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CULTURAL STUDIES
SIKH CULTURE
MEMBERSALOK KAMATHVISHAL PRABHUADITYA LABHECHIRANTAN SANJAYANUBHAV RATTAN
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Sikhism
Sikhism is a monistic religion founded in fifteenth century Punjab on the teachings of Guru Nanak
Dev and ten successive Sikh Gurus (the last one being the sacred text Guru Granth Sahib). It is the fifth-
largest organized religion in the world.[3]
This system of religious philosophy and expression has been
traditionally known as the Gurmat (literally the counsel of the gurus) or the Sikh
Dharma. Sikhismoriginated from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit rootiyameaning
"disciple" or "learner", orika meaning "instruction".
The principal belief of Sikhism is faith inwahegururepresented using the sacred symbol ofik akr,
the Universal God. Sikhism advocates the pursuit of salvation through disciplined, personal meditation on
the name and message of God. A key distinctive feature of Sikhism is a non -anthropomorphic concept
ofGod, to the extent that one can interpret God as the Universe itself. The followers of Sikhism are
ordained to follow the teachings of the ten Sikh gurus, or enlightened leaders, as well as the holy
scripture entitled theGur Granth Shib, which, along with the writings of six of the ten Sikh Gurus,
includes selected works of many devotees from diverse socio-economic and religious backgrounds. The
text was decreed by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, as the final guru of the Khalsa Panth. Sikhism's
traditions and teachings are distinctively associated with the history, society and culture of the Punjab.
Adherents of Sikhism are known as Sikhs (studentsor disciples) and number over 26 million across the
world. Most Sikhs live in Punjab in India and, untilIndia's partition, millions of Sikhs lived in what is
now Pakistani Punjab.
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Philosophy and Teachings
The Harimandir Sahib, known popularly as the Golden Temple, is a sacred shrine for Sikhs.
The origins of Sikhism lie in the teachings of Guru Nanak and his successors. The essence of Sikh
teaching is summed up by Nanak in these words: "Realisation of Truth is higher than all else. Higher still
is truthful living".Sikh teaching emphasizes the principle of equality of all humans and rejects
discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, and gender. Sikh principles do not attach any importance
to asceticism as a means to attain salvation, but stresses on the need of leading life as a householder.
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion.[8][9]
In Sikhism, GodtermedVhiguris shapeless, timeless,
and sightless:nirakr, akl, and alakh. The beginning of the first composition of Sikh scripture is the
figure "1"signifying the universality of God. It states that God is omnipresent and infinite, and is signified
by the termk akr. Sikhs believe that before creation, all that existed was God and Itshukam(will or
order). When God willed, the entire cosmos was created. From these beginnings, God nurtured
"enticement and attachment" tomy, or the human perception of reality.
While a full understanding of God is beyond human beings, Nanak described God as not whollyunknowable. God is omnipresent (sarav vipak) in all creation and visible everywhere to the spiritually
awakened. Nanak stressed that God must be seen from "the inward eye", or the "heart", of a human
being: devotees must meditate to progress towards enlightenment. Guru Nanak Dev emphasized the
revelation through meditation, as its rigorous application permits the existence of communication between
God and human beings. God has no gender in Sikhism, (though translations may incorrectly present a
male God); indeed Sikhism teaches that God is "Nirankar" [Niran meaning "without" and kar meaning
"form", hence "without form"]. In addition, Nanak wrote that there are many worlds on which God has
created life.
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Pursuing salvation and Khalsa
A Sikh man at the Harimandir Sahib
Nanak's teachings are founded not on a final destination of heaven or hell, but on a spiritual union with
God which results in salvation. The chief obstacles to the attainment of salvation are social conflicts and
an attachment to worldly pursuits(MAYA), which commit men and women to an endless cycle of birth a
concept known asreincarnation.
Mydefined as illusion or "unreality"is one of the core deviations from the pursuit of God and
salvation: people are distracted from devotion by worldly attractions which give only illusive satisfaction.
