Gurmukhi Script: The Mouth of the Guru

Depiction of the Gurmukhi script in a historical text format.

Gurmukhi (literally "from the Guru's mouth") is an Indic script that is central to the culture and religion of the Punjab region. It is the primary script used to write "Punjabi", the official language of the Indian state of Punjab, and is fundamentally intertwined with the Sikh faith.

Foundation and Origin

The script was formally standardized and popularized by "Guru Angad Dev Ji", the second Sikh Guru, in the 16th century. His work ensured a consistent script for recording the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, making it highly suitable for the "Guru Granth Sahib", the holy scripture of Sikhism, which is entirely written in Gurmukhi.

Key Characteristics

• "Abugida System:" Gurmukhi is not an alphabet but an abugida. This means each consonant inherently carries a short 'a' vowel sound (e.g., ਕ is 'ka'). Diacritics are used to change or suppress this inherent vowel.
• "The 35 Letters (Penti Akhar):" The core script consists of 35 primary consonants. Modern Punjabi also uses six additional consonant modifiers (e.g., ਸ਼ 'sha', ਖ਼ 'kha') derived from the initial 35.
• "Direction:" It is written from "left to right", similar to English and Hindi.
• "Vowel Markers (Lag Matra):" There are 9 distinct vowel signs used to indicate different vowel sounds (e.g., long 'ee', short 'u') that are attached to the consonant letters.
• "Landa Origins:" Gurmukhi is believed to be derived from the Landa script family, sharing a common ancestor with other Brahmic scripts like Devanagari.

Religious Significance

For Sikhs, Gurmukhi is much more than just a writing system; it is the sacred medium of the Guru's word. The act of learning the script is often considered a spiritual endeavor, necessary for fully comprehending and reciting the "Gurbani" (the compositions of the Gurus) from the Guru Granth Sahib.