Search Results

This summer, I had the opportunity to undertake a work placement at Pothi Seva, under the tutelage of Jasdip Singh Dhillon and Sukhraj Singh. As a recent book conservation graduate, this was a great opportunity to extend my skills and knowledge, through undertaking practical treatments, learning about the cultural and religious significance of Sikh texts and constructing an historical binding model. Additionally, working within the setting of a Gurdwara enabled me to contextualise the experience through developing a greater understanding of the Sikh community. Overall, it was an educational, fun and rewarding experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked within such an accomplished workshop. Working in a Gurdwara Pothi Seva’s workshop is located at the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, in Southall, London. Overlooking the main prayer hall, the workshop plays a central role in the Gurdwara’s community, with all conservation work carried out by a dedicated group of volunteers. The name of the organisation signposts its action and mentality: ‘Pothi’ means sacred texts and ‘seva’ is a form of community service, or good deed, performed for the benefit of others rather than oneself. Conservation is often seen as an act of servitude, with individuals painstakingly caring for objects of the past. This mentality is seen especially in the volunteers I was lucky enough to meet during my placement, with some having given years of work to singular items, a time commitment rarely seen within heritage institutions. The location of the workshop, within a Gurdwara rather than a specific conservation studio, allows the texts to remain within the Sikh community and their sacred location throughout their treatment. Not only does this increase opportunities for community access and engagement with heritage, but it also ensures such texts receive respectful handling in line with religious practice. Working at the Gurdwara everyday allowed me to better understand the beliefs of Sikhism and experience the practical steps necessary to respectfully handle sacred texts. Witnessing several weddings and eating in the langar, I developed an understanding of the enaction of Sikh belief, but it was through my conservation work that I was able to better understand the practical aspects involved in interacting with sacred texts. These include general rules, such as wearing a headscarf and removing shoes when in the Gurdwara (including the workshop), as well as more specific actions, such as storing texts in a high place, covering with a Rumalla Sahib (cloth) and placing the Guru Granth Sahib on a Manji (bed) when not in use or under active conservation treatment. Some of these actions, such as covering objects when they are not being worked on, are not dissimilar to standard conservation practice. However, it is important to intentionally carry out such acts with an understanding of their meaning, in order to convey respect to these sacred texts. My time with Pothi Seva allowed me to develop an understanding of these processes, which I would now be able to incorporate into my future practice. Conservation Treatment As well as developing my contextual theoretical understanding of Sikh beliefs, I also developed my knowledge of the forms, bindings and content of sacred texts during my conservation work. Within Sikhism, there are a number of sacred texts. The most important of these which I encountered during the placement were: 1. Guru Granth Sahib – containing the central teachings of Sikhism, as developed by the 10 Gurus. The text is revered as the eleventh living Guru and is treated with the same level of veneration as its predecessors. 2. Dasam Granth Sahib-contains the works of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh 3. Guru Granth Sahib Bhaag – the Guru Granth Sahib split into two volumes, making it more adaptable for study and individual prayer. 4. Sundar Gutka – a collection of selected prayers and passages. 5. Nitnem Gutka – a small collection of daily prayers. During my time at Pothi Seva, I was fortunate enough to work on a Sundar Gutka and a Guru Granth Sahib, which I am especially grateful and humbled to have had the opportunity to interact with. Tape removal from an early 20th century Guru Granth Sahib All items worked on by Pothi Seva are owned by individuals, families and communities, rather than by museums or other heritage institutions. As such, they are as varied in their appearance and construction as they are in their damage. During my placement, I undertook various conservation treatments, such as repairing torn pages, flattening pages, reattaching covers and removing harmful adhesive tape Working on items owned by the public often involves different treatments than those housed within museums. Museum or library objects are usually part of a collection of similarly valuable, and often similarly damaged, items. However, objects from the public are often uniquely valuable to their owners, holding a special place within that individual or family’s home. This leads to differences in approach, such as museum conservation is likely to be subject to time and budget constraints, whereas public conservation often must prepare the object for use, rather than display. Having previously only worked on objects from heritage institutions, my time at Pothi Seva was valuable in allowing me to learn about this variation in conservation approach. Additionally, the placement enabled me to gain experience of ‘in situ conservation’, where work is carried out in spaces other than a specifically-built conservation studio. Working in Pothi Seva’s workshop demonstrated the flexibility of conservation and how you can adapt your practice to your environment, without sacrificing the standard of treatment. In the case of Pothi Seva, the ability to undertake in situ treatment increases the standard of practice, as it allows texts to be cared for within and by the Sikh community. This improves access to heritage while also spreading knowledge of conservation practice. Before After Above: The repair of an endpaper in a Sundar Gutka One of the most interesting aspects of my time at Pothi Seva was the collaboration which was involved. One of the texts I was working on had already undergone partial treatment by another volunteer, who had re-joined the pages of the book together where they had come apart. Additionally, the tape removal treatment is part of a long-term project involving the work of several people. This collaboration made me feel more connected to the work of the group and it was exciting to see conservation, usually more of a solitary work, presented instead as an interactive a group project. Historical Model The final aspect of the placement was the construction of an 18th century historical binding model. This was a fun way to end the placement, as well as a great way to link the knowledge which I had gained about conservation treatment to binding history and gain greater understanding of the structure of the books I had been working on. Constructing historical models using traditional techniques and materials helps you understand how books were made and identify areas of possible weakness in the bindings, to aid in repairing the bindings in respectful and historically accurate ways. An example of the use of historical models can be seen in endband construction. The model I made included a traditionally sewn ‘Islamicate chevron’ endband, which is historically accurate but prone to unravelling. However, through investigation of historical techniques, Pothi Seva have developed an endband which, while retaining aesthetic appearance, is more secure and less likely to unravel over time and can therefore be used as an alternative in conservation treatment. Attaching the boards to the historical model of an 18th century Sikh binding. Trying out these techniques increases understanding of the craftsmanship and skills necessary to create the exquisite designs often seen in these historical bindings. Therefore, historical models, while useful in learning techniques for conservation practice, are equally as important in fostering a respect and renewed admiration for these objects as the craft pieces they are. Conclusion Overall, my experience at Pothi Seva helped me develop my practical conservation skills and gave me a developed understanding of the Sikh community, as well as the ways in which these two fields intersect. It was a great experience and hopefully I can pop back in some Saturdays to catch up with the projects. I would like to thank the volunteers I met for sharing their workshop, showing me their treatments and talking with me about their experiences at Pothi Seva. Finally, a huge thank you to Sukhraj and Jasdip for their time, mentoring me throughout the placement and giving me the opportunity to come and work at Pothi Seva. Dhannavād!

