pronunciation of ੴ

i've heard people pronounce ੴ in surprisingly different ways. i've been taught "ik oan(g)kaar". some people put a small "y" or "i" after the "ik", so it sounds like, "ik-y-oan(g)kaar". some people say "ik omkaar". i've seen it written out as "ekkankaar" (i even think there's an american cult, very loosely based on sikhi with this name). still others say it with other variations. i once saw a bizarre paper on a "missionary" website that suggested the correct pronunciation is "ik-oh-beant" (because oankaar might have some distant connection to hinduism).
i also know this was a point of contention between bhai sahib rhandir singh ji and akali kaur singh ji. but i don't know how bhai sahib pronounced it.

thoughts?

The pronunciation of ੴ should be ਓਅੰਕਾਰ. Bhai Sahib Vir Singh jee has suggested that the pronunciation should be ਓਂਕਾਰ which too seems to be fine.

Some RSS minded people pronounce it as ਓਮ which is totally wrong. No Sikh organization in the present or in the past pronounced it as ਓਮ. In fact this is a conspiracy by some Hindu-minded people to Hinduize the Sikh faith.

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i once saw a bizarre paper on a "missionary" website that suggested the correct pronunciation is "ik-oh-beant" (because oankaar might have some distant connection to hinduism).

This is really shameless behaviour of some Missionaries who are extremely Hindu-phobic and suggest this kind of rubbish suggestions. No one is going to heed to their atheist propaganda. At best they should be just ignored. It is sad that a small segment within the Missionaries has hijacked all Missionaries and this way corrupted a very promising Panthik organization. Guru Sahib kirpa karan.

Kulbir Singh

Penjee,

If you listen to any santhiaa or katha MP3 from Damdamee Taksaal Sevaadaars, The Pronounciation technique used is "Ik-OanKaar". Giani Thakur Singh jee explains this by saying that the "Uuraa" in "Ik Oankaar" is left open on top to represent Akaal Purakh (timeless being) and hence should be pronounced with an open sound "Oankaar" not the likes of "Om Kaarr". You will notice apart from Ik Oankaar, Uraas tend to be closed from the top. Considering Taksaal is a reliable source for gurbanee vichaars and uchaaran, daas decided to share this info. "Om Kaar" is a closed sound and as bhai kulbir singh jee mentions, it is propaganda in order to hinduize our dharam, considering Om is the holy word derived from Hinduism. If you ever hear some say "OM KAR" before japjee sahib or any other bani, please correct them, as they are simply reading the most basic essence of gurbani incorrectly.

Bhul Chuak Muaaf Jee
VahegurooJeeKaaKhalsaa VahegurooJeeKeeFatheh
Daas
Tanvir Singh

veerji, i had heard the same thing about the open oorraa representing god. it makes sense. i never really took the "ik omkaar" camp too seriously.

but i keep hearing people (including respected gursikhs) saying "ik-y-oankaar". what's that about?

Always wondered about this, but after reading the first pauree of Sri Dakhni O-Ang-Kar Sahib, Chatrik started pronouncing it as ਓਅੰਕਾਰ .

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1kaur phen ji
i keep hearing people (including respected gursikhs) saying "ik-y-oankaar". what's that about?

was thinking about the same thing and was about to ask the same thing...
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is ਓਂਕਾਰ = Ik-OanKaar ? (with the nasal sound )

Chota veer

Guru Piyare bibi jio,

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh

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but i keep hearing people (including respected gursikhs) saying "ik-y-oankaar". what's that about?

That is because of reading it fast. Ideally there should be a pause after Ik because Ik is a separated from rest of the word so the pronunciation of ੴ should be in two words.

With Regards,
Daas,
Jasjit Singh

thanks bhai sahib, that makes sense.

Talwara Ji, corrected me while I was pronouncing it as said above i.e. "reading it fast." I may not be able in writting it over here. It is as Bhein Ji said in the first post "ik oan(g)kaar" or a slight variant as "ik o-an(g)kaar".

the 1 stands for eik and the o stands for onkar and if u make them together its ikonkar

thats my best prediction

I have also heard many people, including Raagis doing Uchaaran of ੴ as ik-eeunkaar which seems very wrong indeed.