Sikhism

BACKGROUND

Sikhism is a relatively new religion as far as the world’s major religions are concerned. Sikhism originated in India and Sikhs form around 2% of India’s population.
Most of them live in the State of Punjab, although substantial numbers of Sikhs are settled in different parts of India and in several other countries such as Britain, America and Canada. The majority of Asians – approximately 15,000 out of 28,000 - living in Wolverhampton are Sikhs.

Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak, who was born in 1469 in a small village called Talwandi, which later came to be known as Nankana Sahib, now in Pakistan. His message was that true religion was nothing but the love of God, the love of human beings and truthful living. The succeeding nine Gurus developed his ideas and teachings.

The ten Sikh Gurus are as follows:

Guru Nanak Dev (1469-1539)
Guru Angad (1504-1552)
Guru Amar Das (1479-1574)
Guru Ram Das (1534-1581)
Guru Arjun (1563-1606)
Guru Hargobind (1595-1644)
Guru Hari Rai (1630-1661)
Guru Hari Krishan (1656-1664)
Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675)
Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708)

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, installed Guru Granth Sahib, as the permanent Guru of the Sikhs. Sikhs, therefore, regard the Guru Granth Sahib, their holy book, as a living Guru.

Guru Nanak maintained that God alone was to be worshipped and that it was futile worshipping gods and goddesses. He preached that God should be worshipped in the spirit, by constantly meditating over His Name and feeling His presence in every place and all the time. The driving force of Sikhism is the belief in the unity of God and brotherhood of man.

CORE BELIEFS

God in Sikhism is the eternally unchanging Formless One.
According to Guru Nanak, God is the creator and the sustainer of the universe. God’s creation is real but it is not everlasting. Men become ‘true’ when they focus on the Name (naam) and the Word (shabad).

According to Sikhs, since God has no form, colour or material sign, He is revealed through the Word. Man can recognise Truth only through the help of a Guru, the divine guide and teacher. Without the help of a Guru, man wanders through the cycle of births and deaths. The recognition of divine order (hukam, bhaana) is essential, and so is submission to it.
The law of karma is not independent of God. It is believed that submission to God’s hukam becomes a means to release from the ‘law of karma’.

One of the essential beliefs in Sikhism is the belief in equality of humankind. Sikhs, therefore, do not believe in a caste system. Nor do they believe in idol-worship, or rituals or fasting.

Central to Sikhism are the beliefs in:

Kirat karna,
Vand chhakna,
Naam japna, and
Seva karna.

Kirat karna means Sikhs should earn their living by honest means, and not be deceitful for any personal gain. This is encapsulated in Guru Nanak’s statement:
“Truth is higher than all, but higher still is true living.” Sikhism consists of practical living, in rendering service to humanity and ensuring brotherly love towards all.

Vand chhakna means it is important to be charitable and share what we earn with those in need. What prevents the individual from uniting with God is their ego (‘haumai’). Dominated by haumai and other sins such as lust, greed, anger and attachment to material things or people, a person never experiences the joy of the divine spark.

Naam japna is to recite God’s name from the heart.

Seva karna requires Sikhs to undertake selfless community service for anyone in need of it. Seva can be seen in Langar halls (free kitchen at a Sikh Temple).

(N.B. A Sikh Temple can be pronounced as Gurudwara or Gurdwara. Free food (langar) is available from the community kitchen in a Sikh Temple)).

Initiated Sikhs wear five sacred symbols, commonly known as five K’s, prescribed by Guru Gobind Singh. Each of them starts with the letter ‘K’ in the Punjabi language.

1. Kesh or uncut natural hair is regarded as a symbol of saintliness and acceptance of God’s will.
2. Kangha or the comb is necessary to keep the hair clean and tidy.
3. Kara or the steel bangle symbolises restrain from evil deeds.
4. Kachha or kachhehra or the shorts must be worn at all times reminding Sikhs of the need for self-restraint over passions and desires.
5. Kirpan or the sword is the symbol of courage and self-defence. It symbolises the readiness to defend the weak and the oppressed. According to Sikhs, the kirpan must never be drawn against anybody out of revenge.

The five K’s, along with the turban, distinguish a Sikh from any other person in the world.

SCRIPTURES AND WORSHIP

The holiest book of the Sikhs is Guru Granth Sahib, which was compiled by the Guru Arjun, their fifth Guru. It is a collection of poetic compositions of Sikh Gurus and has contributions by numerous Hindu and Muslim saints. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh made it his commandment that after his death, Sikhs should acknowledge the Granth Sahib as his successor, as a living Guru.

(N.B. Sahib or Ji are terms used to indicate respect).

No Sikh ceremony is regarded as complete unless it is performed in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib. The shrine, which houses the Guru Granth is called a Gurudwara, literally, a door (dwara) to ultimate enlightenment (guru). Many Sikhs keep the holy book in their homes, paying full respect by keeping it in a separate room. Sikhs bow in front of their Book with their heads covered and shoes removed. They stand in front of it in homage, or sit on the floor while the Guru Granth is always placed on a higher platform.

Mool Mantar is the opening verse of the Jap Ji Sahib, written by Guru Nanak and is the first hymn in the Guru Granth Sahib.

The English version of the Mool Mantar is as below:

There is One Being
Truth by Name
Primal Creator
Without Fear
Without enmity
Timeless in form
Unborn
Self-existent
The grace of the Guru

MEDITATE
Truth before time
Truth throughout time
Truth here and now
Says Nanak, Truth is evermore.