This series of blogposts are based around the course 'Alchemy of Colour' which Jaswinder Kaur, a recipient of the Baba Shaam Singh Sevapanthi scholarship, completed in 2019. The course was held at the Prince's School of Traditional Arts and taught by Dr David Cranswick. Introduction Alchemy is a word which many would not associate with Gurbani philosophy. Yet, if one reads Gurbani carefully, it becomes clear that there are references made to alchemy in every Raag and almost every composition within the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The alchemy of colour is particularly very significant in Gurbani. To be able to understand the alchemy of colour within the Sikh context, it is first important to explore and ascertain the meaning of alchemy in the Sikh diaspora. Alchemy is often described as the precursor to modern chemistry. It originates from ‘Al-kimiya’, an Arabic word. Although general perception of the word is regarded as a form of magic, alchemy can be better described as a science which studies physical materials to reveal their meta-physical properties. Alchemy reveals an ancient wisdom and natural philosophy relating to the basic transformation of matter (using different elements and materials) into an ‘energy’ including as the creation of exquisite colour pigments used for painting. Such pigments were merely made from coloured earths or semiprecious stones ground into a fine powder and mixed with a relevant medium which will be explored later. Some pigments were extracted by undergoing a chemical creation with other ingredients, some highly toxic. Nonetheless, these often produced the most brilliant colours. Many informed artists who had the understanding and knowledge of such spiritual connotations, succeeded in utilising such materials or elements in their creative work to invoke a particular mood and emotion. By identifying and acknowledging this intrinsic knowledge, the artist had the utmost regard and reverence for the primary sourced material. Even Michelangelo, one of the greatest artists of all time, made a profound and philosophical statement when creating his sculptures. He revealed that the form already exists in the rock he was sculpting and that he was just chipping away at the rough edges. Alchemy in Gurbani One of the most well-known concepts of alchemy is the philosopher's stone or ਪਾਰਸ. The philosopher's stone is a mythical substance which is able to transform other metals into gold simply through the power of touch. This word alone is found over 40 times in Guru Granth Sahib. ਪਾਰਸ ਮਾਨੋ ਤਾਬੋ ਛੁਏ ਕਨਕ ਹੋਤ ਨਹੀ ਬਾਰ।। Just like how copper becomes gold in no time at all once it is touched by the philosopher’s stone. ਭਗਤ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ, ਗਉੜੀ ਬੈਰਾਗਿਣ, ੩੪੬ Having briefly highlighted the concept of ‘alchemy’, we can now look at its relevance in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and how colour pigments are treasured within the holy scripture. Colour, although appreciated for its aesthetic qualities today, was, during the Middle Ages, valued for its material, scientific, and medicinal properties. The creation of colour pigments and inks formed part of the science of alchemy, and as mentioned earlier, was the foundation of modern chemistry. By altering matter sourced from plants, minerals or metals to produce colour, alchemy became closely linked to artistic tradition. Sacred Art Pure colour pigments are derived from raw earth materials, created from the life source, ‘The Mother’ (ਮਾਤਾ ਧਰਤਿ). Rocks, metals, plants and insects are the key materials involved in producing traditional art. In particular, the very extraction of pure pigments from rocks to produce paint is believed to be a sacrosanct act, as rocks and are regarded and viewed as sacred. At least 95% of the main generic palette of colours can be extracted from seven main metals from earth. Traditional artists like the Australian aborigines would use ancestral religious and ritualistic methods to collect the colour for their paintings, in particular red ochre, sometimes by travelling long distances over two months to a sacred site to extract the colour. Today, pure pigments are quite expensive to produce because of the intense labour involved in its production, hence they are a highly- priced commodity. This is in contrast to the manufactured pigments found readily available today which are often plastic derived thus causing damage by polluting the water system. Today, mother nature is being mercilessly looted and polluted, and by naturally sourcing pure colour pigments, humanity can once again re-connect with nature. By doing so, one experiences a holistic and sacred wisdom ensued by a deep internal spiritual transformation. However, there is a natural order when creating pigments and certain systematic approaches must be observed. There is a logic and reasoning to it. An example would be that it is essential that whenever there is a need to stir a pigment, the stirring must always follow a clockwise direction. This is a tradition intrinsic in most cultures because this movement is interpreted as positive and pure. Stirring anticlockwise is perceived as regressing to the ‘source’, and/or invoking the darker forces. The next part of this article will highlight some key traditional colours and further information on their material origins in relationship with the Gurmukhi tradition as well as their importance in wider traditions of alchemy as practiced in different cultures. Raag and Colour During the compilation of the Adi Granth, Guru Arjan Dev ji arranged all the shabads (compositions) into ‘Raags’ which were designed to evoke a certain range of moods or feelings. The word ‘Raag’ is often translated to denote a musical mode, however, the literal meaning of ‘Raag’ is colour. Therefore, different raags are associated with different colours, which then can be perceived to relate to different moods. There is an artistic tradition where raags are often depicted in paintings by artists using certain colours and symbols to represent the emotions of the raag. Red One of the clearest examples of the raag colour relationship can be found in Raag Suhi. Suhi literally translates to the feminine word for red and is therefore closely associated the colour. Within the cultural world of South Asia, red is associated with marital love. It is the traditional colour worn by brides. Therefore, it is not surprising and it is by no accident that Raag Suhi contains the Lavan (wedding) and Kurmai (engagement) shabads, including numerous other compositions focusing on the theme of marriage and where the colour red is explored. Many of these references relate to the colour red obtained from the safflower plant, a colour denoted by ‘Suha’ and also ‘Kusumbh’. ਸੁਣਿ ਬਾਵਰੇ ਤੂ ਕਾਏ ਦੇਖਿ ਭੁਲਾਨਾ ॥ Listen, madman: gazing upon the world, why have you gone crazy? ਸੁਣਿ ਬਾਵਰੇ ਨੇਹੁ ਕੂੜਾ ਲਾਇਓ ਕੁਸੰਭ ਰੰਗਾਨਾ ॥ Listen, madman: you have been trapped by false love, which is transitory, like the fading color of the safflower. ਕੂੜੀ ਡੇਖਿ ਭੁਲੋ ਅਢੁ ਲਹੈ ਨ ਮੁਲੋ ਗੋਵਿਦ ਨਾਮੁ ਮਜੀਠਾ ॥ Gazing upon the false world, you are fooled. It is not worth even half a shell. Only the Name of the Lord of the Universe is permanent. ਥੀਵਹਿ ਲਾਲਾ ਅਤਿ ਗੁਲਾਲਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਚੀਨਿ ਗੁਰ ਮੀਠਾ ॥ You shall take on the deep and lasting red color of the poppy, contemplating the sweet Word of the Guru's Shabad. ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ ਛੰਤ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ਘਰੁ ੧, ੭੭੭ Safflower The Safflower produces a mixed range of colours, such as red, pink and yellow, the colours extracted are dependent on how they are prepared and the pH of the dye solution. Initially, the colours which the safflower can produce are strong and vibrant in tone, but these can fade quickly in natural sunlight and can easily be washed away. Due to this temporary and surface-level nature, the word Kusumbh is therefore used as a by-word for Maya or false love, to highlight a temporary state. ਕਚਾ ਰੰਗੁ ਕਸੁੰਭ ਕਾ ਥੋੜੜਿਆ ਦਿਨ ਚਾਰਿ ਜੀਉ ॥ The colour of safflower is transitory; it lasts for only a few days. ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੯, ੭੫੧ Although the safflower was not studied as part of the course, it is prominent and important dye to reference as its colour was used in the Gurmukhi tradition, in particular, it was often used to dye paper into a salmon-pink colour before being written on. Further information on the use of safflower as a dye can be found via the link below: https://maiwahandprints.blogspot.com/2013/07/natural-dyes-safflower.html Manjitha In contrast to the temporary colours of Kusumbh, Gurbani mentions a strong and permanent deep red colour which is produced by the roots of the madder plant, the Manjitha. This colour symbolises and signifies true and permanent eternal love in contrast to the fleeting desires represented by Kusumbh. ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਾ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਙੁ ਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਙੁ ਮਜੀਠੈ ਰੰਙੁ ॥ The Lord's Name is the Love of the Lord. The Lord's Love is the permanent color. ਗੁਰਿ ਤੁਠੈ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗੁ ਚਾੜਿਆ ਫਿਰਿ ਬਹੁੜਿ ਨ ਹੋਵੀ ਭੰਙੁ ॥੧॥ When the Guru is totally satisfied and pleased, He colors us with the Lord's Love; this color shall never fade away. ||1|| ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ਘਰੁ ੧, ੭੩੧ A highly detailed description of producing both kusumbha and manjitha is found in the writings of Bhai Gurdas where the plant is described as the epitome of prem and humility. ਰੰਗੁ ਮਜੀਠ ਕਸੁੰਭ ਦਾ ਕਚਾ ਪਕਾ ਕਿਤੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੇ। Why is madder permanent and safflower temporary? ਧਰਤੀ ਉਖਣਿ ਕਢੀਐ ਮੂਲ ਮਜੀਠ ਜੜੀ ਜੜਤਾਰੇ। The roots of madder spread in earth, it is first brought out and put into the mortar and is pounded with wooden pestles. ਉਖਲ ਮੁਹਲੇ ਕੁਟੀਐ ਪੀਹਣਿ ਪੀਸੈ ਚਕੀ ਭਾਰੇ। Then it is crushed using a heavy grinding mill. ਸਹੈ ਅਵਟਣੁ ਅਗਿ ਦਾ ਹੋਇ ਪਿਆਰੀ ਮਿਲੈ ਪਿਆਰੇ। It further suffers the pain of getting boiled in water and then only is it used to adorn the clothes of the beloved. ਪੋਹਲੀਅਹੁ ਸਿਰੁ ਕਢਿਕੈ ਫੁਲੁ ਕਸੁੰਭ ਚਲੁੰਭ ਖਿਲਾਰੇ। The safflower comes up from the upper portion of the plant Carthamus tinctoria and yields its deep colour. ਖਟ ਤੁਰਸੀ ਦੇ ਰੰਗੀਐ ਕਪਟ ਸਨੇਹੁ ਰਹੈ ਦਿਹ ਚਾਰੇ। By adding acid to it, the clothes are dyed, but like false love, the colour remains only for a few days. ਨੀਵਾ ਜਿਣੈ ਉਚੇਰਾ ਹਾਰੇ ॥੬॥ The lowly born ultimately wins and the so-called high up gets defeated. ਭਾ: ਗੁਰਦਾਸ ਜੀ, ਵਾਰ ੪ (੬) As well as being used to dye textiles, the madder plant can also be used to dye a white pigment into red paint pigment. Further in-depth and technical research on Gurmukhi manuscripts could help reveal and enlighten us with the areas where the historic scribes and artists sourced their red paints and inks from. Mineral sources of red As well as the previously plant based dyes of manjith and kusumbh, various other red colours can be obtained from mineral sources. In South Asia, Mercury Sulphide, known as Hingula, Sindur or Singarf, is regarded as an important historic mineral. It can be obtained naturally from the ground (Cinnabar); however it was produced by combining mercury and synthetic sulphur (known as Vermillion). Vermillion (synthetic Cinnabar) is produced by an explosive union of sulphur (yellow colour) and mercury (silver colour). During the times of ancient Egypt, this responsibility lay solely on the high priests, who were the only ones with the status high enough to embark on uniting the mercury with the sulphur. It was considered an extremely religious and sacred ritual. The Egyptian priests would fast for many days and would wait for the solar planets to align before offering their ritualistic prayers. Only then would the unification of the two elements to make vermillion be completed. As previously highlighted, most colours can be produced from seven of the earth’s metals. There is a cosmological belief that these seven metals correspond to the seven planets and the seven days of the week. Each of the seven planets signifies a different level of energy and consciousness within the seven chakras. Mercury, is listed as one of these seven metals. The symbolic importance of mercury is linked to the planet which it is named after, known as ਬੁਧ in Panjabi. The word for Wednesday “ਬੁਧਵਾਰ” comes from this. ਬੁਧਵਾਰਿ ਆਪੇ ਬੁਧਿ ਸਾਰੁ ॥ Wednesday: He Himself bestows sublime understanding. ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਕਰਣੀ ਸਬਦੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ The Gurmukh does good deeds, and contemplates the Word of the Shabad. ਬਿਲਾਵਲ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ਵਾਰ ਸਤ, ੮੪ Mercury is regarded as quite powerful in alchemy and traditional forms of medicine. It has an ability to amalgamate with gold in a manner which resembles dissolving and it is this powerful property which allows impure gold to be purified, an extremely ancient process and method of doing so. Cinnabar creates a red colour which intensified each time the raw mineral is ground. To achieve such an intense colour, it was traditional for the pigment to be ground repeatedly for 3 to 4 months. Experiencing the preparation of cinnabar first hand during the course, extra care had to be adopted as cinnabar contains mercury, silvery-white poisonous metallic element. During the 19th C, fur treated with mercury was used to manufacture felt hats. Those manufacturing the hats would sit in confined spaces with no fresh air and by inhaling the toxic fumes they would become irrational in their behaviour. Hence the phrase ‘mad as a hatter’. When grinding the cinnabar rocks, a mask was worn at all times. Any ground up powder is put into water, left to settle, drained off and ground up repeatedly to eventually produce a vivid red colour. The lengthy and meditative nature of this procedure requires patience and one can only marvel at the work of traditional practitioners. In addition to cinnabar, there are numerous other red