12 Best Gurbani Apps for your iPhone

We love our iPhones, don’t we? It is undoubtedly the most popular and successful Smart Phone of the decade and its popularity is even increasing with each passing day – if you look at the excitement of Apple fans for the next iPhone, you would believe me right.

And, if you ask me the reasons for its popularity, I have plenty of them to convince you! 😉

But here in this post, I am not going to do that because if I do, I will end up writing a journal on that, so lets get to the point! 😉

Like me, you would believe that Apps are the lifeline of any Smart phone and same applies to iPhone as well. The ever growing number and types of apps, and the problem they solve, are a great reason for anyone to go for a particular smart phone.

I have been using some great apps in the past 3 years since I have owned an iPhone, and I thought of sharing them here at iTA.

In this particular editorial, I have listed down some of the very useful and great Gurbani Apps for iPhone which you will definitely find helpful if you are read Gurbani, but cannot carry Gurbani Gutka (small book containing selected hymns from Sikh Scriptures) with them.

With the iPhone apps (and for that matter apps of any other smart phone – Android or Windows), there is a convenient way to read Sikh prayers. If you are on the train, in the office, delayed at the airport or even on the couch – you can access Sikh Prayers (Gurbani) to remember the Guru and recite Gurbani from any where and every where.

Here, we have prepared a list for some of the best & free Gurbani Apps available in the Apple App Store for your iPhone or iPad. If you have got an Android Phone, need not worry as majority of these apps are also available in the Android Market – now called Google Play store. Simply, go to the app store and search for these apps and you will find them there.

#1. Gurbani Anywhere

Gurbani Anywhere iPhone app is my personal favourite and is one of the best apps available out there for you to have access to various Gurbanis when you are on the go. Gurbani Anywhere is a complete Gurbani Application in the palm of your hand and is the only app on the iPhone that gives you access to this much Gurbani.

It has got the whole Nitnem – which means you can access Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Chaupai Sahib, Anand Sahib and all other nitnem baanis on the move.

Using Gurbani Anywhere, you can also search scriptures like Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Sri Dasam Granth Sahib Ji and Bhai Gurdas Ji Vaaran. Some of the top features include:

• Auto Search
• Full Gurmukhi Keyboard
• Search Shabad, Ang, Vaar or Pauri by just entering the number
• English translation & transliteration support
• Navigate through Shabads, Angs, Vaar or Pauri
• Auto scroll
• Retina display & Multitasking support

[Download: iPhone App Link]

#2. Nitnem Gutka

This is again one of our favourites which provides the whole Nitnem Sahib on your iPhone. One of the main advantages of this Gurbani App is that it includes Nitnem Sahib in both Punjabi and Hindi. So, those of you who don’t know Gurmukhi can use this app to read Nitnem in Hindi.

The Banis which are included in this app are: Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Shabad Hazaarey, Tav Prasad Savayiye, Anand Sahib, Chaupai Sahib and other Nitnem Gurbanis.

This app will soon have the bani of Dukh Bhanjni Sahib, Sukhmani Sahib and Mansarovar. So, this app is more or less equipped with all the Gurbanis you might need when you are travelling and don’t have the access to physical Gutka.

[Download: iPhone App Link]

#3. Gurbani World

Gurbani World iPhone App lets you listen and watch morning and evening Sikh prayers. On an easy-to-use start screen you can select which prayer to listen or watch. You can also read the daily Hukamnaama from Golden Temple right on your iPhone.

This Gurbani App has a unique “shake” feature which let’s you watch or listen morning/evening Gurbani just by shaking your iPhone.

Confused? Here is how this feature works.

This feature is accessible only in the mornings and evenings. If you shake your phone in the morning (from 4AM to 9 AM) the morning Sikh Prayers – Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Tev Prasad Swaye, Chaupai Sahib, Anand Sahib will be played. And, if you shake your phone from 4PM to 9PM, the evening Gurbani – Rehras Sahib, Kirtan Sahib start playing.

Another feature this app brings in the package is the “Daily Hukamnama.” Just rotate your phone landscape and you can view the day’s Hukamnama from Harmander Sahib.

[Download: iPhone App Link]

#4. Sikhnet Radio

Sikhnet Radio is a popular Gurbani iPhone app that allows you to listen to live kirtan audio streaming from Gurdwaras around the world. Its 60,000 downloads and a 4.5 start rating speaks for how awesome and useful this app is.

This Gurbani App includes popular live audio streams like live kirtan from Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, India.

In addition to the live broadcasts from Gurdwaras, it also provides access to different types of Gurbani music (Raag, Akhand Path, Western, Simran, etc).

Some of the top features of Sikhnet Radio iPhone app:

• Simple interface for listening radio channels
• Background audio playing support
• Pause/Stop control from lock screen
• “Now Playing” track/artist info
• Volume control slider on channel page
• Dynamic auto update of channel list from SikhNet

[Download: iPhone App Link]

#5. Sundar Gutka

Khalsa Sundar Gutka contains the daily and extended Sikh Prayers including Nitnem. Sundar Gutka iPhone app contains 40+ Sikh Prayers (Gurbanis).

Currently, the Banis included in Sundar Gutka iPhone App are: Gurmantar, JapJi Sahib, Shabad Hazaare, Jaap Sahib, Chaupai Sahib (3 different lengths), Anand Sahib, Asa di Var (With saloks), Rehraas Sahib (3 different lengths), Ardas, Sukhmani Sahib, Sukhmana Sahib, Bavan Akhree and many more.

Main Features of Sundar Gutka iPhone & iPad App:

• Select Bani length (effects Rehras, Chaupai and Kirtan Sohila)
• Larivaar option
• Romanized option
• Rearrange index (long press to edit)

[Download: iPhone App Link | iPad App Link]

#6. iNitnem [g] and iNitnem [e]

iNitnem is another nice app which has got version for both iPhone and iPad and comes in two variants – iNitnem [g] and iNitnem [e]. iNitnem [g] has all the gurbanis included only in Gurmukhi (punjabi) while iNitnem [e] includes the sikh prayers both in Gurmukhi and English. This app is developed by Kesri Nishaan.

iNitnem iPhone Gurbani App allows users to read the Sikh prayers on the go. iNitnem was the first FREE Sikh prayer (Gurbani) reader available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, it is now available for the iPad as well.

It includes Nitnem Sahib and additional Banis for you to access on the go!

[Download: iPhone App Link | iPad App Link]

#7. Dhur Ki Baani

Dhur Ki Baani is another great app by Kesri Nishaan to listen to live Kirtan on the go!

This app accesses Dhur Ki Bani servers to server live audio streaming from some of the very famous Sikh Temples (Gurdwaras) like Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) Amritsar, Dukh Nivaran Sahib Ludhiana, and many more Gurswaras from around the world.

All you need is this simple iPhone app and you can listen to the soothing Kirtan from any listed Gurdwara(s). Kesari Nishaan recently upgraded the app to its second version called Dhur Ki Baani 2 (Read more here).

[Download: iPhone App Link]

#8. Gutka – Sikh Prayers

Gutka is a simple iPhone Gurbani app which does just what it is supposed to do – present Sikh Prayers like Nitnem Sahib and Sukhmani Sahib in a very easy-to-read format.

You can open the Bani you want and simply scroll down to read it. You can also reduce or increase the font size of the Gurbani while reading it. It has also got 6 additional themes which you can chose to change the background and font colour.

Top Features of Gutka iPhone app:

• Nitnem Sahib and Sukhmani Sahib Banis
• Easily increase or decrease font size
• Beautiful selection of color themes
• Read in both portrait & landscape
• Flick to scroll

[Download: iPhone App Link]

#9. iSikhi – Gurbani Search Application

iSikhi is a very useful Gurbani Search Application for iPhone.

iSikhi allows you to search Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Gurdaas Ji’s Vaar, and Dasam Granth on your iPhone and iPod Touch devices.

iSikhi will seem quite familiar to you if you have used SikhiToTheMax which is the desktop version of Gurbani Search Application.

To use iSikhi Gurbani Search App, you only need to enter a few starting words or phrases in the Gurmukhi Keyboard in the app and hit Search. It will list all the matching verses from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and other scriptures mentioned above.