MILESTONES

All Sikh ceremonies like birth, initiation, marriage and death have a religious tone. They are held in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib and include Kirtan, the singing of appropriate hymns for the occasion, saying of Ardas, the formal prayer and the distribution of Karah Parshad, the holy food, to the congregation.

Birth
Soon after a child is born, prayers are offered in a Gurudwara or to Guru Granth Sahib asking for a special blessing of good health, long life and the Sikh way of life for the child.
After reciting Ardas, Guru Granth Sahib is opened at random. The first letter of the first word of the hymn on the left page is selected as the first letter of the child’s name.
Sikh names are mostly common for either sex. The word Kaur meaning ‘princess’ or ‘lioness’ is added after a girl’s name and the name Singh meaning ‘lion’ after a boy’s name.

Marriage

Sikh marriages are usually arranged. However, this does not mean that a boy or a girl is forced into wedlock according to the parents’ choice only. It is important to secure the agreement of the boy and the girl by mutual discussion before arrangements are finalised.

The Sikh marriage is monogamous. The marriage ceremony is called Anand Karaj (‘ceremony of bliss’). Holy wedding hymns called ‘lavan’ are recited and sung to signify that a holy union between two souls has taken place. The marriage ceremony is conducted in a Gurudwara or at the bride’s home or any other suitable place where Guru Granth Sahib is duly installed.
Death

To a Sikh, birth and death are closely associated, because they are both part of the cycle of human life. Sikhs believe in reincarnation and mourning is therefore, discouraged. Sikhs cremate their dead and for cremation, the body is first washed and dressed in clean clothes complete with the five K’s (in case of baptised Sikhs). The ashes are immersed in the nearest river or sea. This is followed by the Bhog ceremony, which includes a complete reading of Guru Granth Sahib either at home or in a Gurudwara.

DIET

Initiated Sikhs are vegetarians and they also abstain from alcohol. Other Sikhs who might eat meat do not, as a rule, eat beef. Sikhs do not eat Halal meat, which is meat that has been killed by the Muslim/Jewish method. Halal meat involves cutting the throat of the animal and allowing it to bleed to death.
In Sikhism, smoking is strictly forbidden.

LANGUAGE

The major language among the Sikh community is Punjabi. All Sikh scriptures are written in Punjabi using the Gurmukhi Script.

FESTIVALS

Gurpurb
A Sikh festival or holy day to commemorate the birth or martyrdom of their Gurus is called a Gurpurb, meaning Guru’s remembrance day. The celebration is generally similar for all such holy days; only the hymns and history of a particular occasion is different.

Guru Nanak’s Birthday usually comes in the month of November and is a most significant Gurpurb for Sikhs. At the start of the celebrations, Akhand Path (forty-eight hour non-stop reading of Guru Granth Sahib) is held in the Gurudwara. Guru Granth Sahib is taken out in a procession, which is led by panj pyaras (the Five Beloved Ones).

Guru Gobind Singh's Gurpurb celebrates the tenth Guru’s birthday is generally falls in December or in January.

The martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjun Dev, the fifth Guru, falls in May or June. He was tortured to death under the orders of the Moghul Emperor Jehangir in 1606.

Baisakhi, also called Vaisakhi is the birthday of Khalsa (the Pure One). Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa brotherhood on 30th March 1699. As part of the one-day celebrations, the Amrit ceremony is held in Gurudwaras and those who offer are initiated. The Sikhs taking Amrit are called Khalsa. Baisakhi is generally celebrated on the 13 April every year.

Diwali is the festival celebrated to express the joy at the return of the sixth Guru to Amritsar in 1620 after his release from Gwalior Jail. Illuminated events, featuring fireworks, are held in the evening at both Gurudwaras and Sikh homes.

LOCAL PLACES OF WORSHIP:

Ramgarhia Sabha The Secretary
342-344 Newhampton Road East
Whitmore Reans
Wolverhampton WV1 4AD
Tel: 425156

Ramgarhia Board The Secretary
Westbury Street
Wolverhampton WV1 1JD
Tel: 426885
Fax; 685742

Guru Nanak Satsang Gurdwara The Secretary
200-204 Cannock Road
Wolverhampton WV10 0AL
Tel: 450453

Guru Nanak Gurdwara The Secretary
Arthur Street
Bilston
Wolverhampton WV14 0DG
Tel: 492383

Nanaksar Thath Sikh Temple The Secretary
Mander Street
Wolverhampton WV3 0JZ
Tel: 429379

Guru Nanak Sikh Temple The Secretary
Sedgley Street
Blakenhall
Wolverhampton WV2 4AJ
Tel: 459413/458877
Fax: 459933

Guru Nanak Sikh Temple The Secretary
205-6 Lea Road
Pennfields
Wolverhampton WV3 0LG
Tel: 710289

Sikh Gurdwara The Secretary
Well Lane
Wednesfield
Wolverhampton WV1 1XT
Tel: 730774

Sant Darbara Singh Ji (Lopanwale) The Secretary
“Sant Ashram”
95 Woden Road
Park Village
Wolverhampton WV10 0BB

Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji Gurdwara The Secretary
Upper Villiers Street
Blakenhall
Wolverhampton WV2 4NP
Tel: 717619