However, Nanak emphasised my as not a reference to the unreality of the world, but of its values. In
Sikhism, the influences of ego, anger, greed, attachment, and lustknown as the Five Evilsare
believed to be particularly pernicious. The fate of people vulnerable to the Five Evils is separation fromGod, and the situation may be remedied only after intensive and relentless devotion.
Nabad(the divine Word) to emphasise the totality of the revelation. Nanak designated the
word guru(meaning teacher) as the voice of God and the source and guide for knowledge and
salvation. Salvation can be reached only through rigorous and disciplined devotion to God. Nanak
distinctly emphasised the irrelevance of outward observations such as rites, pilgrimages, or asceticism.
He stressed that devotion must take place through the heart, with the spirit and the soul.
A key practice to be pursued isnm: remembrance of the divine Name. The verbal repetition of the name
of God or a sacred syllable is an established practice in religious traditions in India, but Nanak's
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interpretation emphasized inward, personal observance. Nanak's ideal is the total exposure of one's being
to the divine Name and a total conforming to Dharma or the "Divine Order". Nanak described the result of
the disciplined application of nm simra as a "growing towards and into God" through a gradual process
of five stages. The last of these issac kha(The Realm of Truth)the final union of the spirit with God.[16]
Nanak stressed nowkirat kar: that a Sikh should balance work, worship, and charity, and should defend
the rights of all creatures, and in particular, fellow human beings. They are encouraged to have achad
kal, or optimistic, view of life. Sikh teachings also stress the concept of sharingva chakkthrough
the distribution of free food at Sikh gurdwaras (lagar), giving charitable donations, and working for the
good of the community and others (sv).
The Ten Gurus and Religious Authority
A rare Tanjore-style painting from the late 19th century depicting the ten Sikh Gurus withBhai Bala and Bhai
Mardana.
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The term guru comes from the Sanskrit gur, meaning teacher, guide, or mentor. The traditions and
philosophy of Sikhism were established by ten specific gurus from 1499 to 1708. Each guru added to and
reinforced the message taught by the previous, resulting in the creation of the Sikh religion. Nanak was
the first guru and appointed a disciple as successor. Gobind Singh was the final guru in human form.
Before his death, Gobind Singh decreed that theGur Granth Shibwould be the final and perpetual
guru of the Sikhs.[17]
The Sikhs believe that the spirit of Nanak was passed from one guru to the next, "
just as the light of one lamp, which lights another and does not diminish ",[18]
and is also mentioned in
their holy book.
# Name Date of birth Guruship on Date of ascension Age
1 Nanak Dev 15 April 1469 20 August 1507 22 September 1539 69
2 Angad Dev 31 March 1504 7 September 1539 29 March 1552 48
3 Amar Das 5 May 1479 26 March 1552 1 September 1574 95
4 Ram Das 24 September 1534 1 September 1574 1 September 1581 46
5 Arjan Dev 15 April 1563 1 September 1581 30 May 1606 43
6 Har Gobind 19 June 1595 25 May 1606 28 February 1644 48
7 Har Rai 16 January 1630 3 March 1644 6 October 1661 31
8 Har Krishan 7 July 1656 6 October 1661 30 March 1664 7
9 Tegh Bahadur 1 April 1621 20 March 1665 11 November 1675 54
10 Gobind Singh 22 December 1666 11 November 1675 7 October 1708 41
11 Guru Granth Sahib n/a 7 October 1708 n/a n/a
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After Nanak's passing, the most important phase in the development of Sikhism came with the third
successor, Amar Das. Nanak's teachings emphasised the pursuit of salvation; Amar Das began building a
cohesive community of followers with initiatives such as sanctioning distinctive ceremonies for birth,
marriage, and death. Amar Das also established the manji(comparable to a diocese) system of clerical
supervision.
The interior of the Akal Takht
Amar Das's successor and son-in-law Ram Das founded the city of Amritsar, which is home of
the Harimandir Sahib and regarded widely as the holiest city for all Sikhs. When Ram Das's youngest son
Arjan succeeded him, the line of male gurus from the Sodhi Khatrifamily was established: all succeeding
gurus were direct descendants of this line. Guru Arjan Sahib was captured by Mughal authorities who
were suspicious and hostile to the religious order he was developing.[19]
His persecution and death
inspired his successors to promote a military and political organization of Sikh communities to defend
themselves against the attacks of Mughal forces.
