Rehras Sahib ਰਹਿਰਾਸ ਸਾਹਿਬ
Evening
The evening prayer, a collection of hymns recited at dusk to give thanks and seek strength at the close of the day.
What it is
Rehras is an anthology rather than a single composition: at its core stand the So Dar and So Purakh clusters — hymns of Guru Nanak, Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjan drawn from the Guru Granth Sahib — joined in practice by compositions of Guru Gobind Singh, including the Benti Chaupai’s petition for protection, six stanzas of the Anand Sahib, and closing verses. The exact contents have varied by community and era; the Rehat Maryada records the standard sequence.1,2
What it carries
The evening prayer turns on gratitude and steadying: so dar asks “what is that gate, what is that house?” where the divine sits sustaining all creation — and answers with a universe in attendance. Where the morning banis brace the day ahead, Rehras gathers its end: thanks for what was given, strength restored after labour, protection sought for the night.1,2
When it is read
Rehras is recited at dusk — in homes and in every gurdwara, where it precedes the evening settling of the scripture. The day it closes ends fully with Kirtan Sohila at bedtime.1,2
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