Sikhism was founded over 500 years ago,
and today holds over 20 million followers world-wide.
Sikh means disciple in Punjabi and refers
to the followers of the Ten Sikh Gurus.
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion derived from neighbouring
Hindu and Muslim faiths. Sikhs believe that the soul
undergoes a series of rebirths before entering the human
form. Spiritual enlightenment is attained through an
honest existence, in earning a living, making a home
and abstaining from wordly temptations such as alcohol.
Sikhs reject rituals associated with Hinduism and Islam,
including fasting, pilgrimage and idol worship. Sikhs
also reject the Hindu caste system and profess equality
of race, religion and sex.
Guru Nanak, born in 1469, founded the Sikh religion.
Preaching love and understanding Guru Nanak criticized
key rituals of the Hindu and Muslim faiths. Guru Nanak
passed leadership of this new religion to nine successive
Gurus. Guru Gobind Sing, the final living Guru and founder
of the Khalsa, died in 1708.
Meaning pure, the Khalsa order of soldier-saints
maintain the highest Sikh virtues of commitment, dedication
and social consciousness. The Khalsa must be baptised,
follow the Sikh Code of Conduct and Conventions and wear
the prescribed physical articles of the faith, including
uncut hair, often covered by a turban, and ceremonial
sword (kirpan).
Believing that Sikhs no longer needed a living Guru,
Guru Gobind Singh declared the Sri Guru Granth Sahib,
a collection of spiritual writings compiled by Guru Arjun,
the Eternal Guru. Unique among religious scriptures,
the Sri Guru Granth Sahib is considered the spiritual
head of the Sikh faith and contains the scriptures of
other religions consistent with Sikhism. Sikhs are free
to read the Guru Granth Sahib (granthi) at home or in
the gurdwara (meaning door to enlightenment).
People of all faiths are welcome in the gurdwara. Each
gurdwara contains a free community kitchen (langar),
an institution dating to Guru Nanak as a symbol of basic
Sikh principles service, humility and equality.
The Harmiandir Sahib (The Golden Temple) at Amritsar
in the Punjab region of northern India is the inspirational
and historical centre of Sikhism. The Golden Temple,
however, is not a mandatory place of pilgrimage or worship.
Rather, each place housing the Guru Granth is considered
equally holy for Sikhs. Many Sikhs keep the Guru Granth
in their homes, reserving an entire room for the book
as a sign of respect. Worship takes place in front of
the Guru Granth where Sikhs bow before the book with
their heads covered.
Recorded information on: Ragarhia
Sabha,
Wolverhampton
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