The Sikh gurus established a mechanism which allowed the Sikh religion to react as a community to
changing circumstances. The sixth guru, Har Gobind, was responsible for the creation of the concept
of Akal Takht (throne of the timeless one), which serves as the supreme decision-making centre of
Sikhdom and sits opposite the Darbar Sahib. TheSarbat ls(a representative portion of the Khalsa
Panth) historically gathers at the Akal Takht on special festivals such as Vaisakhi or Diwali and when
there is a need to discuss matters that affect the entire Sikh nation. A gurmat(literally, guru's intention)
is an order passed by the Sarbat ls in the presence of the Gur Granth Shib. A gurmat may only be
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passed on a subject that affects the fundamental principles of Sikh religion; it is binding upon all Sikhs.
The termhukamnm(literally, edictor royal order) is often used interchangeably with the term gurmat.
However, a hukamnm formally refers to a hymn from the Gur Granth Shib which is given as an order
to Sikhs.
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Religious Symbols
Ik Onkar(religious symbol)Ik Onkar(also, , Ik Oankar) is a central tenet of Sikh religious philosophy. It is a symbol ofthe unity of God in Sikhism, and is found on all religious scriptures and places such as Gurdwaras.
Derived from Sanskrit,Ik Onkris the first phrase in the Mul Mantra referring to the existence of "one
God;"[2]
It is found in the Gurmukhi script.and is consequently also part of the Sikh morning prayer, Japji
Sahib. It is a combination of two characters: the numeral Ik(one) and the first letter of the
word Onkar(God) - which also happens to be the first letter of theGurmukh script, with a specially
adapted vowel symbol.
The Ik Onkar, is the one of the main symbols of Sikhism.
In Mul Mantra
It was also the opening phrase of the Mul Mantra, present as opening phrase in the Guru Granth Sahib,
and the first composition of Guru Nanak. Further, the Mul Mantra is also at the beginning of the Japji
Sahib, followed by 38 hymns and a final Salok at the end of this composition.
Simplified transliteration: ik nkr satinmu karat puraku nirabh'u niravr akl mrat ajn sbhang
guraprasd ||
English: One Universal Creator, the Name is Truth, Creative Being (personified), Without fear,
Without hatred, timeless Image, beyond birth, Self-existent, by the Guru's Grace.
The phrase's monotheistic quality is further clarified by Guru Nanak in his composition (Guru
Nanak, Guru Granth Sahib, 929).:
onkr braham utapata
"From Onkr, the CreatorBrahma was created."
[citation needed]
Stating that God, creating Brahma, predated that being.
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Khanda (religious symbol)
The Khanda.
The Khanda (Punjabi: , kha) is one of most important symbols of Sikhism alongside the Ik Onkar. The
khanda is like a "coat of arms' for Sikhs. It became known as the Sikh National anthem, "Deh Shiva Bar Mohe"
as the emblem of the Khalsa. It is an amalgam of three symbols, represented by three different items. It iscommonly found on theNishan Sahibor flag of the Sikhs, anywhere in a Gurudwara.
There are three different items used in a Khanda, which also have a symbolic meaning:[2]
A double-edged sword called a Khanda in the centre
A Chakkar which is circular
Two single-edged swords, or kirpans, are crossed at the bottom and sit on either side of the Khanda and
Chakkar. They represent the two characteristics, one being Miri (Temporal power) and the other, Piri
(Spirituality).
In the symbol the sword to the left represents truth, and the sword to the right represents the willingness to fight
for what is right- dharma (religion). The circle in the middle means that there is only one God, never beginning
and never ending.
The Khanda represents knowledge of God, the Chakkar represents the eternal nature of God and oneness of
humanity, the two swords represent Miri (political sovereignty) and Piri (spiritual sovereignty).
The symbol is encoded in Unicode, in the Miscellaneous Symbols range, at codepoint U+262C ().
