# Jaswant Singh Khosa, A Malaysian Sikh Writes Heaviest & Largest Guru Granth Sahib



## Admin (Apr 12, 2010)

KUALA LUMPUR: A 73-year-old Malaysian Sikh has completed his fourth handwritten copy of 1,430 page Guru Granth  Sahib, which could be the largest and heaviest in the world.  

 Jaswant Singh Khosa's handwritten fourth copy of the Guru Granth Sahib weighs 84kg and  is 91.44cm in length and 66.04cm wide, breaking his previous 'Malaysia Book  of Records' for his second copy which weighed 45kg and was 76.2cm long and  48.26cm wide in 2004, a media report said today.  

 "It is a labour of love. The (latest) book is 182.9cm long when it opens up. I wrote for 14 hours  a day. It was worth it," he told The Star newspaper.  

 It took Khosa 14 months to complete his fourth copy which he donated to a Sikh temple in  the United States.  

 The daily said a gurudwara in Amritsar had replaced its 200-year-old holy and was  currently using khosa's second hand-written copy, which he had also donated.  

 The third copy, which is the same size as the second, was given to a Sikh temple in Canada in 2007. His  first hand-written copy, a smaller version, was donated to a Sikh temple in  London in 1998. All four copies were in traditional Gurmukhi calligraphy.  

 Currently, most copies of the holy book are printed. "I am not getting any money for it nor am I doing it for fame. Someone even  offered C$200,000 (about 70 lakhs) for my third copy but I refused," he said.  

 Muar-born Jaswant, who wrote the latest copy in Freemont City, California, spent about two-and-a-half hours writing each page without  even a toilet break in between.  

 "When I start writing a page, I shut everything out and write continuously until I am done. I have to write  it exactly as it appears in the original copy," said Khosa who planned to  make a submission to the Guinness Book of World Records.  

 However, a bent back and feeble legs not withstanding, he plans to write his next copy.  

 "The doctor warned that I could be paralysed but it has been my dream to complete four volumes just as Baba Deep Singh (renowned Sikh  scholar and warrior) did more than 300 years ago.  




 "I will still write even if I end up in a wheelchair," said Khosa who now walks with a limp.


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Apr 12, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

I have personally known this man for about 20 years when he was in Muar Malaysia......hes just great. He became "religious" late in life....:khanda3::thumbsupp:


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## spnadmin (Apr 12, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

Maybe, just maybe, his heart is so big that nothing less than a desire for writing a big granth would fill it.:happykaur:


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## Tejwant Singh (Apr 12, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

What a commendable job!

The only thing that worries me is his health and if one wonders that his legs have become feeble by sitting cross legged on the floor for long periods of time rather than sitting on a comfortable chair and writing on a table.

According to him:





> However, a bent back and feeble legs not withstanding, he plans to write  his next copy.
> 
> "The doctor warned that I could be paralysed but it has been my dream  to complete four volumes just as Baba Deep Singh (renowned Sikh  scholar  and warrior) did more than 300 years ago.
> 
> *"I will still write even if I end up in a wheelchair," said Khosa who  now walks with a limp.*



If he ends up being on a wheelchair then he would have no other choice but to write on a table.


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Apr 13, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

Writing Gurbani is not an easy task by any standard..the Aunkarrs and siharees etc whcih are "silent" but vital due to gurbani grammar have to be written...thus each word has to be checked again and again to ensure accuracy....a daunting task.
I have a Copy of The Sukhmani Sahib that Khosa wrote in Calligraphy as a "teaser"...a try out before beginning the actual task of a complete Bir..and beleive me..his calligraphy is beautiful !! He uses the Kashmiri Script style...special paper. ink, writing nib etc...


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## Arvind (Apr 13, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*



Gyani Jarnail Singh said:


> Writing Gurbani is not an easy task by any standard..the Aunkarrs and siharees etc whcih are "silent" but vital due to gurbani grammar have to be written...thus each word has to be checked again and again to ensure accuracy....a daunting task.
> I have a Copy of The Sukhmani Sahib that Khosa wrote in Calligraphy as a "teaser"...a try out before beginning the actual task of a complete Bir..and beleive me..his calligraphy is beautiful !! He uses the Kashmiri Script style...special paper. ink, writing nib etc...


Dear Gyani Ji,

May I request you to scan just one page of the Sukhmani Sahib for us... very interested to see his calligraphy.

With regards, Arvind.


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## Admin (Apr 13, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

Gyani Ji, can you please request him on our behalf to provide his legible photograph so that we can take it on the record...


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Apr 14, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

will scan the title page of Sukhmani Sahib tonight...
:happy:


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Apr 14, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

Here they are
1. Complimentary copy acknowledgement form the author Jaswnat Singh Khosa to Selayang Sikhs
2. Sample of calligraphy of JS Khosa Ji


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Apr 14, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

Have requested a recent good photo...should be forthcoming soon enough...:thumbsupp:


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## spnadmin (Apr 14, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

I can see what you meant by the Kashmiri calligraphic style. It is extremely clear and at the same time very elegant and artistic.


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## Arvind (Apr 14, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

Thanks a lot Gyani ji and Jaswant ji for the wonderful seva. 

Apart from the calligraphy, I also liked the way writer has spelt 'Selayang' in Punjabi. :thumbsupp:

Gyani ji, you mentioned earlier that his writings are in Kashmiri script style. What are the other styles of writings? 

With Regards,
Arvind.


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Apr 14, 2010)

*Re: Malaysian Sikh writes heaviest and largest Guru Granth Sahib*

There are many other types...i will try and get samples...
Sikhnet has copied some and made them into modern Fonts for use on our computers as well...these are available for free downlaod from sikhnet...PrabhKi, Lammah, etc. Using these fonts we can COPY exactly how Guru ji wrote Gurbani !! isnt that great or what ??
examples:     

Calligraphy Style Gurmukhi Font

Untitled Document

http://www.mrsikhnet.com/index.php/2009/02/13/calligraphy-style-gurmukhi-font/

     DOWNLOAD LINK:     Gurmukhi Fonts | SikhNet

Hope you enjoy these sites...


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