Evidence
Raagmala in the handwritten Birs
Before the printing press, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji was copied by hand. Raagmala is found in those Saroops, in the same hand, ink and paper as the Bani around it, and listed in their indexes. This page collects the photographs we have, and what the historic Birs record.
Where Raagmala appears
The Kartarpuri Bir
Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji had Bhai Gurdas Ji write the Aad Granth. Raagmala is present, written in the same ink, on the same paper and in the same hand as the rest of the Gurbani. This was confirmed by Sikh scholars, as recorded in Kartarpuri Bir De Darshan, and by the inspections of 1945 which found Raagmala at page 974 with a matching entry in the index. The Bir is at Sri Kartarpur Sahib (Doaba).
Bhai Banno Ji's copy
Bhai Banno Ji copied the Kartarpuri Bir. Raagmala is included.
The Damdami Bir
At Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji dictated the whole of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji to Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Ji as scribe. Raagmala is present.
Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Ji's four Saroops
Baba Deep Singh Ji wrote four Saroops of the final Bir, sent to the Takhats. All four contain Raagmala, in the same handwriting, ink and paper.
The Bhai Roopa Saroop
A handwritten Saroop copied from one by Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Ji, kept since then by the family of Bhai Roop Chand Ji in Bhai Roopa village, Bathinda. Raagmala is present. See below.
For the manuscript argument in detail, read Raagmala in the Birs: the case for manuscript continuity, which works through Sant Tehal Singh's survey of twenty-five Birs and the three Kartarpur inspections of 1945 reproduced by Dr Balbir Singh.
Raagmala at Takhat Sri Patna Sahib
Eleven handwritten Saroops, each photographed at Raagmala. One is dated Sammat 1841. Tap to enlarge.
These pages carry the watermark of the Panjab Digital Library (panjabdigilib.org), which digitised the Saroops.
Other Saroops
Handwritten Saroop
Raagmala in the Saroop with Bhai Roop Chand Ji's descendants
This handwritten Guru Granth Sahib Ji Saroop is found at Bhai Roopa village in the Bathinda district of Punjab and was copied from a Saroop by Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Ji. It has been kept with Bhai Roopa Ji's family since that time, and the authenticity lies in the fact that the family who possess this Saroop trace their lineage back to four of the Guru Sahibs and also possess many other historical artefacts bestowed on them by the Gurus.
On closer analysis we found that the handwriting of the likhari, the paper used and the border design match those on all the other Angs. Pictured are Raagmala and Japji Sahib for comparison.
The Bhai Roop Chand Ji lineage
Bhai Roop Chand Ji was one of the five Sikhs blessed with the title of 'Bhai' by Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, who also gave him the name 'Roop Chand' at birth. The foundation of village Bhai Roopa was laid by Guru Ji themselves on 16 Baisakh 1687 Bikrami (1630 AD). Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji placed Bhai Roop Chand Ji in charge of the spiritual welfare of the new region of Malwa and the country south of the Sutlej. With his own hands Guru Ji made him the Masand of the area, put the tilak on his forehead and gave him a karchha, a long spoon, asking him to run langar to feed the poor and the needy.
Bhai Roop Chand Ji and his descendants were also very close to Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji decided that Bhai Roop Chand Ji would perform the marriage ceremony of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Mata Jeeto Ji. The family and sons continued to serve Guru Gobind Singh Ji and took Amrit at Damdama Sahib. Guru Ji, pleased with their devotion, gave them their personal Gurbani Pothi with Guru Ji's signature, a handkerchief and a small knife, and showered his blessings on them.
The Bhai Roopa family also possesses a bundle of hukamnamas from the Guru Sahibs in which, besides asking for men, money and war materials, the Guru acknowledged the family as his own; a chariot, rabab and khadawan (wooden shoe) of Guru Arjan Dev Ji; a khadawan of Mata Ganga Ji; paintings from the Guru Sahibs' times including one of Guru Gobind Singh Ji's childhood; one handwritten Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (which includes Raagmala); a karchha, a katar, many handwritten pothis, the cot used when the title of Bhai was bestowed, the original top cloth of the rath; a personal pothi signed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, a gatre wali kirpan, a rumal, a loh, a garwa, a camel seat, a gagar, a parat and an old chowki, and a loh at Syriawala.