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    About Sikhism

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    Sorab Khosla
    Sikhism originated in Northern India over 500 years ago and is now one of the largest organized religions in the world with over 25 million followers. It was founded by Guru Nanak who taught that all people are equal and can experience freedom through loving and serving others. Core beliefs include devotion to one God, truthful living, and service to humanity. Sikhs express their faith through wearing five articles including uncut hair often covered by a turban. Gurdwaras or Sikh houses of worship welcome all and serve as community centers where worship and meals are shared.

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    About Sikhism

    Uploaded by

    Sorab Khosla
    25 views3 pages
    Sikhism originated in Northern India over 500 years ago and is now one of the largest organized religions in the world with over 25 million followers. It was founded by Guru Nanak who taught that all people are equal and can experience freedom through loving and serving others. Core beliefs include devotion to one God, truthful living, and service to humanity. Sikhs express their faith through wearing five articles including uncut hair often covered by a turban. Gurdwaras or Sikh houses of worship welcome all and serve as community centers where worship and meals are shared.

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    Sikhism

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    Sikhism originated in Northern India over 500 years ago and is now one of the largest organized religions in the world with over 25 million followers. It was founded by Guru Nanak who taught that all people are equal and can experience freedom through loving and serving others. Core beliefs include devotion to one God, truthful living, and service to humanity. Sikhs express their faith through wearing five articles including uncut hair often covered by a turban. Gurdwaras or Sikh houses of worship welcome all and serve as community centers where worship and meals are shared.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    25 views3 pages

    About Sikhism

    Uploaded by

    Sorab Khosla
    Sikhism originated in Northern India over 500 years ago and is now one of the largest organized religions in the world with over 25 million followers. It was founded by Guru Nanak who taught that all people are equal and can experience freedom through loving and serving others. Core beliefs include devotion to one God, truthful living, and service to humanity. Sikhs express their faith through wearing five articles including uncut hair often covered by a turban. Gurdwaras or Sikh houses of worship welcome all and serve as community centers where worship and meals are shared.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
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    About Sikhism

    Sikhism comes from Northern India and is the world’s fifth-largest organized religion. There
    are more than 25 million Sikhs throughout the world and approximately half a million in the
    United States. Sikhism was founded 500 years ago when a man named Nanak walked the
    South Asian subcontinent teaching that all paths lead to One God, all people are equal, and
    each of us can experience freedom through loving and serving others.

    The word “Sikh” means “Seeker of Truth.” As a faith rooted in love, Sikhism stands for the
    equality of women and men and denounces any discrimination pertaining to gender, race,
    caste, creed, or color. There are three core tenets of the Sikh religion: meditation upon and
    devotion to the Creator, truthful living, and service to humanity.

    Sikhs are meant to uphold the values of honesty, compassion, generosity, humility, integrity,
    service, and spirituality on a daily basis. Sikh prayer ends with a wish for the welfare for all
    mankind. A Sikh place of worship welcomes people of all faiths and backgrounds. Many
    Sikhs wear five articles of faith to express their commitment to these values, including long
    hair that men and some women wrap in a turban.

    Sikhs have lived in America for more than 150 years, helped build the Transcontinental
    Railroad, served valiantly in every major world war, stood at the forefront of civil rights
    struggles, and were first responders on 9/11.

    Gurdwaras, or Sikh Houses of Worship, are found in many American cities. All are
    welcome, and in the spirit of community, a meal is shared by all attending the
    congregation. You can find your local gurdwara at wearesikhs.org/Gurdwara-finder

    Basic Understanding of Sikhism


    • Sikhism is the world's fifth largest religion in the world and the third largest
    monotheistic religion in the world .

    • Sikhs believes in one omnipresent, formless God. Sikhs commonly call God, Waheguru
    (Wa-HEY-guru).

    • Sikhs regard men and women as equal in all spheres of life

    • Sikhs believe in equality amongst all human beings regardless of race or caste.

    • The freedom to choose and practice religion freely is at the foundation of Sikhism. We
    believe that there are many paths to God and many avenues to seek truth.

    • Sikhs are expected to perform community service, and share with those less fortunate.

    • Observant Sikhs five articles of faith - Kesh (uncut hair), Kirpan (a ceremonial sword),
    Kara (an iron bracelet), Kanga (comb), and Kachha (breeches).
    • 99 percent of turban wearing Americans are Sikh. The turban expresses a Sikhs
    commitment to protect and stand up for the values of equality for all people and justice
    for all people.

    You can learn more about Sikhs at: wearesikhs.org


    Welcome to the Gurdwara
    Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru and the founder of the Sikh religion, established the first
    Gurdwara (Sikh House of Worship) in the early 1500’s in India. The Gurdwaras were
    founded as places where the sangat (Sikh religious congregation) could come together to
    worship as a community by reciting and reflecting upon the hymns contained in the Guru
    Granth Sahib (the Sikh scripture). People from all walks of life are welcome to attend or
    observe religious services in Gurdwaras. The Sikh religious service is centered on keertan,
    which is the singing of Sikh hymns, and ends with the sharing of a community meal.

    Here are a few practical points to make you feel more comfortable during your visit:

    1. Shoes are removed before entering the main prayer hall. Near the entrance to all
    Gurdwaras, there is an area to place your shoes.

    2. Men and women cover their heads in the prayer hall. There are scarves available at the
    entrance, or you may bring your own.

    3. Upon entering the prayer hall, members will bow down in front of the Guru Granth
    Sahib, or Sikh scriptures, as a symbol of respect. You can choose to do this, or take a seat,
    as you feel comfortable. You will observe most members of the congregation making a
    token offering. However, this is not mandatory.

    4. In the prayer hall, the congregation is seated on the floor; therefore, women may find it
    more convenient to wear slacks

    5. During the service, men and women tend to sit on opposite sides of the aisle. This is by
    convention only, and you may sit wherever you choose.

    6. After the service, there is always a meal known as langar, or community kitchen. This
    meal is vegetarian so as to be acceptable to everyone. It is usually based on Indian
    cuisine.

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