Year 6: Sikhism

Overview and origins

Sikhism was founded in the 16th century in the Punjab district of what is now India and Pakistan. It was founded by Guru Nanak and is based on his teachings, and those of the 9 Sikh gurus who followed him.

There are approximately 20 million followers worldwide, most of whom live in the Punjab province of India. The 2001 census recorded 336,000 Sikhs living in the UK.

Sikhism is not derived from any other religion.

The word 'Sikh' in the Punjabi language means 'disciple', Sikhs are the disciples of God who follow the writings and teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus.

Look at these webpages for a summary of the religion: Primary Homework Help | BBC Bitesize

Sikhism: Key Facts

Place of Origin: The Punjab (Panjab or Panj), an area of Northern India

Founder: Guru Nanak

Sacred Text: Guru Granth Sahib

Sacred Building: Gurdwara

Holy Place: Nankana Sahib, where the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak Dev was born.

Major Festivals

Hola Mohalla - February/March - a time for contests when Sikhs show their skills at athletics, horsemanship and martial arts.
Baisakhi - March/April - New Year's Day in the Punjab.
Diwali - October - a festival when the story of Hargobind, the sixth Guru, is told.
Guru Nanak's Birthday - October/November- The Guru Granth Sahib is carried through the streets by five men.

The Khalsa

In 1699 the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, chose Vaisakhi as the occasion to transform the Sikhs into a family of soldier saints, known as the Khalsa Panth.
Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa in front of thousands at Anandpur Sahib. During the Vaisakhi festival Guru Gobind Singh came out of a tent carrying a sword. He challenged any Sikh who was prepared to give his life for his faith to come into the tent.
I am now a part of the khalsa
One man bravely volunteered he went inside the tent. There was a swish of a sword. The Guru returned alone with his sword covered in blood. He then requested another volunteer and repeated the same action four times until five men disappeared into the tent.
The crowd was very concerned until they saw five men return wearing turbans with the Guru. These five men became known as the Panj Piare, or 'Beloved Five'.
The men were then baptised into the Khalsa by the Guru. He sprinkled them with Amrit ('immortalising nectar': the Sikh term for holy water) and said prayers. This is the basis of the Sikh baptism ceremony.
Vaisakhi is celebrated in the same way as it was celebrated at the time of the Guru. Gudwaras are decorated and visited. Parades, dancing and singing happen throughout the day. Many Sikhs choose to be baptised into the Khalsa brotherhood on this day.

The Importance of the Langar

At the centre of Sikh teaching about equality is the langar (kitchen).

Every gurdwara has a langar where all people are welcome to a free meal regardless of their sex, colour or religion. There are no rituals observed in the langar and everyone eats together. All the food is vegetarian so that no religious group is offended.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji established the langar because he rejected the Hindu caste system where people of different castes do not eat together. Guru Nanak Dev Ji wanted to stress the idea that everyone is equal. Everyone shares the tasks of preparation, cooking, serving and cleaning. This shows sewa - selfless service to the others in the sadhsangat (community), the gurdwara, and the world outside.

The teaching of the langar was continued by Guru Amar Das Ji (the third Guru) who made a rule that no one, however important, could see him until they had first eaten in the langar.

The Golden Temple

10 Interesting Facts about the Golden Temple

The Golden Temple is regarded as the most sacred place of worship for the Sikhs. It is located in Amritsar, Punjab.
The construction of the Golden Temple started in 1588.
The foundation of the Golden Temple was laid down by a Muslim saint Mian Mir.
It is mostly made out of marble but it is gold plated with real gold, which covers most of the outside portion.
The Golden Temple is also known as the ‘Darbar Sahib’ or ‘Harmandar Sahib.’
The water that surrounds the Golden Temple is known as the Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar) and the water of the pool is said to have special properties.
The largest langar of all Gurudwaras is organized everyday at the Golden Temple, where around 35,000 people a day are fed for free by temple volunteers.
All the diners have to sit on the floor, irrespective of caste, status, wealth or creed, symbolizing the central Sikh doctrine of the equality of all people.
The Golden Temple has four entrances in the North, East, South and West, indicating that people from all four corners of the earth are welcome here and are permitted to enter.
The stairs entering the temple go down, rather than up like traditional holy places. They are deliberately designed in such a fashion to bring a sense of humbleness and eradicate arrogance in visitors.

Anand Karaj – The wedding ceremony

A Sikh wedding usually takes place in the morning. It is held in front of a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib. In India a bride may traditionally be dressed in red but in other countries she may wear white with her head covered with a chunni (scarf). The groom wears a coloured turban and scarf and carries a kirpan (a ceremonial sword or dagger). The idea of a dowry is forbidden in Sikhism. Any Sikh can conduct the ceremony.

Before the service the families meet and give gifts and then eat a meal (called the milni). The ceremony starts with the morning hymn, Asa di var, and the Ardas (a prayer for important tasks). The Sikh ideal of marriage is explained as the joining together of two souls.

A Sikh couple takes four turns around their sacred book...

The bride and groom bow to the Guru Granth Sahib to show that they accept these teachings and wish to spend the rest of their lives together supporting each other physically and spiritually.The bride’s father places flower garlands over the couple and ties one end of the groom’s scarf to the end of the bride’s head scarf. This shows that she is leaving her father and joining her husband.

The 5K's

The 5 Ks date from the creation of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.

The 5 Ks taken together symbolise that the Sikh who wears them has dedicated themselves to a life of devotion and submission to the Guru.The 5 Ks are 5 physical symbols worn by Sikhs who have been initiated into the Khalsa.

The five Ks are:

Kesh (uncut hair)
Kara (a steel bracelet)
Kanga (a wooden comb)
Kaccha - also spelt, Kachh, Kachera (cotton underwear)
Kirpan (steel sword)

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