intended to write more, he had full 41/2 page <strong>of</strong> vacant<br />
space available to do so. Secondly, it also shows that this page<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong>