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HISTORY
The history of Sikhism started with Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Guru in the fifteenth
century in the Punjab region in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. The religious
practices were formalised by Guru Gobind Singh Ji on 13 April 1699. The latter baptised five
persons from different social backgrounds to form Khalsa (ਖਖਖਖਖਖ). The first five, Pure Ones,
then baptised Gobind Singh into the Khalsa fold. This gives the order of Khalsa, a history of
around 300 years.
The history of Sikhism is closely associated with the history of Punjab and the socio-
political situation in 16th-century Northwestern Indian subcontinent (modern Pakistan and India).
During the Mughal rule of India (1556–1707), Sikhism was in conflict with the Mughal empire
laws, because they were affecting political successions of Mughals while cherishing saints from
Hinduism and Islam. Prominent Sikh Gurus were killed by Islamic rulers for refusing to convert
to Islam, and for opposing the persecution of Sikhs and Hindus.[4] Of total 10 Sikh gurus, last 6
gurus were persecuted, 2 gurus themselves were tortured and executed (Guru Arjan and Guru
Tegh Bahadur), and close kins of several gurus brutally killed (such as 6 and 9 years old sons of
Guru Gobind Singh), along with numerous other main revered figures of Sikhism were tortured
and killed (such as Banda Bahadur, Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dayala), by Islamic
rulers for refusing to convert to Islam, and for opposing the persecution of Sikhs and Hindus.
Subsequently, Sikhism militarised to oppose Mughal hegemony. The emergence of the Sikh
Confederacy under the misls and Sikh Empire under reign of the Maharajah Ranjit Singh was
characterised by religious tolerance and pluralism with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in
positions of power. The establishment of the Sikh Empire is commonly considered the zenith of
Sikhism at political level, during this time the Sikh Empire came to include Kashmir, Ladakh, and
Peshawar. A number of Muslim and Hindu peasants converted to Sikhism. Hari Singh Nalwa,
the Commander-in-chief of the Sikh army along the North West Frontier, took the boundary of
the Sikh Empire to the very mouth of the Khyber Pass. The Empire's secular administration
integrated innovative military, economic and governmental reforms.
The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947, saw heavy conflict in the Punjab
between Sikh and Muslims, which saw the effective religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and
Hindus from West Punjab which mirrored a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims in
East Punjab.
Nanak in Punjab
After the last of his great journeys, Guru Nanak settled in the town of Kartapur (in
Punjab) on the banks of the Ravi where he taught for another fifteen years. Followers from all
over came to settle in Kartapur to listen, and sing, and be with him. During this time, although
his followers still remained Hindu, Muslim, or of the religion to which they were born, they
became known as the Guru's disciples, or sikhs. It was here his followers began to refer to him
as teacher, or guru.
It was here that the Guru told his followers that they were to be householders and could
not live apart from the world—there were to be no priests or hermits. Here is where the Guru
instituted the common meal; requiring the rich and poor, Hindu and Muslim, high caste and low
cast, to sit together while eating. Here is where Lehna, later to be Guru Angad, came to be with
Guru Nanak.
Just before Guru Nanak died, he called his disciples together and requested them to
sing Sohila, the evening hymn. To satisfy both his Hindu and Muslim follower as to the funeral
arrangements it is said he did not allow his body to remain behind.
Sikhism and Hinduism share many similarities and many Hindus consider Sikhism to be
a branch of Hinduism and even insist some of their children are raised as Sikhs. Sikhism
embraces the Hindu concepts of karma, rebirth and prasad. Sikhs believe an individual passes
through five stages beginning with 1) manmukh (an evildoer who puts and emphasis on
materials an indulges in five deadly pleasures similar to the Christian deadly sins) and ending
with 4) gurumukh (being absorbed into the Guru) 5) sackand (utter bliss, beyond rebirth).
The belief system propounded by the gurus has its origins in the philosophy and
devotions of Hinduism and Islam, but the formulation of Sikhism is unique. God is the creator of
the universe and is without qualities or differentiation in himself. The universe (samsar ) is not
sinful in its origin but is covered with impurities; it is not suffering, but a transitory opportunity for
the soul to recognize its true nature and break the cycle of rebirth. The unregenerate person is
dominated by self-interest and remains immersed in illusion (maya ), leading to bad karma.
Meanwhile, God desires that his creatures escape and achieve enlightenment (nirvana) by
recognizing his order in the universe. He does this by manifesting his grace as a holy word,
attainable through recognition and recitation of God's holy name (nam ). The role of the guru,
who is the manifestation of God in the world, is to teach the means for prayer through the Guru
Granth Sahib and the community of believers. The guru in this system, and by extension the
Guru Granth Sahib , are coexistent with the divine and play a decisive role in saving the world.
[Source: Library of Congress]
Salvation and Sikh enlightenment are reached by attaining harmony with god and
rejecting the unreal attachments of the world. Reaching harmony takes discipline. It is not
reached through rites and pilgrimages but through internal worship. Sikhs believe in
reincarnation but believe the cycle ends when one is born a man.
Sikhs are expected to find a place in the world and incorporate God and their religion
into their everyday life. There is strong emphasis on participating in a community and engaging
in community service, with much of it focused around Sikh temples. Political and social life are
mixed with spiritual life.
Sikhism is egalitarian. Men and women are of equal status. Women can become priests.
Decisions are made by the entire community in an open forum. Everyone is known as sadar
(“leader”) and everyone eats together in the community kitchen. Priests and temple managers
are elected democratically. There is no ordained priesthood.
Sikh Temples
Sikh temples are called gurudwaras, or God’s portals. In the inner sanctuary of the
temple is a copy of the Guru Granath. Generally there are no images of the Gurus. Many Sikh
temples, shrines and holy sites are associated with major events in Sikh history. Sikhs are
expected to give ten percent of their earnings to their gurudwara.
Regarded more as places for communities to gather than places of worship, Sikh
temples typically have a library and rooms or buildings for social events in addition to an
elaborate worship hall. Many Sikh temples have sports facilities, schools and clinics with free
medical service.
Sikh temples have community kitchen and eating area called a langar, which serves up
free vegetarian meals that can eaten by anyone regardless of nationality, race, caste or religion.
Langers are an expression as Sikh devotion to service and charity, with temple members giving
what they can and taking what they need. In the langar everyone sits on the floor while eating, a
custom initiated by Guru Marak as a rebuke to caste system traditions which prohibited
members of different castes from eating together. Langar (“anchor”) refers to food, the kitchen
and the eating area.
Before entering a Sikh temple worshipers must wash their feet. In the Golden Temple
Sikhs touch their forehead to the ground, offer coins and receive sacred food. Chanting and
singing of hymns, or kirtan, go on around the clock except for a brief break at midnight. The
waters around the temple are regarded as sacred, the Sikh equivalent of holy rivers like the
Ganges.
Sikh Rituals
Distributing prasadam Sikhs do not put so much emphasis on ritual. Guru Nanak
thought many rituals were empty formalities. He encouraged people to look within themselves
for meaning. Prayer is considered important and is practiced at both home and temples. Daily
recitations of certain texts, namely verses from the Guru Granth Sahib, are said after bathing
and getting up, and during daily family gathering, and attendance with the Khalsa at the temple.
Many Sikhs awaken at 3:30am for meditation and chanting. Devote Sikhs whisper the
name of their god, Satnaam, Wah Guru and meditate on his truth for hours on end. The main
Sikh prayer, believed to be his first words heard by Guru Nanak after receiving his original call
from God goes:
God is one
God’s name is truth
Without fear
Without enmity
Immortal in form
Unborn and self existent
Known by the grace of the Guru
During readings of the Guru Granth Sahib some Sikhs ceremoniously wave yak-hair
whisks across the altar while others read from the holy book and collect donations. Sikh homes
have altars with prints of Guru Nanak and the other gurus, seemingly in defiance of the Sikh
prohibition on the worship of idols. Devout young men are baptized.
Sikh dead are cremated. During the funeral the evening hymn is sung. The Guru
Granath is often read from beginning to end by members of deceased’s family, a ritual which
generally lasts from seven to ten days.
ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
Through Brahma, the hymns of the Vedas were revealed, but the love of Maya spread.The wise
one, Shiva, remains absorbed in himself, but he is engrossed in dark passions and excessive
egotism. ||2|| Vishnu is always busy reincarnating himself - who will save the world? The
Gurmukhs are imbued with spiritual wisdom in this age; they are rid of the darkness of
emotional attachment. ||3|| (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 559)
ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ
ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ
Brahma and Vishnu, the Rishis and the silent sages, Shiva and Indra, penitents and beggars
- whoever obeys the Hukam of the Lord's Command, looks beautiful in the Court of the True
Lord, while the stubborn rebels die. (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 992)
ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ…ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
ਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ
The Vedas do not know His greatness. Brahma does not know His mystery…. Shiva does not
know His mystery. The gods gave grown weary of searching for Him.(Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang
894)
ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
Even the god of creation, god of death, the god of sustenance and king of heaven would have to
die at last. Those who have adorned God, would be made free from the cycle of transmigration.
||8|| (Akal Ustat, Guru Gobind Singh Ji)
ਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ
ਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ
ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖ
ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ
ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ
ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ
Even after reading lakhs of Vedas, Brahma did not understand syllable (paramatama)
Siva meditates through lakhs of methods (postures) but still could not recognise the form, hue
and guise (of the Lord).
Visnu incarnated himself through lakhs of creatures but he could not recognise even a bit of that
Lord.
Sesanag (the mythical snake) recited and remembered many a new name of the Lord but still
could not know much about Him.
Many long-lived persons experienced life variously, but they all and many a philosopher could
not understand Sabda, the Brahma. All got engrossed in the gifts of that Lord and that bestower
has been forgotten. (Bhai Gurdas Ji, Vaar 18)
In Sikh religion only Waheguru is the object of belief and adoration and we are enjoined to
worship Him alone.
ਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
ਖਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ
One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No
Hatred. Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent, accessible by the grace of the
Guru. (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 1)
ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖ
ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ
ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ
ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ
ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ
ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
My Master is eternal. He is seen by practicing the Word of the Shabad. He never perishes; He
does not come or go in reincarnation. So serve Him, forever and ever; He is contained in all.
Why serve another who is born, and then dies? Fruitless is the life of those who do not know
their Lord and Master, and who center their consciousness on others. O Nanak, it cannot be
known, how much punishment the Creator shall inflict on them. ||1|| (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang
509)
ਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਾ ਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖਖ
ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ
ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖ
ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
It is so hard to obtain that devotional worship of the Lord, O Saints. It cannot be described at all.
||1|| O Saints, as Gurmukh, find the Perfect Lord, and worship the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
||1||Pause|| Without the Lord, everything is filthy, O Saints; what offering should I place before
Him? ||2|| (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 910)
Hindu: You state that Gurmat condemns the worship of gods and goddesses. But the Tenth
Guru himself worshiped goddesses as is written in Bachittar Natak.
ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ
“Mahakal Kalika Aradhi”
And it appears that the Guru wrote Chandi Charitar in praise of goddess Chandi and has
described the importance of its recitation, e.g.
ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ, ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ (ਖਖਖਖ
ਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ: ਖਖ)
ਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ (ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ: ਖਖ)
Sikh: Dear Hindu brother, Guru has described the Eternal as:
ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ
Salutation to Thee O Supreme Knower Lord! Salutation to Thee O Universal Mother Lord! ||52||
In the above quotation Kalika does not mean anything different from Eternal. To dispel all your
doubts we show the condemnation of the worship of goddess in these six statements.
a) Guru Gobind Singh Ji has ordained the Sikhs:
ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖ
Except Waheguru (God), do not accept anyone as the ruler and controller of the world.
And it is written in the Vaar (ode) of Chandi:
ਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ
O Lord! By creating Durga, Thou hast caused the destruction of demons.
It proves that there is a Creator of Durga and she is His Creature. Is it possible that the Guru
counsels his Sikhs one thing and he himself does the totally opposite? It is not possible.
b) Guru Sahib makes this supplication and promise:
ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖਖਖਖ ਖ ਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖ
I may remember none else except Thee; and obtain all the required boons from Thee. (Chaupai
Sahib)
ਖ ਖਖਖਖਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖ ਖ
One True Eternal, Victory to the Wonderful Lord.
Then how can anyone come to the conclusion that Guru Sahib worshipped Durga? It simply
never happened.
d) Sikhs believe that the Ten Gurus were in reality One. Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s ideas and
objectives were the same as those of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. This is written in Guru Granth Sahib
Ji:
ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖਖਖਖ ਖ
The angelic beings, goddesses and gods are deluded by doubt. (Ang 258)
SYMBOL / LOGO
Sikhism is a young religion founded in the 15th Century with followers mainly in India and
Pakistan. The principal belief of Sikhism is faith in waheguru – represented using the sacred
symbol of ik ōaṅkār, the Universal God.
Khanda:
The special Sikh religous symbol is made up of three images: The Khanda, which is a double
edged sword. This represents the belief in one God. The Chakkar, like the Kara it is a circle
representing God without beginning or end and reminding Sikhs to remain within the rule of
God. Two crossed kirpans representing spiritual authority and political power.
FOUNDER
Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak (1469-1539) was one of the greatest religious innovators of all time and the
founder of the Sikh religion.
Guru Nanak's birthday is celebrated by Sikhs on April 14th by the Nanakshahi calendar. (The
date according to the lunar calendar changes annually but is usually in November.)
Nanak's religious ideas draw on both Hindu and Islamic thought, but are far more than
just a synthesis. Nanak was an original spiritual thinker and expressed his thoughts in
extraordinary poetry that forms the basis of Sikh scripture.
Little is known about the life of Nanak, but Sikh tradition has a much-loved set of stories
or janam sakhis which relate various incidents from his life, and include many of his important
teachings.
Nanak was born about 40 miles from Lahore (now in Pakistan) in 1469. Sikh traditions
teach that his birth and early years were marked with many events that demonstrated
that God had marked him out for something special and was keeping an eye on him.
His family were Hindus, but Nanak soon showed an advanced interest in religion and
studied Islam and Hinduism extensively. As a child he demonstrated great ability as a poet and
philosopher.
One famous story about Guru Nanak tells of his rebellion at the age of eleven. At this
age Hindu boys of his caste would start to wear the sacred thread to distinguish them. Nanak
refused, saying that people should be distinguished by the things that they did, and their
individual qualities, rather than by a thread.
Nanak continued to demonstrate a radical spiritual streak - arguing with local holy men and
sages, both Hindu and Muslim, that external things like pilgrimages, penances, and poverty
were of far less spiritual importance than internal changes to the individual's soul.
He worked for a while as an accountant but while still quite young decided to devote
himself to spiritual matters. He was inspired by a powerful spiritual experience that gave him a
vision of the true nature of God, and confirmed his idea that the way to spiritual growth was
through meditation and through living in a way that reflected the presence of the divine within
each human being.
In 1496, although married and having a family, Nanak set out on a set of spiritual
journeys through India, Tibet and Arabia that lasted nearly 30 years. He studied and debated
with the learned men he met along the way and as his ideas took shape he began to teach a
new route to spiritual fulfilment and the good life.
The last part of his life was spent at Kartarpur in the Punjab, where he was joined by
many disciples attracted by his teachings.