Origin and nature

Punjab is a vast region in India. From that vastness has sprung what is considered the world’s fifth largest religion, Sikhism, of which there are over 20 million members worldwide.

Its founder, Guru Nanak, was born in Punjab in 1464. He died in 1539, and the religion emerged in the late 1400s. Sikh itself is a Punjabi word meaning disciple or student. But believers call the faith Gurmat, Punjabi for ‘the way of the Guru’.

The research says Guru Nanak broke away from Hinduism, condemned the caste system of inequality, preached messages of universal love and understanding, and criticised the “blind rituals” of Islam and Hinduism. Sikhism, thus, was underpinned by the basic principles of service, humility and equality.

Over 200 years, Guru Nanak was succeeded by nine gurus, the last one being Guru Gobind Singh, who died in 1708. He did not see the need for another living guru so he established Sri Guru Granth Sahib as his spiritual successor, and the Khalsa as his human successors.

All the wisdom needed by Sikhs for spiritual guidance in their daily lives can be obtained from the Sikh Holy Book, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is the spiritual head of Sikhism, and also contains the writings of saints of other faiths whose thoughts were consistent with those of the 10 gurus. Sikhs then are disciples of God who follow the writings and teachings of the 10 gurus.

The Khalsa is an order, meaning The Pure. It consists of ‘soldier-saints’ who protect the highest Sikh virtues of commitment, dedication, and social consciousness. It is made up of men and women who had undergone the Sikh baptism ceremony and who strictly follow the Sikh Code of Conduct and Conventions.

According to the RehatMaryada, the Sikh Code of Conduct, “Any human being who faithfully believes in one immortal being; the 10 gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; the Guru Granth Sahib; the utterances and teachings of the 10 gurus; and the baptism bequeathed by the 10th guru; and who does not owe allegiance to any other religion is a Sikh.”

Equal in the eyes of God

The Sikhs espouse the teachings of the gurus and spread messages of truthful living, equality of mankind, social justice, and denounces blind rituals such as fasting, idol worshipping, and trekking to pilgrimages. Thus, people of different races, religions or sex are equal in the eyes of God, they say. Women can participate in any religious function or perform any Sikh ceremony or lead the congregation in prayer.

The congregations do not have priests, as the priesthood was abolished by Guru Gobind Singh. What they have are custodians of the Guru Granth Sahib, called Granthi. Sikhs are free to read the Guru Granth Sahib in the Gurdwara (temple) or in their homes. People of other religions are free to enter the Gurdwaras. Its founder, Guru Nanak, was born in Punjab in 1464. He died in 1539, and the religion’s watershed was in the 1400s. In each temple there is a community kitchen from which anybody can get a free meal. It is noted that it was Guru Nanak himself who laid the foundation for this feeding outreach.

All the temples and other places where the teachings in Sri Guru Granth Sahib are carried out are considered holy, none more than the other. However, the most significant religious centre for the Sikhs is the Harmiandir Sahib (The Golden Temple) at Amritsar, located in Punjab, northern India. It is the inspirational and historical centre of Sikhism, but Sikhs are not bound to visit.