pigments which are obtained from other various mineral sources. A more common source of the red used in some Gurmukhi manuscripts could have possibly have been red lead. Research has shown that red lead is found extensively in 19th Century Gurbani manuscripts. When exposed to atmospheric pollution it becomes brown and can even develop a silver coloured layer. In the image below you can see how the red used in the correction ink has turned silver in some areas (circled in yellow) as it is lead based, whereas the red ink used for the numbering (circled in purple) is still a vivid red. It is possible that the numbering was written using the cinnabar pigment. The blue circled corrections are possibly an indication of what the correction ink looked like before it turned silver. However, there is the possibility that it may also be written a different blend of inks. The material composition of Gurmukhi manuscripts is definitely a topic worthy of requiring further investigative and extensive research. In the next post of this series, we will explore the traditions and methods for the yellow and green pigments found in Gurmukhi manuscripts.

In November 2017, I had the pleasure of attending a course on Stone lithography (ਪੱਥਰ ਛਾਪ) at Citylit College, taught by professional lithography artist Simon Burder (see @StoneLithoSimon on twitter) This course was funded by an ICON Professional Development Bursary as part of a wider project on Gurmukhi lithographic books and their conservation. We are often asked to repair and conserved lithographed Gurmukhi Pothi Sahibs so I was keen to gain a better understanding of the art of lithography. The first part of this blog series (read here) covered the method of producing prints by drawing designs directly onto the stone. This second instalment will discuss the method of transfer lithography as used widely in South Asia. In direct lithography, the artist or scribe had to draw a design in reverse on specially prepared lithography stone so that it would produce a correct image when printed. This was fine for drawings and artworks but posed a challenge for printers who wanted to print books made up of written text. The printer would require scribes who were skilled at writing backwards. Historians of lithography have debated whether it was possible for scribes to practically achieve this. Given the high calibre of indigenous scribes, it is likely that this was possible but for practical purposes of speed and efficiency, the method of transfer lithography was more common. Transfer lithography allowed a scribe to write “normally” on a specially prepared paper which could then be transferred onto the stone. This made it very easy for Gurmukhi scribes trained in manuscript production to benefit from the new technology of lithography, I will now detail the process of transfer lithography as learnt on the course. The first stage of transfer lithography is the preparation of transfer paper. A medium weight cartridge paper was coated with a mixture of chalk and gum arabic (ਕਿੱਕਰ ਦਾ ਗੂੰਦ) on one side in order to create barrier layer for the drawing/writing ink. It is highly probable that the technique of preparing transfer paper varied from workshop to workshop. Unfortunately, it is not known whether any examples of South Asian transfer survives in archives or museums. The chalk and gum arabic mixture was coated liberally onto a cartridge paper. The chosen design for my transfer lithography sample was based on the decorative designs found in an 1886 lithographed Guru Granth Sahib. As with many other lithographed title-page designs, the floral motifs show a strong influence of Kashmiri artistic styles in the form of wide vine-work borders (ਵੇਲਕਾਰੀ). The designs were based on two folios from a beautiful 1886 lithographed Guru Granth Sahib The ink used for drawing has a soapy feel and is greasy yet water soluble. This allows it to be diluted in water to the desired consistency for drawing. Once dry, this design was transferred to the lithography stone. To do this, the transfer paper was dampened and placed face down onto the stone. The stone was passed through the lithography press and the transfer was peeled away revealing the transferred design. The design visible on the stone was now a perfect mirror-image of what I had drawn on the transfer paper. The transferred design was given a "gum etch" ensure the edge of the design remained crisp and clear. The transfer paper itself could only be used to make a single transfer as the ink had been almost entirely removed from the paper. All that was left was a faint outline. This posed an interesting question. Did Gurmukhi lithography workshops produce each decorated design individually from scratch or did they use templates and drawing aids to speed up the process? Finding the answer requires further research and experimentation. The design was completely removed from the transfer paper, leaving behind only a few faint traces. The subsequent stages revealed the challenges of the lithographic process as my neatly transferred design was to become marred by flaws in the stone. The stone was prepared for printing using the same set of processes outlined in the first blog of this series. The design appeared crisp during the gum-etching stage but problems began to surface when the stone was inked in preparation for the first proof-prints. Strange smears and smudges began to appear in areas which were previously perfect in appearance. These smears were areas where greasy dirt had accumulated when the stone was in storage. This may have been due to occasional accidental touch of someone’s hands on the stone. Even the slightest touch from a fingertip can leave a greasy imprint which only becomes visible when the stone is inked-up for printing. The common presence of fingerprints in the margins of Gurmukhi lithographed texts now began to make perfect sense. Flaws in the stone were revealed only during the inking-up stage of printing. These were greasy marks and smudges which attracted the printing ink. Through the skill and guidance of the course tutor, Simon Burder, I was able to salvage most of the impression by carefully abrading away the surface of the impression where there were ink smudges. Unfortunately this also meant I had to erase away the text in the centre. The salvaged final design. Overall, this course taught me a great deal about the craft of lithography. Flaws and marks we encounter in real-life Pothi Sahibs now make perfect sense. One can only bow down and marvel at the care and craftsmanship involved in producing the cleanest, highest quality printed Pothi Sahibs. If you would like to learn more about early South Asian printing please visit the links below: http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/lithography-ii-in-india https://www.bl.uk/early-indian-printed-books https://www.contextualternate.com/ http://typography.network/2019/04/30/early-lithography-around-the-world-objects-processes-and-experiences-workshop-report/