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History
Main article:History of Sikhism
Nanak (14691538), the founder of Sikhism, was born in the village of Ri Bhi d Talwand, now
called Nankana Sahib (in present-day Pakistan). His father, Mehta Kalu was a Patwari, anaccountant of
land revenue in the employment of Rai Bular Bhatti, the area landlord. Nanak's mother was Tripta
Devi and he had one older sister, Nanaki. His parents were Khatri Hindus of the Bediclan. As a boy,
Nanak was fascinated by religion, and his desire to explore the mysteries of life eventually led him to
leave home and take missionary journeys.
In his early teens, Nanak caught the attention of the local landlord Rai Bular Bhatti, who was moved by
his intellect and divine qualities. Rai Bular was witness to many incidents in which Nanak enchanted him
and as a result Rai Bular and Nanak's sister Bibi Nanki, became the first persons to recognise the divine
qualities in Nanak. Both of them then encouraged and supported Nanak to study and travel. Sikh tradition
states that at the age of thirty, Nanak went missing and was presumed to have drowned after going for
one of his morning baths to a local stream called the Kali Bein. One day, he declared: "There is no Hindu,
there is no Muslim" (in Punjabi, "n ki hind n ki musalmn"). It was from this moment that Nanak
would begin to spread the teachings of what was then the beginning of Sikhism. Although the exact
account of his itinerary is disputed, he is widely acknowledged to have made four major journeys,
spanning thousands of miles, the first tour being east towards Bengal and Assam, the second south
towards Tamil Nadu, the third north towards Kashmir, Ladakh, and Tibet, and the final tour west
towards Baghdad and Mecca.
Nanak was married to Sulakhni, the daughter of Moolchand Chona, a rice trader from the town of Bakala.
They had two sons. The elder son, Sri Chand, was an ascetic, and he came to have a considerable
following of his own, known as the Udasis. The younger son, Lakshmi Das, on the other hand, was totally
immersed in worldly life. To Nanak, who believed in the ideal of rj maijg(detachment in civic life), both
his sons were unfit to carry on the Guruship.
Growth of the Sikh community
In 1538, Nanak chose his disciple Lahi, a Khatri of the Trehan clan, as a successor to the guruship
rather than either of his sons. Lahi was named Angad Dev and became the second guru of the
Sikhs.[24]
Nanak conferred his choice at the town of Kartarpur on the banks of the river Ravi, where Nanak
had finally settled down after his travels. Though Sri Chand was not an ambitious man, the Udasis
believed that the Guruship should have gone to him, since he was a man of pious habits in addition to
being Nanak's son. They refused to accept Angad's succession. On Nanak's advice, Angad shifted from
Kartarpur to Khadur, where his wife Khivi and children were living, until he was able to bridge the divide
between his followers and the Udasis. Angad continued the work started by Nanak and is widely credited
for standardising theGurmukh scriptas used in the sacred scripture of the Sikhs.
Amar Das, a Khatri of the Bhalla clan, became the third Sikh guru in 1552 at the age of
73. Goindval became an important centre for Sikhism during the guruship of Amar Das. He preached the
principle of equality for women by prohibiting purdah and sati. Amar Das also encouraged the practice
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oflangarand made all those who visited him attend lagar before they could speak to him. In
1567,Emperor Akbar sat with the ordinary and poor people of Punjab to have lagar. Amar Das also
trained 146 apostles of which 52 were women, to manage the rapid expansion of the religion. Before he
died in 1574 aged 95, he appointed his son-in-law Jh, a Khatri of the Sodhi clan, as the fourth Sikh
guru.
Jh became Ram Das and vigorously undertook his duties as the new guru. He is responsible for the
establishment of the city of Ramdaspur later to be named Amritsar. Before Ramdaspur, Amritsar was
known as Guru Da Chakk. In 1581, Arjan Devyoungest son of the fourth gurubecame the fifth guru of
the Sikhs. In addition to being responsible for building the Darbar/Harimandir Sahib (called the Golden
Temple), he prepared the Sikh sacred text known as thedi Granth(literally the first book) and included
the writings of the first five gurus and other enlightened Hindu and Muslim saints. In 1606, for refusing to
make changes to the Granth and for supporting an unsuccessful contender to the throne, he was tortured
and killed by the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir.
