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Sikhism
Quick Facts
• One of the youngest of the world’s major
religions (founded less than five centuries ago –
around 1500 A.D.)
• Shares characteristics of both Hinduism and
Islam
• Religion’s founder is Guru Nanak (1469-1539)
• Guru Nanak was born in a small village near
Lahore.
• Therefore Punjab (in India and Pakistan) is
where Sikhism began
Guru Nanak
• Raised in a Hindu family but studied both Hinduism and Islam
• The pandit (holy man) present at his birth saw greatness in his
horoscope
• Guru Nanak was dissatisfied with formal Hinduism, especially the
caste system
• 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.
Guru Nanak cont’d
• A key moment in the development of Sikhism came when Nanak had a lifechanging vision at the age of 30.
• When he returned he claimed, “There is neither Hindu nor Muslim, so
whose path shall I follow? I shall follow God’s path. God is neither Hindu
nor Muslim, and the path which I follow is God’s path.”
• He first travelled throughout India preaching that Hindus and Muslims had
to move toward a more united and socially responsible faith
• His ministry took him to Iraq, Tibet, Sri Lanka and Mecca in Saudi Arabia
• Many people converted to this new religion
Beliefs in Sikhism
• In Sikhism, there is the belief in only one God. They believe God is
everywhere.
• Equality for all is a fundamental belief (this is in direct conflict of the
original Hindu caste system)
• Guru Nanak wanted to establish a just and compassionate society here
on Earth where people all work together, pray together and eat together
• The world is good and human life is the opportunity to gain full spiritual
achievement and become one with God
• Sikhs believe all work must be legal and ethical
• Sikhs also believe in charity and serving others
• Sikhs believe in the hereafter and reincarnation
Guru Gobind Singh –
Last Guru
• Before his death, Guru Nanak passed
on the leadership of the new Sikh
religion to the first of nine successive
Gurus.
• The last of these living Gurus, Gobind
Singh, died in 1708. He decided that
the Sikhs no longer needed a living
leader, and appointed as his
successor Sri Guru Granth Sahib, a
compilation of writings by Sikh Gurus
and others.
th
10
and
Guru Gobind Singh
and the Khalsa
• Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, started the Khalsa
because Sikhs were being persecuted for refusing to
convert to Islam.
• The ‘five cherished ones’ were given the name Singh
meaning ‘lion’.
• They were told to wear five special signs indicating to
the world that they were Sikhs (known as the five ks)
• Not all Sikhs choose to join the Khalsa, and therefore,
are not required to wear the Five Ks.
Five Ks
• Kesh – ‘uncut’ hair
• Kangha – the comb
• Kara – plain steel
bracelet
• Kirpan – short sword
• Kaccha – short pants
Symbol: Khanda
Three Parts
The two swords symbolize service to God through teaching
the truth and through fighting for what is right
The circle is known as chakkar, an ancient Indian weapon
that stands for one God and the unity of people and serves
as a reminder of a God who has no beginning and no end.
In the centre is the two-edged sword, which is the symbol of
the power of God. It is believed that the sharpness splits truth
from falsehood.
Amritsar – Golden Temple
Gurdwara
• A building where Sikhs gather to worship is
called Gurdwara - Means ‘the door of the
Guru’ or ‘God’s home’
• The Community appoints someone to look
after it as there is no formal priest, only a
Bhai Ji, or brother, who can recite the
scriptures and sing hymns.
• Sikhs do not have a special day for
worship. However it is usually held on
Sunday by Sikhs around the world
• The only furniture in the worship room is
a special platform at one end, which is
called the Takht, meaning the throne.
This is where the holy text is placed.
Gurdward Cont’d
• In front of the Takht is a place where worshippers can leave
their offerings of food, or money.
• As a sign of respect, before entering the worship room,
people must remove their shoes, wash themselves, and
cover their heads
• A kitchen and dining room are also part of the gurdwara,
and if space permits, a classroom is also included.
• During service, people sit on the carpet.
Men and women sit separately
according to tradition.
Gurdwara Cont’d
• The service is followed by a vegetarian meal known as langar meaning
‘free kitchen’
• Guru Nanak believed that all who had traveled a long way to hear him,
should be given food and drink
• In time, the practice of langar expanded to include all who came to the
service.
• When eating the meal, everyone is seated together in rows on the floor.
This format is designed to emphasize the everyone in the room is the
same or equal
Festivals
• One of the most important holidays for a Sikh is Baisakhi – its
purpose is to remind Sikhs of the saint-soldiers who were prepared
to fight against injustice
1919, at Amritsar
• British rulers of India forbade Sikhs from gathering together to
celebrate this holiday. They believed the Sikhs would rise up against
them.
• When Sikhs gathered anyway,
a bloody massacre resulted in
400 murdered Sikhs
• Sikhs commemorate the
Amritsar Massacre while
celebrating Baisakhi
Amritsanshakar / Amrit Sanchar
• The ceremony of initiation when a person is willing to make the commitment
(in public) to the Sikh faith and to become a member of the Khalsa
• The most important ceremony in a Sikh’s life
• Questions such as these are posed:
– Are you willing to read, learn and live
according to the Sikh teachings?
– Will you pray only to one God?
– Will you serve the whole of humanity?
• After prayers and hymns each person
drinks amrit and has it poured into their
eyes and on their head.
Death
• Sikhs believe in reincarnation
• But only if reincarnated as a human can we
really know God
• They believe that death is just another form of
sleep and therefore the end of one life but the
beginning of another.
• They cremate their dead and there is no stone or
permanent form of commemoration since they
do not believe earth is a permanent place
Canadian History – Air India (1985)
• Worst act of terrorism in Canadian history
• 331 people were killed in 2 explosions
Timeline of Events
June 5, 1985 – Indian government orders raid on Golden Temple - Sikhs
outraged
Oct. 30, 1984: Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her
Sikh body guards in retaliation. Thousands of Sikhs die in riots in Indian
cities.
Air India Flight 182
329 people die
278 are Canadian
Flight Route
After Event
Nov. 8, 1985: Talwinder Singh Parmar and Inderjit Singh Reyat are
arrested by RCMP in connection with bombings. Charges are dropped
against Parmar. Reyat is fined for a minor, unrelated charge.
May 10, 1991: Reyat, an electrician from the Vancouver Island
community of Duncan, is sentenced to 10 years in prison on
manslaughter and explosives charges related to the Narita bombing.
1992: Bombing suspect Parmar, a preacher from Burnaby, B.C., is
killed in a shootout with Indian police officers. Critics say he was
arrested and executed.
May 1995: RCMP offer a one million dollar reward for help catching the
bombers.
Events cont’d
Oct. 27, 2000: Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik are
arrested and charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and
conspiracy.
June 4, 2001: British government grants permission for Reyat to be
charged in Air India blast.
June 6, 2001: Reyat is charged in Air India Flight 182 bombing just
days before his 10-year sentence for his role in the Narita bombing is
up. He remains in custody.
November 2003: Star witness against Malik testifies the accused
confessed his involvement in the bombing on at least two occasions.
She testifies he confided in her because the two were in love.
December 2003: Crown shows a videotaped speech by Bagri (member
of Babbar Khalsa) who called for young Sikhs to rise up and take
revenge against the Indian government. “Until we kill 50,000 Hindus,
we will not rest,” he shouted at a July 1984 New York rally.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=alqb9tmgfyc