Curation of ginans for long-term access and preservation to foster research and learning in the digital era...
Ginan Collections
Tools & Resources
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Ginan Glossary
Learning terms & concepts in ginans -
Reverse Lexicon
Search words & concepts by defintion -
Ginan Keywords
Lookup ginan terminology in context -
Ginan Compilations
Thematic ginan playlists & resources -
Ginan Categories
For accessing ginans based on types -
Transliteration Guide
Decoding ginans in Khojki & Gujarai
What are ginans?
The word "ginan" is a derivative of the Sanskrit term jnan which means knowledge, wisdom or gnosis. In the context of the Ismaili Muslim community, the term is used for the community’s collection of oral tradition of gnostic and devotional hymns. There are about one thousand known ginans that are attributed to various composers (referred to as Pirs/Sayyids) and vary considerably in length, language, and composition.Watch Hymns of Wisdom: The Ismaili Ginans of South Asia, a lecture delivered at Claremont McKenna College by Dr. Ali Asani, professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Cultures at Harvard University [October 23, 2017; 69 minutes].