Flexibility is an important concept in book conservation (ਪੋਥੀ ਸੰਭਾਲ ਵਿੱਦਯਾ). The conservator must be prepared to adjust methods and materials to suit each project. This blog post will detail an example of how one volunteer used a sewing method associated more with medieval european bindings due to the particular set of circumstances. The Sundar Gutka, shown being sewn below, was missing its cover, was structurally fragmented and had numerous thin sections. A sewing method was required which could support the thick spine adequately whilst remaining flexible enough to be held easily in the palm of the reader. Sewing on double-cords was selected to serve this function. This is a European medieval method of sewing which was used during the Gothic period to produce incredibly strong and flexible supported structures. "Supported sewing" refers to the use of a material in addition to the sewing thread for added strength. See http://w3id.org/lob/concept/1585 Supported sewing structures using cords are not un-known in historic Sikh bindings but this specific method is associated more with medieval European bindings. The specific type of double-cord sewing used here is technically known as "straight packed". This sewing method involves the thread making extra loops around the cords (in this case lengths of braided linen were twisted to form a cord) which results in a flexible spring-like structure. The process of sewing. In order to read more about this sewing structure, please see the links below: https://henryhebert.net/2012/04/19/sewing-models/ The textblock of the Gutka was rounded lightly and a slotted lining of cotton fabric was adhered. Since the original cover was no longer present, a new cover was made using a "limp", minimum adhesive method, suitable for hand-held books and Pothi Sahibs. The link below provides examples of some very beautifully made limp bindings. https://henryhebert.net/2011/12/18/limp-paper-and-vellum/ Limp bindings with soft, flexible covers have been used extensively in the Middle-East and South Asia although they have not been fully discussed by bookbinding historians. Research by Karin Scheper (see Scheper's book The Technique of Islamic Bookbinding) has only started to un-cover the extent of this phenomenon. A thick handmade paper made by Khadi papers was used to create a simple limp cover. The cover was attached by lacing and adhering the sewing supports. Looped tackets were then used to provide a closer connection between the cover and the textblock spine. This structure produced a strong and flexible structure allowing the Gutka Sahib to be read easily and safely. The limp paper cover. Looped tackets viewed from the outside. Flexible opening characteristics. The Gutka Sahib naturally fans open when laid flat.

Through the kind support of the Anna Plowden Trust, in April 2018, I was able to attend the 17th Care and Conservation of Manuscripts Conservation held at the University of Copenhagen. This conference has earned a reputation as one of the most globally important gatherings of historians, conservators, librarians and archivists involved in the care of manuscript collections. I was fortunate enough to deliver a paper at this year’s conference which provided an overview of Sikh codicological history with a focused case study on the conservation of one particular manuscript. The first day included a number of ground breaking papers from conservators at the cutting edge of research into early codices. This included Georgios Boudalis’ lecture on the “invention” of the codex in late antiquity. Georgios explored the origins of the early codex by examining the multiple craft traditions which were forged together by the earliest bookbinders. Georgios also shed light on an array of crafts such as textile manufacture and shoe-making. His visually rich presentation was complimented well by Julia Poirier’s un-precedented examination of enigmatic Samaritan bindings. As well as detailing previously undocumented features of Samaritan binding practices , she laid out the dilemmas faced by conservators seeking to treat manuscripts with damaging yet historically important structural features. Following this, Julia’s colleague from the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, Kristine Rose, provided tantalising updates from the research and conservation being carried out on one of the earliest Quran manuscripts from the collection. By the end of the first day, my notes were full of practically applicable conservation tips as well as research leads to pursue further. Kristine Rose describing the use of non-rigid gels for the removal of damaging old repairs. The second day began with a touching video by a team of Armenian conservators involved in the in-situ conservation of a Gospel manuscript from the refugee village of Tsughrut in Armenia. The devotion shown by the local community towards the manuscript tied in well to my own paper (which was scheduled immediately after) where I discussed the “Guru” status given to Sikh codices containing sacred texts and how this can shape the conservation approach. Explaining the functionality of Sikh codices in their traditional setting. The final day of the conference was no less diverse and captivating than the first two and included two presentations by my colleagues and seniors from the Oxford Conservation Consortium. The first of these was by Nikki Tomkins who explained the methods she used successfully in documenting the conservation of a large collection of books from the library of a 17th century physician, Nicholas Crouch. Her visually colourful presentation focused on the intelligent use of spreadsheet software in conservation documentation. Jane Eagan, the head of the OCC, presented on a very significant project which integrated numerous conservation specialties (ceramics, wood and paper) in the conservation of the Magdalen College medieval archive housed in a historic muniments tower. Nikki Tomkins describes the multi-coloured fore-edges of the Crouch volumes. The final session ended with a mixture of topics which reflected the diversity of the conference. Vania Assis from the British Museum shared the extra-ordinary challenges in unrolling and flattening extremely important yet fragile fragments of early texts in the International Dunhuang Project. Whilst Miriam Rampazzo, a recent conservation graduate from Italy, dazzled the audience with images of beautiful panel stamped 16th century Venetian bindings which were modelled on Safavid prototypes and reflected the wider taste for Persian designs in renaissance Venice. An example of the bindings shared by Miriam Rampazzo from the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Venice. The final presentation of the conference was by the team from the collaborative “From Beast to Craft” project centred at the University of York. In this project, biology experts, parchment experts and textile specialists are collaborating to use DNA from parchment manuscripts and woolen textiles to research the changes and developments seen in livestock over the centuries. The potential insights and discoveries which could emerge from the project are exciting to say the least. Overall, the aspect of the conference I found particularly valuable was the privilege of listening to very skilled professionals share the techniques they have developed for dealing with complex problems. The diverse projects we work on at Pothi Seva, often require innovative solutions and notes from the conference have helped develop and hone my skill set considerably. #Copenhagen #Conference

