From 1469 to 1708, ten Sikh Gurus spread the message of peace, truth, devotion and togetherness throughout the country. The Sikh population in the country is just 2% of the entire Indian population and in the army, there are 10% Sikhs. Sikhism is based on the faith "Gurmat" which means the ways shown by Guru. Let us know in detail about Sikhism and its facts below.
Also Read| List of Expressways in Uttar Pradesh: From Longest To Shortest- Check 10 Best Expressways in UP
Sikhism: The Beginnings & Spread of the Religion
The religion of Sikhism was founded in the Indian subcontinent in the late 15th century. It was established by Guru Nanak and subsequently led by 9 more Gurus. Sikhism came into being as a revolt in Medieval India, There was a lot of discrimination on the basis of religion and gender in Indian society back then.
READ| UPSC 2022 Exam Date & Calendar (CSE): Prelims on 5 June, Mains From 16 September
Guru Nanak, the first guru of Sikhs was a member of the Khatri caste and was a literate man. He was born in Punjab and was not one of the typical Sant. He started teaching a faith that was quite different from Hindu and Islam. It is said that the soul in all the 10 gurus of Sikhs is the same one.
Guru Nanak Dev was enlightened at the age of 30 and decided to preach his faith for the next 15 years. He basically composed hymns that were collected in the Adi Granth Sahib by Arjan Dev.
The religion was very well established by the time of Guru Arjan Dev, who was the fifth guru. He was the one who completed the establishment of Amritsar which became the capital of the Sikh world and compiled the Adi Granth, the Sikh scripture.
Guru Arjan Dev was executed as the religion was seen as a threat by many. Later Guru Hargobind began militarising the community so that they could resist any oppression. Aurangzeb was the Mughal King who opposed Sikhism to the maximum extent and also executed Guru Teg Bahadur.
Khalsa Panth:
The tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa, which meant the military group of men and women. This was established in the year 1699. The Sikhs need to accept the 5Ks:
- Kesh (uncut hair)
- Kara (a steel bracelet)
- Kanga (a wooden comb)
- Kaccha - also spelt, Kachh, Kachera (cotton underwear)
- Kirpan (steel sword)
All these 5 things mentioned above have some spiritual significance.
About Sikhs:
- Sikhs worship the Nirgun form of God. The males use the surname Sigh- which means Lion and the females use the surname Kaur which means princess.
- Sikhs believe that God is omnipotent. The ideology of Sikhs was basically against idol worship. God is referred to as Waheguruin Sikhism and they do not lead an ascetic life as it is not prescribed. The Sikhs lead their lives by serving God and humanity.
- There is no discrimination in Sikhism on the basis of any caste or creed.
- Also, it must be noted that Guru Granth Sahib consists of other Bhakti saints teachings as well. This includes Farid, Namdev, Surdas etc.
- The first Gurudwara was established by Guru Nanak Dev at Kartarpur (now in Pakistan)
- The 10th Guru, Gobid Singh asked his followers to give up their surnames as well.
The Singh Sabha was set us in 1873 and it played the most important role in the purification of Sikhism. Gurudwara administration was also reformed and consequently, the British passed the Sikh Gurudwara Act 1925 for the management of Gurudwara. Today Gurudwaras administration across Punjab are grappled with power politics. The SGPC has been alleged to have started dividing the Sikh community on the basis of the legacy between Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Gobid Singh. Haryana High Court defined the Sikh community as the group of people who follow all five articles of Sikhism faith.
Comments
All Comments (0)
Join the conversation