Political AdvancementHargobind, became the sixth guru of the Sikhs. He carried two swordsone for spiritual and the other
for temporal reasons (known as mrandprin Sikhism). Sikhs grew as an organized community and
under the 10th Guru the Sikhs developed a trained fighting force to defend their independence. In
1644, Har Rai became guru followed by Harkrishan, the boy guru, in 1661. No hymns composed by these
three gurus are included in the Sikh holy book. Tegh Bahadur became guru in 1665 and led the Sikhs
until 1675. Teg Bahadur was executed by Aurangzeb for helping to protect Hindus, after a delegation
of Kashmiri Pandits came to him for help when the Emperor condemned them to death for failing to
convert to Islam.]He was succeeded by his son, Gobind Rai who was just nine years old at the time of his
father's death. Gobind Rai further militarised his followers, and was baptised by the Paj Pirwhen he
formed the Khalsa on 13 April 1699. From here on in he was known as Gobind Singh.
From the time of Nanak, when it was a loose collection of followers who focused entirely on the
attainment of salvation and God, the Sikh community had significantly transformed. Even though the core
Sikh religious philosophy was never affected, the followers now began to develop a political identity.
Conflict with Mughal authorities escalated during the lifetime of Teg Bahadur and Gobind Singh. The
latter founded the Khalsa in 1699. The Khalsa is a disciplined community that combines its religious
purpose and goals with political and military duties . After Aurangzeb killed four of his sons, Gobind Singh
sent Aurangzeb the Zafarnamah (Notification/Epistle of Victory).
Shortly before his death, Gobind Singh ordered that theGur Granth Shib(the Sikh Holy Scripture),would be the ultimate spiritual authority for the Sikhs and temporal authority would be vested in theKhalsa
Panththe Sikh Nation/Community. The first scripture was compiled and edited by the fifth guru, Arjan
Dev, in 1604.
A former ascetic was charged by Gobind Singh with the duty of punishing those who had persecuted the
Sikhs. After the guru's death, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur became the leader of the Sikh army and was
responsible for several attacks on the Mughal empire. He was executed by the emperor Jahandar
Shah after refusing the offer of a pardon if he converted to Islam.
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The Sikh community's embrace of military and political organisation made it a considerable regional force
in medieval India and it continued to evolve after the demise of the gurus. After the death of Baba Banda
Singh Bahadur, a Sikh Confederacy of Sikh warrior bands known asmislsformed. With the decline of the
Mughal empire, a Sikh Empire arose in the Punjab under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, with its capital
in Lahore and limits reaching the Khyber Pass and the borders of China. The order, traditions and
discipline developed over centuries culminated at the time of Ranjit Singh to give rise to the common
religious and social identity that the term "Sikhism" describes.
After the death of Ranjit Singh, the Sikh Empire fell into disorder and was eventually annexed by
the United Kingdom after the hard-fought Anglo-Sikh Wars. This brought the Punjab under the British Raj.
Sikhs formed the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and the Shiromani Akali Dal to preserve
Sikhs' religious and political organization a quarter of a century later. With the partition of India in 1947,
thousands of Sikhs were killed in violence and millions were forced to leave their ancestral homes in West
Punjab. Sikhs faced initial opposition from the Government in forming a linguistic state that other states in
India were afforded. The Akali Dal started a non-violence movement for Sikh and Punjabi rights. Jarnail
Singh Bhindranwale emerged as a leader of the Bhindran-Mehta Jathawhich assumed the name
of Damdami Taksal in 1977 to promote a peaceful solution of the problem. In June 1984, Indian PrimeMinister Indira Gandhi ordered the Indian army to launchOperation Blue Star to remove Bhindranwale
and his followers from the Darbar Sahib. Bhindranwale, and a large number of innocent pilgrims were
killed during the army's operations. In October, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh
bodyguards. The assassination was followed by the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots massacre and Hindu-Sikh
conflicts in Punjab, as a reaction to the assassination and Operation Blue Star.