Biographical Context Sant Baba Shaam Singh Ji Sevapanthi was a great Sikh Saint who lived for 123 years from the early 19th Century, through to the 20th century. Born in 1803 in Shahpur, North-West Panjab (now in Pakistan), they spent their childhood learning under the tutelage of Sant Bhai Raam Singh Ji Sevapanthi. During this time they had learned how to recite, write, and memorise Sikh Scriptures. Being a scribe and memorising Gurbani was strongly encouraged by Sant Bhai Raam Singh Ji, stating that in the time of Kaljug (dark age), there is no meditation akin to that of writing and reciting Gurbani, and even then, only if it is done with love and humility. For this reason, Baba Shaam Singh Ji had learned how to be a scribe, and would often use this as a tool to memorise Gurbani. Sant Baba Shaam Singh Ji would frequently travel with Sant Bhai Raam Singh Ji to spread the knowledge of Sikhi. Often was the case that they would travel to Amritsar, as Sant Bhai Raam Singh Ji always had a yearning to visit this holy place. Sant Baba Shaam Singh Ji also developed desire to visit Amritsar and would always accompany Sant Bhai Raam Singh Ji when this was the route. Later on, with the blessings of their teacher, Baba Shaam Singh ji travelled to Amritsar alone. Their whole day from thereon would be spent within the vicinity of Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar. Baba Ji and Raag Vidya During this time, they met with Sant Amir Singh Ji, who stressed the importance of Raag Vidya and asked Baba Shaam Singh Ji to become a student. At this moment Baba Shaam Singh had no desire to learn Kirtan, and respectfully declined. Visiting Amritsar again later in life, Baba Shaam Singh heard the Kirtan of Baba Naudh Singh Ji, and where truly immersed. It is at this moment that their wish to learn Kirtan was born, and so they did an Ardaas (prayer) asking to be blessed with Raag Vidhya. After this, with much difficulty, they managed to obtain a Siranda (musical instrument) which was required for someone to learn Kirtan. They were blessed with Raag Vidya, and the ability to play the Siranda, from Bhai Laal Chand Ji who lived in Baba Shaam Singh’s village, Shahpur. Baba Shaam Singh stated that it was due to the fact that they had refused to learn from Sant Amir Singh Ji, that they had such difficulty locating a Siranda with which to learn Kirtan. They stressed the importance of accepting the will of Saints, as if this isn’t done, one will be met with much difficulties later in life. It is with great fortune, that Sant Baba Shaam Singh Ji would then go on to live in Amritsar from the age of around 30, until the age of 123, and perform Kirtan at Sri Darbar Sahib for over 70 years. During their stay at Amritsar, Baba Ji were a well-known philanthropist; supporting the oppressed lower caste and impoverished communities who were being discriminated against by the Darbar Sahib priests (who during this time, were employees of the colonial government). They spent their time within the vicinity of Amritsar, teaching Sikhi, performing Kirtan, and helping those around them. Baba Ji showed much love and respect for others, as well as their surroundings. Such was Baba Ji's humility that they would daily pick up the droppings of birds and animals around the walkway of Sri Darbar Sahib and other Gur-Asthaan. Baba Ji and the Restoration of Guru Granth Sahib Ji Manuscripts Baba Shaam Singh is well known for their contributions to Raag Kirtan, but they also made significant contributions to the world of manuscript creation and restoration. In Sant Gatha, Bhai Vir Singh Ji writes that Baba Ji would write small Gutka Sahib manuscripts for the sangat (congregation). It is also known that Baba Ji scribed an un-published anthology of anecdotes from the lives of saints known as Sri Bhagat Prem Parkash which is still kept at their historic Dharmshala in Atta Mandi, Amritsar. Baba Shaam Singh had an amazing love for Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, which can be seen in the way they would encourage the repair and restoration of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The anecdotes below are taken from Sant Gatha (originally written by Major Prem Singh) as well as Baba Shaam Singh Ji (by Daljit Singh Bedi) : 'At one time the 'Jild' (cover) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji became damaged. Seeing this, Baba Ji took the manuscript to a famed muslim bookbinder. The whole time that the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji manuscript was being repaired by the bookbinder, Baba ji would visit the place and offer a garland of flowers for Guru Sahib daily.' 'When Baba Ji would go and visit different Gurdwaras he would keep a few things in mind. One point he would always keep in mind was that whenever he saw that a Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji manuscript had become damaged, he would firstly explain to the Granthis to get the manuscript repaired. He would then make the Granthis promise that they would get Sri Guru Ji's Jild (cover) repaired by a skilled bookbinder. If it was needed, they would also give money towards this cause.' 'Whenever visiting a Gurdwara Sahib, Baba Ji would offer Chandoa Sahib, Rumala Sahib, Manji Sahib, Cushions, Chaur Sahib as needed.' 'Baba Ji would always carry with them Hartaal (correction fluid), Ink, Bamboo Pens (kalam), Paper, 'levi' (paste prepared from wheat flour/starch), whenever they saw an ang of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji requiring minor repair, they would do this immediately.' - Extracts from 'Sant Gatha' and 'Baba Shaam Singh Ji' by Daljit Singh Bedi The Scholarship In memory of Baba Shaam Singh’s spirit of heritage preservation, a scholarship has been launched by Pothi Seva to help fund research and training in this field. The scholarship may be used to support the attendance of a course, conference or training event related to book and manuscript conservation. It may also be used to cover part of the cost of travel abroad to conduct a research project related to Sikh manuscript and book conservation. The Pothi Seva Trustees will reward the scholarships based on the merit of their applications. As minimum we require five donors able to donate £16 a month to make a £1000 scholarship available each year. If you are interested in helping advance the conservation of Gurmukhi manuscripts and printed texts by becoming a donor to the Baba Shaam Singh Sevapanthi Scholarship, please follow the information found here.

