Editing Guru Angad (section)

==Influence==
===Gurmukhi script===
[[File:Gurmukhi inscription claimed to have been handwritten by Guru Angad to teach children at Khadur Sahib the glyphs ūṛā to ṇāṇā, ca.1539–1552.jpg|thumb|Gurmukhi inscription claimed to have been handwritten by Guru Angad to teach children at Khadur Sahib the glyphs ''ūṛā'' to ''ṇāṇā'', ca.1539–1552]]
Guru Angad is credited in the Sikh tradition with the [[Gurmukhi]] script, which is now the standard writing script for Punjabi language in India,<ref name="shacklexvii"/> in contrast to Punjabi language in Pakistan where now a Perso-Arabic script called [[Shahmukhi]] is the standard.<ref name="Bright1996p395">{{cite book|author1=Peter T. Daniels|author2=William Bright|title=The World's Writing Systems |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ospMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA395 |year=1996|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-507993-7|page=395}}</ref> The original Sikh scriptures and most of the historic Sikh literature have been written in the Gurmukhi script.<ref name=shacklexvii>{{cite book | last=Shackle | first=Christopher |author2=Mandair, Arvind-Pal Singh | year=2005 | title=Teachings of the Sikh Gurus: Selections from the Sikh Scriptures | publisher=Routledge  | location=United Kingdom | isbn = 0-415-26604-1 | pages=xvii–xviii}}</ref>

Angad standardised and made improvements to the scripts of the region to create the Gurmukhi script.<ref>{{cite book |last=Masica |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Masica |year=1993 |title=The Indo-Aryan Languages |place= Cambridge, U.K. |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-29944-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J3RSHWePhXwC&q=indoaryan+languages|page=143}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair|title=Sikhism: A Guide for the Perplexed |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vdhLAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA36 |year=2013|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=978-1-4411-0231-7|page=36}}</ref> Examples of possible forerunners of the script including at least one hymn written in acrostic form by Guru Nanak,<ref name=cole19>{{cite book | last=Cole | first=W. Owen | author2=Sambhi, Piara Singh | year=1978 | title=The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices | publisher=Routledge & Kegan Paul | location=London | isbn=0-7100-8842-6 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/sikhs00cole/page/19 19] | no-pp=true | url=https://archive.org/details/sikhs00cole/page/19 }}</ref> and its earlier history is yet to be fully determined.<ref name="JainCardona2007p594">{{cite book|author1=Danesh Jain|author2=George Cardona|title=The Indo-Aryan Languages |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OtCPAgAAQBAJ |date=26 July 2007|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-79711-9|pages=594–596}}</ref>

Angad also wrote 62 or 63 [[Salok]]s (compositions), which together constitute about one percent of the [[Guru Granth Sahib]], the primary scripture of Sikhism.<ref>{{cite book | last=Shackle | first=Christopher |author2=Mandair, Arvind-Pal Singh | year=2005 | title=Teachings of the Sikh Gurus: Selections from the Sikh Scriptures | publisher=Routledge  | location=United Kingdom | isbn = 0-415-26604-1 | page= xviii}}</ref> Rather than contribute hymns, Angad's importance was as a consolidator of Nanak's hymns.<ref name=cole19/> Angad would also supervise the writing down of Nanak's hymns by Bhai Paira Mokha and scrutinize the resulting compilation, preparing the way for a Sikh scripture, as well as the beginning of a vernacular Punjabi literature, as tradition holds that he may have also commissioned an account of Nanak's life from earlier disciples.<ref name=cole19/> The collection of hymns would also be increasingly important for the expanding community.<ref name=cole19/>

===Langar and community work===
Guru Angad is notable for systematising the institution of [[Langar (Sikhism)|langar]] in all Sikh [[gurdwara]] premises, where visitors from near and far could get a free simple meal in a communal seating.<ref name="Mandair2013p35"/><ref>{{cite book|author1=Pashaura Singh|author2=Louis E. Fenech|title=The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8I0NAwAAQBAJ |year=2014|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-969930-8|page=319}}</ref> He also set the rules and training method for volunteers (''[[sevadar]]s'') who operated the kitchen, placing emphasis on treating it as a place of rest and refuge, being always polite and hospitable to all visitors.<ref name="Mandair2013p35"/>

Angad visited other places and centres established by Guru Nanak for the preaching of Sikhism. He established new centres and thus strengthened its base.<ref name="Mandair2013p35"/>

===''Mall Akhara''===
[[File:Page 111 - two Sikh wrestlers. Watercolour drawing.jpg|thumb|19th century watercolour of two Sikh wrestlers in a match.]]
Angad, being a great patron of [[wrestling]],<ref>{{cite book|last1=Green|first1=Thomas|title=Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia of History and Innovation, Volume 2|date=2010|publisher=ABC-CLIO|location=Santa Barbara|isbn=9781598842432|page=286}}</ref> started a ''Mall [[Akhara]]'' (wrestling arena) system where physical exercises, martial arts, and wrestling was taught as well as health topics such as staying away from tobacco and other toxic substances.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sharma|first1=Rajkumar|title=Second Sikh Guru: Shri Guru Angad Sahib Ji|date=2014|publisher=Lulu Press|isbn=9781312189553}}</ref><ref name="Troubador Publishing Ltd">{{cite book|last1=Chowdhry|first1=Mohindra|title=Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars|date=2018|publisher=Troubador Publishing Ltd|location=Leicestershire|isbn=9781789010985|page=48}}</ref> He placed emphasis on keeping the body healthy and exercising daily.<ref name="Troubador Publishing Ltd"/> He founded many such ''Mall Akharas'' in many villages including a few in [[Khandur]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Dogra|first1=R. C.|last2=Mansukhani|first2=Gobind|title=Encyclopaedia of Sikh Religion and Culture|date=1995|publisher=Vikas Publishing House|isbn=9780706983685|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediaofs0000dogr/page/18 18]|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediaofs0000dogr/page/18}}</ref> Typically the wrestling was done after [[Nitnem|daily prayers]] and also included games and light wrestling.<ref name="Calcutta">{{cite journal|author=Sikh Cultural Centre|title=Physical Fitness: Sangati Mal Akhara|journal=The Sikh Review|date=2004|volume=52|issue=1-6; Issues 601–606|page=94}}</ref>

=== Biography of Nanak ===
It is said that Guru Angad commissioned the compiling of a biography covering the life of his predecessor, Guru Nanak.<ref name=":8" /> However, the identity of the work and whether or not it ever existed or even survives to the present-day, is debated.<ref name=":8" /> Some believe the [[Janamsakhis|Bhai Bala Vali tradition of the Janamsakhi literature]] was the biography on Nanak ordered by Angad.<ref name=":8" />