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Sikh Empire
History
Ranjit Singh was crowned on April 12, 1801 (to coincide with Baisakhi). Sahib Singh Bedi, a descendant
of Guru Nanak Dev, conducted the coronation[12]
. Gujranwala served as his capital from 1799. In 1802 he
shifted his capital to Lahore & Amritsar. Ranjit Singh rose to power in a very short period, from a leader of
a single Sikh misl to finally becoming the Maharaja (Emperor) of Punjab.
There was strong collaboration in defense against foreign incursions such as those initiated by Ahmed
Shah Abdali and Nadir Shah. The city of Amritsar was attacked numerous times. Yet the time is
remembered by Sikh historians as the "Heroic Century". This is mainly to describe the rise of Sikhs to
political power against large odds. The circumstances were hostile religious environment againstSikhs, a
tiny Sikh population compared to other religious and political powers, which were much larger in the
region than the Sikhs.
Ranjit Singh
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Before the Empire
Exterior of Panja SahibGurdwara in Hasan Abdal.
The period from 1716 to 1799 was a highly turbulent time politically and militarily in the Punjab. This was
caused by the overall decline of the Mughal Empire. This left a power vacuum that was eventually filled
by the Sikhs in the late 18th century, after fighting off local Mughal remnants and allied Rajput leaders,
Afghans, and occasionally hostile Punjabi Muslims who sided with other Muslim forces. Sikh warlords
eventually formed their own independent Sikh administrative regions (misls), which were united in large
part by Ranjit Singh.
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Formation
Portrait of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
The Sikh Empire (from 18011849) was formed on the foundations of the Punjabi Army by Maharaja
Ranjit Singh. The Empire extended from Khyber Pass in the west, to Kashmir in the north, to Sindh in the
south, and Tibet in the east. The main geographical footprint of the empire was the Punjab. The
religious demography of the Sikh Empire was Muslim (80%), Sikh (10%), Hindu (10%), The foundations
of the Sikh Empire, during the Punjab Army, could be defined as early as 1707, starting from the death
of Aurangzeb and the downfall of the Mughal Empire. The fall of the Mughal Empire provided
opportunities for the army, known as the Dal Khalsa, to lead expeditions against
the Mughals and Afghans. This led to a growth of the army, which was split into different Punjabi Armies
and then semi-independent misls. Each of these component armies were known as a misl, each
controlling different areas and cities. However, in the period from 1762-1799 Sikh rulers of their misls
appeared to be coming into their own. The formal start of the Sikh Empire began with the disbandment of
the Punjab Army by the time of Coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1801, creating the one unified
political Empire. All the misldars who were affiliated with the Army were nobility with usually long and
prestigious family histories in Punjab's history.
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End of Empire
Map showing expansion of Sikh empire from 1765 to 1805
After Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death in 1839, the empire was severely weakened by internal divisions and
political mismanagement. This opportunity was used by the British Empire to launch the Anglo-Sikh Wars.
The Battle of Ferozeshah in 1845 marked many turning points, the British encountered the Punjabi Army,
opening with a gun-duel in which the Sikhs "had the better of the British artillery". But as the British made
advancements, Europeans in their army were especially targeted, as the Sikhs believed if the army
"became demoralised, the backbone of the enemy's position would be broken"[17]
. The fighting continued
throughout the night earning the nickname "night of terrors". The British position "grew graver as the night
wore on", and "suffered terrible casualties with every single member of the Governor General's staff either
killed or wounded.
British General Sire James Hope Grant recorded: "Truly the night was one of gloom and forbidding and
perhaps never in the annals of warfare has a British Army on such a large scale been nearer to a defeat
which would have involved annihilation"]The Punjabi ended up recovering their camp, and the British
were exhausted. Lord Hardinge sent his son to Mudki with a sword from his Napoleonic campaigns. A
note in Robert Needham Cust's diary revealed that the "British generals decided to lay down arms: News
came from the Governor General that our attack of yesterday had failed, that affairs were disparate, all
state papers were to be destroyed, and that if the morning attack failed all would be over, this was kept
secret by Mr.Currie and we were considering measures to make an unconditional surrender to save the
wounded..."