Please read the blog-post in the link below for a summary of the research trip to Amritsar, with a brief overview of the Dhan Su Kagad Project. https://iconbpg.wordpress.com/2018/09/04/that-paper-looks-great-the-dhan-su-kagad-project/

In November 2017, I had the pleasure of attending a course on Stone lithography at Citylit College, taught by professional lithography artist Simon Burder. This course was funded by an ICON Book and Paper Group Bursary as part of a wider project on Gurmukhi lithographic books and their conservation. Having completed a complex re-binding of a lithographed Guru Granth Sahib, I was keen to gain a better understanding of the art of lithography. Known as “Pathhar Chhaap” in Panjabi, The course started with the creation of a design on paper and I chose to create a border in the Kashmiri "vel" (vine) style seen often on 19th century Sikh lithographs. This was more complex than initially thought as the floral border patterns contained geometry which was concealed behind the flowing vines and flowers. Before the design could be transferred onto the stone, it was necessary to grind away all traces of previous designs from the stone slab. Lithography revolves around the creation of marks on a stone using a greasy substance and these greasy marks attract ink and repel water. Before the stone is ready to be drawn on, it is essential to grind away the surface layer to erase unwanted marks. This was a long process and was done by grinding one stone slab against another with a layer of wet abrasive grit in between. We also learned that this preparation could be done with a tool known as a levigator, which is a heavy abrasive iron block with a wooden handle. It took 40 minutes, using successively fine grades of grit before the stone was ready. Source: http://www3.telus.net/public/milosj/printmaking.html Once the stone was ready, I turned my drawn design into a pin-prick image and used red chalk to transfer this design onto the stone using the method of “pouncing”. This basically involves placing the pricked design onto the stone and pushing red chalk through the pricked holes to create a temporary image. Being careful not to blow the chalk away, I used a greasy lithography drawing ink to turn the “pounced” design into a full drawing. One major challenge of lithography is that once the ink has touched the stone it cannot be erased fully so I had to be very careful to produce a neat drawing. The pounced outline of a vine border. Adding further detail to the design. The vine is actually formed of inter-locking triangles. (ignore the red streak in the middle, this is a feature of the stone) The completed design. After completing the drawing, the entire surface of the stone is dusted with a layer of chalk followed by gum arabic mixed with a dilute acid. Known as the gum etch, this stage forges a closer bond between the greasy ink and the stone surface. Once dry, the gum layer was wiped and buffed with a wet cloth to produce a smooth even layer. The freshly applied layer of gum arabic. Before the stone could be used for printing, the ink used for drawing the design had to be cleaned off with paraffin. This initially seemed alarming as the image seem to disappear. However, this was not the case as the image was actually embedded in the stone as a greasy layer. The actual image with the drawing ink cleaned off. “Non-drying” proofing ink was rolled onto the stone to produce a test image. The lithographic press is quite unlike an etching press or a letter-press. It works by pulling the paper and stone through a narrow gap. You can see this in the historic video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgWoAUb7vO0 The inked image, ready for printing. Once we were happy with the initial “proof” print, the proofing ink was cleaned off and replaced with oil-based printing ink. During the application of ink, it is necessary to keep the stone wet as this ensures the ink is attracted only to the greasy design area and repelled from the surrounding wet gummed areas. Lithography stones are made of porous, Bavarian limestone from central Europe and considerable amounts of water is needed. In 19th century Panjab, lithography presses had a separate person employed to ensure stones were kept wet whilst printing as they were prone to dry out in the warm weather. For this reason, autumn is the best season for lithography as the air is damp. This is probably the reason why some lithographed Guru Granth Sahibs were recorded as being printed in October. Although I only printed a few examples, the image on the stone could be printed an infinite amount of times provided that the stone is stored carefully. The printed design on paper. The floral "vel" border on a lithographed Guru Granth Sahib. Stay tuned for the second part of this blog where I will detail the process of transfer lithography, the second method I learnt on the course.

Panjab has a rich history of arts and crafts particularly in the production of fabrics. The weaving of “dhurries” in particular has a strong association with the Panjab region. Dhurries are woven rugs made of thick vegetable fibres amongst which cotton is the most common. This video shows a Dhurrie making workshop in Agra. The colours and designs are different from those in Panjab but the method is essentially the same. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxUJ9xXbijQ Dhurries are strong and sturdy but also beautiful as the weaving can incorporate colourful geometric designs and even images. Dhurries were used in homes but also in Gurdwaras to spread on the floor for the sangat (congregation) to sit on. The images below show a detail from a Dhurrie which has an edge pattern made using a similar method to a traditional endband. The pattern produced is identical to that seen on some endbands from the Islamicate and Byzantine traditions of bookbinding. This method is known as twining. It produces a tight structure and is one of the oldest methods of textile production. Gurmukhi manuscripts historically almost all included twined endbands and it is possible that different areas had traditions of particular colour combinations. Structurally the endband adds an important level of strength as it prevents a book from breaking into separate parts over time due to heavy use. It can regulate the bending of the spine as the book is opened and helps to redistribute the weight of the sections (sewn books are made up of folded sections) more evenly across the width of the spine. Medieval bookbinding traditions all used endbands as an important structural element. Different regions and historical eras used different types of endbands and there are many types which are yet to be fully documented. At Pothi Seva we often use endbands for the repair of damaged Pothi Sahibs. The structure we use is based on the traditional method with some added elements to improve its durability over time. This often allows us to strengthen weakened Pothi Sahibs without having to always separate each section for resewing. This particular structure was developed over a number of years and the method is now quite adaptable and can be fine tuned to suit different weights and sizes of Pothi Sahibs. It is a nice thought than the ancient tradition of twined weaving found on Panjabi Dhurries was also used to bind Pothi Sahibs and is now continuing to play a key role in their repair and conservation. An endband used in the repair of a Pothi Sahib using a traditional colour combination based on traces of original thread found on the spine.