You can then click on the search results and read the whole verse from the Bani. It also has an option to translate the Gurbani to English and Spanish which you can change from Settings.

Top Features of iSikhi Gurbani Search iPhone App:

• A simple UI to Search Gurbani right on your iPhone
• Includes Spanish & English Translations and English Transliteration
• Pinch and Zoom the search results

[Download: iPhone App Link]

#10. MyNitnem

Another iPhone Gurbani App on the list – MyNitnem – which allows you to read the daily Sikh prayers, Nitnem Sahib conveniently where ever you may be!

My Nitnem has got all the Nitnem daily Sikh prayers – Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Savaiye, Chaupai Sahib, Aanand Sahib and Kirtan Sohila. There are many additional Banis added as well. Download and check out this simple Gurbani App.

[Download: iPhone App Link]

#11. Sikh Sangeet

The Sikh Sangeet iPhone App brings Shabad Gurbani Kirtan, Dharmik Katha Veechar, Gurbani Uchaaran and Dhadi Vaaran right to your iPhone.

You just need to launch the app and browse (or search) from a huge collection of Sikh Music from the Shri Guru Granth Sahib and the Dasam Granth, and other Dharmik music.

Select the track you want to play, and click on Start!

[Download: iPhone App Link]

#12. Daily Hukamnaama

With this iPhone App, you can get the daily Hukamnama from Golden Temple, Amritsar in Gurmukhi (Punjabi) and English right onto your iPhone/iPod Touch.

You can also also listen to a list of Gurbani Radios from around the world.

[Download: iPhone App Link]

Bonus Gurbani Apps:

Below is a list of apps suggested by our respected readers:

#13. iGurbani

iGurbani is a powerful Gurbani Search Engine that allows you to search the Sikh scriptures. You can accurately read shabads from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib in a revolutionary style of showing the vishraams – instead of commas, the vishraams are highlighed in a specific color.

Top Features of iGurbani:

• Includes the Sikh scriptures – Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Sri Dasam Granth Sahib Ji, Bhai Gurdas Ji Vaaran, Bhai Nand Lal Ji
• Includes English translations with intuitive modern interface
• Multiple Keyboards
• You can search by First Letter (From Start) or by First Letter (From Anywhere)
• Allows you to search Ang/Vaar or even a full word (Gurmukhi/English)
• Maintains search history
• You can also favourite any of the Gurbani
• Includes Twitter support
• Optimized for iPhone

[Download: iPhone App Link]

#14. Live Kirtan Golden Temple (Darbaar Sahib) Amritsar

This app is quite similar to Dhur Ki Baani App except for the fact that unline DKB app which has live feeds from various sikh temples in the world, this five-star rated gurbani app in the app store is dedicated to The Golden Temple, Amritsar.

Using Live Kirtan Golden Temple app, you can access live audio and daily scriptures from The Golden Temple right on your iPhone in an amazing user interface.

In addition to listening to Live Kirtan, you can also listen to recorded Kirtram from Golden Temple and read or listen to Sri Guru Granth Sahib. You can also read page by page translation of the sikh scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

Top Features:

• Live Kirtan Stream & recorded Kirtan from Sri Harmandir Sahib, Golden Temple Amritsar
• Listen Nitnem
• Read Daily Hukumnana & Hukumnama for selected date; you can even listen to Hukamnama
• Read Sri Guru Granth Sahib including page-by-page translation
• Listen to Sri Guru Granth sahib ji
• Share Hukumnama on Facebook
• View Jantri
• Download/Stream Audible Hukumnana
• Switch between pages in Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji listen mode from lock screen
• Dictionary for words in Guru Granth Sahib ji (Sabad kosh/Mahan Kosh)
• iPhone 5 Support
• AirPlay Support

[Download: iPhone App Link]

These are (almost!) all of the best iPhone Gurbani Apps which are available on the Apple App Store at the time of writing this editorial.

I hope you find this list useful and connect to the Parmatma (The Supreme Soul) by listening to and reading the Gurbani using these apps 🙂

If you find this helpful, do drop us a line and also share this post with your friends around the world on Facebook and Twitter!