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However, a series of events of the Sikhs being betrayed by some prominent leaders in the army led to its
downfall. Maharaja Gulab Singh and Dhian Singh, were Hindu Dogras from Jammu, and top Generals of
the army. Tej Singh and Lal Singh were secretly allied to the British. They supplied important war plans of
the Army, and provided the British with updated vital intelligence on the Army dealings, which ended up
changing the scope of the war and benefiting the British positions.
The Punjab Empire was finally dissolved after a series of wars with the British at the end of the Second
Anglo-Sikh War in 1849 into separate princely states, and the British province of Punjab that where
granted a statehood, and eventually a lieutenant governorship stationed in Lahore as a direct
representative of the Royal Crown in London.
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Modern
The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947, saw heavy conflict in the Punjab between Sikh
and Muslims, which saw the effective religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West
Punjab which mirrored a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims in East Punjab. The 1960s saw
growing animosity and rioting between Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus in India, as the Punjabi Sikhs agitated
for the creation of a Punjabi Sikh majority state, an undertaking which was promised to the Sikh
leader Master Tara Singh by Nehru in return for Sikh political support during the negotiations for Indian
Independence.[23]
Sikhs obtained the Sikh majority state of Punjab on November 1, 1966.
Manmohan Singh became the first Sikh Prime Minister of India and is widely credited for initiating economic
reforms in India.
Communal tensions arose again in the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and
marginalization by the secularist dominated Indian National Congress ruling party and the "dictatorial"
tactics adopted the then Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.[24]
Frank[24]
argues that Gandhi's
assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial
machinery of government" and her increasing "paranoia" of opposing political groups led her to instigate a
"despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political
advantage". As a reaction against these actions came the emergence of the Sikh leader Sant Jarnail
Singh Bhindranwale who vocalized Sikh sentiment for justice and advocated the creation of a Sikh
homeland, Khalistan. This accelerated Punjab into a state of communal violence.[25]
Gandhi's 1984 action
to defeat Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale led to desecration of the Golden Temple in Operation
Bluestar and ultimately led to Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards.[25]
This resulted in an
explosion of violence against the Sikh community in the Anti Sikh Riots which resulted in the massacre of
thousands of Sikhs throughout India;Khushwant Singh described the actions as being a Sikh pogrom in
which he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany" .[26]
Since 1984,
relations between Sikhs and Hindus have reached a rapprochement helped by growing economic
prosperity; however in 2002 the claims of the popular right-wing Hindu organization the RSS, that "Sikhs
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are Hindus" angered Sikh sensibilities. Many Sikhs still are campaigning for justice for victims of the
violence and the political and economic needs of the Punjab espoused in the Khalistan movement. In
1996 the Special Rapporteur for the Commission on Human Rights on freedom of religion or belief,
Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 19932004), visited India in order to compose a report on religious
discrimination. In 1997, Amor concluded, "it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is
satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic
(in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received
from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public
administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the absence of
Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".[29]
In May 22, 2004 Manmohan
Singh became the first Sikh to become the Prime Minister of India.
Scripture
Guru Arjan Dev dictating the di Granth to Bhai Gurdas.
There are two primary sources of scripture for the Sikhs: the Gur Granth Shib and the Dasam Granth.
The Gur Granth Shib may be referred to as the di Granth literally, The First Volumeand the two
terms are often used synonymously. Here, however, the di Granth refers to the version of the scripture
created by Arjan Dev in 1604. The Gur Granth Shib refers to the final version of the scripture created
by Gobind Singh.
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Adi Granth
The di Granth was compiled primarily by Bhai Gurdas under the supervision of Arjan Dev between the
years 1603 and 1604. It is written in theGurmukhscript, which is a descendant of theLascript used in
the Punjab at that time. TheGurmukhscript was standardised by Angad Dev, the second guru of the
Sikhs, for use in the Sikh scriptures and is thought to have been influenced by
theradandDevangarscripts. An authoritative scripture was created to protect the integrity of
hymns and teachings of the Sikh gurus and selected bhagats. At the time, Arjan Sahib tried to prevent
undue influence from the followers of Prithi Chand, the guru's older brother and rival.[38]
The original version of the di Granth is known as thekartrpur band is claimed to be held by the Sodhi
family of Kartarpur. (In fact the original volume was burned by Ahmad Shah Durrani's army in 1757 when
they burned the whole town of Kartarpur.)