The following is an excerpt from Giani Balwant Singh Kothaguru's book on the Nirmala Sikhs under the section "Damdami Gurmukhi Likhaareeaa Di Taksal" The Damdami School of Gurmukhi Calligraphy (from Nirmal Panth Di Gaurav Gatha – Giani Balwant Singh Kotha Guru) A late 19th century lithographed Guru Granth Sahib which has the script known as "Damdami", developed and perfected by the scribes of Damdama Sahib. Guru Ki Kanshi (Damdama Sahib, Bathinda) was the centre of Gurbani Calligraphy alongside the teaching of Gurbani Santhia and Arth. Guru Gobind Singh Ji started the tradition of ‘Likhaee’ in Guru Kanshi with the writing of the  Damdami Bir. Although the calligraphy of Gurmukhi Granths took place at many other places aswell, the writing style of Damdami Gurmukhi was known as uniquely elegant and clear. The training to become a ‘Likhari’ i.e. a calligrapher was all given at Guru Ki Kanshi. The techniques of writing each Gurmukhi letter individually in the Damdami Script were expertly taught to the students. In particular the way of looping and forming the letters in the Damdami style to make them stand out from other Gurmukhi scripts. For example: Oorra = in the shape of a peacock’s egg Airraa = in shape of a horse’s bridle Haaha = in the shape of a drum barrel Kakkaa = in the shape of a pied wagtail’s eye In this manner each letter was taught in a specific way. The letters of the Damdami Script were so clear that readers had no difficulties in identifying them due to their uniformity and structure. Kashmiri paper was used by the Damdami calligraphers. To make the paper useable, it was first burnished using the back of shells, which made the paper smooth enough to write upon. To make sure that the writing was in straight lines, a simple but clever method was used. A wooden frame would be made with string running across it, the same widthapart as would be needed for lines to write on. On those frames 10-15 sheets would be placed and weight would be applied on top. Due to the weight, an impression of the lines would form onto the paper. The Damdami calligraphers also had methods to deal with ink going through pages, or spelling mistakes. A fixed amount of crushed shells and glue were mixed with water and placed in a ‘sippi’ for some time. Once ready this would be spread over the spelling mistake (similar to modern Tipp-ex). After this was dry, it was possible to write over the mistake. Correction was also made utilizing turmeric, which formed a yellow correction mixture. Ink was prepared in the Guru Ki Kanshi itself rather then brought from outside. Red Inks were also used made using mercuric sulphide/cinnabar. In Granths such as Dasam Granth Sahib, where they were used for titles, numbers, endings of chapters etc., however this was not used in Adi Guru Granth Sahib manuscripts. The skill of binding Sri Guru Granth Sahib volumes was taught at Guru Ki Kanshi. Due to Guru Granth Sahib being a large volume, to make sure Angs did not fall out of the Saroop, endbands were sewn into the Saroop to make the binding extra strong. Alongside this Chola Sahibs were also made to measure, which helped preserve the binding and give the Granth a long life. Ramala Sahibs were sewn to size and hand made stitching for decoration was also done here. Chaur Sahibs made from peacock feathers were a speciality of Guru Ki Kanshi. Sant Isher Singh ‘Munishar’ of Bunga Mastuana, (born at village Bhai Rupa, a great scholar of Vedanta) was a famed for his skill of crafting these Chaur Sahibs which he donated to each Gurdwara in the vicinity of Damdama Sahib. It was astonishing seeing the range of activities not only taking place at Guru Kanshi, but also being taught. All activities such as teaching the manner of writing the Damdami script, making ink, making ‘hartaal’ (a substance with similar use to tipex), making Chaur Sahib, preparing, sizing and burnishing paper, making Rumala Sahibs, preparing the binding of Saroops, were of a higher level of quality then the top education centres of the time such as Vikramshila, Takshila, Varanasi etc. The Nirmala saints played an integral role in keeping Gurbani calligraphy alive. In those times where the Saints taught the pronunciation and exegesis of Scripture, they taught calligraphy alongside. Those who created original works were known as ‘Lekhak’ and those who made copies of these original works were known as ‘Likaris’. These likharis were great Saints, who were respected far and wide for their skill. Some famous Likharis: 1) Tapo-Nidhi Swami Bhagat Singh wrote 5 Saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. 2) Sant Wadhawa Singh of Lehra Khana (Bathinda) wrote 5 Saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Sant Wadhawa Singh Ji used to write make Gutkas of Jap Ji, Sukhmani and other Banis and hand them out to the congregation. 3) Sant Mahant Hira Singh of Likhari Bunga (Damdama Sahib) was famed for his clear and beautiful calligraphy. When the process of printing Gurbani first started, out of all the different scripts (i.e. Damdami, Kashmiri, Amritsari), the Damdami script was chosen, and Sant Hira Singh’s written letters were used to base their printing on. 4) Sant Haiba Singh Gurusar Batindha 5) Sant Dal Singh Bhucho Kala 6) Sant Narain Singh Giani Sekhwa Wale 7) Mahant Vir Singh Daudhar 8) Mahant Gurbakash Singh of Bunga Likharia Damdama Sahib 9) Pandit Shyam Singh Mangwal 10) Sant Bala Singh Khadur Sahib 11) Pandit Nanu Singh 12) Mahant Jai Singh Dera Sada Singh 13) Sant Bhoop Singh 14) Sant Naudh Singh BhaiRupa 15) Mahant Mahna Singh BhaiRupa 16) Sant Aghar Singh Tutomazara 17) Mahant Pratap Singh Dera Chaunk BabaSahib Amritsar 18) Sant Bhagwan Singh Giani Dera Manuke

Printed in 1908 using a Caxton hand press in Lahore, this Bhagat Bani Pothi was repaired and restored with meticulous care by one sevadar (volunteer) over the course of many months. The hard metal typeface produced an extremely bold print which was extremely well impressed into the thick machine made paper. The overall square shape of the Pothi is reminiscent of the traditional square shape of earlier handwritten manuscripts Pothis. However, it also has squares (boards which are bigger than the block of sections) in the manner of western style books. Images of the Pothi before conservation showing the damaged cover. The original cover was damaged by water but the boards were solid enough to be retained. The Pothi had been repaired in the past using simple, perhaps crude, methods which were nonetheless quite endearing. The original sewing had broken down and the stab-stitch method of repair meant the Pothi Sahib could not be opened and read easily. Quite interestingly, there were two cotton cords which had been tied between the boards in order to prevent the cover from being opened too widely. It is unclear whether this was a method which was used more widely in the past or whether it was a unique case. The stab stitching limited the opening making the text unreadable. The Pothi Sahib was entirely disbound and each section was guarded with 9gsm and 5gsm tissues. Care was taken to ensure enough of the stab-stitching holes were sealed up so that they would not hinder the opening by catching onto one another. The process of guarding. The sections were resewn using the original holes using a two-station link stitch. The spine was lined with Japanese paper followed by cotton and linen. An endband was sewn through each section using a structure developed at Pothi Seva. The primary sewing was sewn though a piece of handmade paper folded onto itself to form a tab which would later be used to attach the spine of the outer cover. The fabric of the original cover was maintained in its entirety and lined with a supporting Japanese paper in the spine which was toned to suit the original. Rather than adhering the fabric directly to the spine as it had been originally it was simply turned in to the spine tab. In this way, the spine covering was able to flex with the spine without actually being adhered down. The original cords which had been used to limit the opening of the boards were re-tied albeit at a more open angle. This project showed how carefully planned repairs and close attention to the needs of the book structure can produce durable yet aesthetically appropriate repairs which allow the Pothi Sahib to be read comfortably whilst also maintaining the evidence of its history. The Pothi Sahib after the conservation work was complete.