History/origin of Sikhism:
Sikhism started in the 15th century when it was founded by Guru Nanak who was the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus. It was founded in the Punjab province in India. Guru Nanak had always been amazed by religion and questioned it as he wanted to learn more about the topic, this enthusiastic attitude towards learning religion lead him to leave home to continue studying religion. Guru Nanak disagreed heavily with key religious acts of other religions such as Islam and Hinduism which included religious rituals, pilgrimages, castes, depending on books to learn the religion and more. This lead to him founding Sikhism.
Sikhism Population:
There are approximately 30 million Sikhs around the world, making it amongst the 10 largest religions of the world by population. The three countries with the largest population of Sikhs are India, ~20 million, U.S ~500,000, Canada ~460,000. Around 83% of Sikhs live in India and Sikhs make up about two thirds of the population of the state of Punjab in India. This goes to show that Sikhism is a religion that is very fond of in India and that ever since it’s beginning in India, it doesn’t seem to have to expanded out to many other countries as most of the population is concentrated in India. It is estimated that the Sikh population rises by around 400,000 worshippers yearly as of 2004.
Sikhism place of worship:
The holy place of Sikh worship is the Gurdwara which in English translates to ‘The residence of the Guru’. Inside a Gurdwara there are no pictures, major decorations, statues, candles etc. as the main attraction is the Guru Granth Sahib (The book of Sikh scriptures) which is kept in the centre of the main hall of the Gurdwara throughout the day and kept in its own sacred room during the night. A Gurdwara consists of 4 doors which anyone can enter, even non Sikhs, but there is no smoking or tobacco allowed around the area, shoes must be taken off before entering and bowing down to the Guru Granth Sahib is the first thing Sikhs do upon entering a Gurdwara, Gurdwaras also contain kitchens where food is served to the community free of charge, which is a great way to help those in need. There are over 200 Gurdwaras in India.
Sikhism daily practises:
Daily practises of Sikhism include the 5 K’s, daily payers, voluntary acts for the community such as charity etc.
The 5 K’s are obligatory to be worn by every Khalsa baptized Sikh. They are as follows: Kesh – A turban to protect long, uncut hair and beard. Kangha – To groom hair using a wooden comb. Kaacha/Kachera – Cotton underwear. Worn by both men and women. Kara – A steel bracelet which is worn on the arm, it reminds the Sikh that they are in connection with the Guru and it is a symbol of restraint and respect. Kripan – A short dagger in the shape of a sword which is to righteously defend the truth. Sikhs recite morning prayers on a regular basis, these prayers are called Bani. The evening prayer, Rehras Sahib, consists of hymns from 3 gurus including Guru Nanak and are followed by another 5 hymns before going to sleep at night.
Giving back to the poor and the community is an essential part of a Sikh’s life. It is obligatory for every Sikh to engage in the voluntary aid to the community (Sewa) whenever they have a chance to.
Sikhism dress:
Sikhs have many traditional dresses for different occasions such as every day life and ceremonies. The turban is one of the most recognisable Sikh traditional pieces of clothing. The turban is essential for Sikh men to wear, however, Sikh women can choose to wear a turban instead of a scarf. There are many variations of how to wear the turban, there are turbans that can be over 10 metres in length and some that are only half to a metre long. The turban is worn to protect and maintain the hair, maintain Sikh identity, and as a show of equality. Sikh traditional and spiritual clothing is called Bana. Sikhs wear Bana to worships/prayers or festivals in a Gurdwara (place of worship), but it is permissible for Sikhs to wear Bana on a daily basis.
Sikhism festivals:
There are many Sikh festivals throughout the year to celebrate significant dates in Sikh history such as the birth of the Gurus and the death of some. During Sikh festivals communities come together in a Gurdwara which is decorated appriopiately for the occasion. Throughout the festivals the Guru Granth Sahib is read consistently, religious hymns are sung and prayers are performed. Then a traditional Sikh meal is served in the kitchen of the Gurdwara to everyone attending, this can consist of sweet pudding as well as Langar. In the evenings, Sikh’s houses are brightly decorated with bright shining lights and decorations. Some of the Sikh festivals include; Maghi, Diwali, Holla Mohalla, Baisaakhi, The Martyrdom of Guru Arjan and many more festivals throughout the calendar year.
Sikhism Deities:
The Sikh Deity is that there is only one single God who is not human and does not have a gender, the God also cannot die, and was not born and was ever existing. The Sikh God has many names, similar to Islam. There are many attributes of the God such as Fearless, Beyond time, Truthful, Self existent and many more. Sikh people often refer to their God as Ik Oankar which emphasises that the God supreme and one and only. Other Sikh deities include reincarnation and karma, it is decided if a Sikh is reincarnated, if their soul is impure, then they will be reincarnated.
Sikhism texts:
The Guru Granth Sahib is the holy text of the Sikh religion. The Guru Granth Sahib is seen as the last and ever-living Guru. the Guru Granth Sahib consists of many different Hymns and scriptures from all of the Sikh Gurus, but what makes it different than most other religious scriptures is that the Guru Granth Sahib not only contains hymns and scriptures from Sikh Gurus but also consists of writing and teachings from Muslim and Hindu saints. The Guru Granth Sahib is the main attraction of any Gurdwara (place of worship) and is always in the middle of the main hall, on a raised platform that holds it up, the first thing Sikhs do upon entering a Gurdwara is bowing down and giving respects to the holy book. The Guru Granth Sahib is read completely on all Sikh festivals as part of the celebration, the main language of the Guru Granth Sahib is Punjabi, but there are many translations in English and many other languages.