Guru Granth Sahib
Gur Granth Shib folio with Ml Mantra
The final version of theGur Granth Shibwas compiled by Gobind Singh in 1678. It consists of the
original di Granth with the addition of Teg Bahadur's hymns. It was decreed by Gobind Singh that the
Granth was to be considered the eternal guru of all Sikhs; however, this tradition is not mentioned either
in 'Guru Granth Sahib' or in 'Dasam Granth'.
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Punjabi:Transliteration:Sabb sikkhak hukam haigur mny granth.
English:All Sikhs are commanded to take the Granth as Guru.
It contains compositions by the first five gurus, Teg Bahadur and just onealk(couplet) from Gobind
Singh. It also contains the traditions and teachings of sants(saints) such as Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas,
and Sheikh Farid along with several others.
The bulk of the scripture is classified intorgs, with each rg subdivided according to length and author.There are 31 main rgs within the Gur Granth Shib. In addition to the rgs, there are clear references
to the folk music of Punjab. The main language used in the scripture is known as Sant Bh, a language
related to both Punjabi and Hindi and used extensively across medieval northern India by proponents of
popular devotional religion. The text further comprises over 5000abads, or hymns, which are poetically
constructed and set to classical form of music rendition, can be set to predetermined musical tl, or
rhythmic beats.
A group of Sikh musicians at the Golden Temple complex
All text within the Granth is known asgurbn. Gurbn, according to Nanak, was revealed by God
directly, and the authors wrote it down for the followers. The status accorded to the scripture is defined by
the evolving interpretation of the concept of gur. In the Santtradition of Nanak, the guru was literally the
word of God. The Sikh community soon transferred the role to a line of men who gave authoritative and
practical expression to religious teachings and traditions, in addition to taking socio-political leadership of
Sikh adherents. Gobind Singh declared an end of the line of human gurus, and now the Gur Granth
Shib serves as the eternal guru, with its interpretation vested with the community.[31]
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Dasam Granth
A frontispiece to the Dasam Granth
The Dasam Granth (formally dasv pth k granth or The Book of the Tenth Master) is an eighteenth-
century collection of poems by Gobind Singh. It was compiled in the shape of a book (granth) by Bhai
Mani Singh some 13 to 26 years after Guru Gobind Singh Ji died.
From 1895 to 1897, different scholars and theologians assembled at the Akal Takht, Amritsar, to study
the 32 printed Dasam Granths and prepare the authoritative version. They met at the Akal Takhat atAmritsar, and held formal discussions in a series of meetings between 13 June 1895 and 16 February
1896. A preliminary report entitled Report Sodhak (revision) Committee Dasam Patshah de Granth Sahib
Di was sent to Sikh scholars and institutions, inviting their opinion. A second document, Report Dasam
Granth di Sudhai Di was brought out on 11 February 1898. Basing its conclusions on a study of the old
handwritten copies of the Dasam Granth preserved at Sri Takht Sahib at Patna and in other Sikh
gurudwaras, this report affirmed that the Holy Volume was compiled at Anandpur Sahib in 1698[3] .
Further re-examinations and reviews took place in 1931, under the aegis of the Darbar Sahib Committee
of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee. They, too, vindicated the earlier conclusion (agreeing
that it was indeed the work of the Guru) and its findings have since been published.
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Janamsakhis
The Janamskhs (literallybirth stories), are writings which profess to be biographies of Nanak. Although
not scripture in the strictest sense, they provide an interesting look at Nanak's life and the early start of
Sikhism. There are severaloften contradictory and sometimes unreliableJanamskhs and they are
not held in the same regard as other sources of scriptural knowledge.
Observances
Observant Sikhs adhere to long-standing practices and traditions to strengthen and express their faith.
The daily recitation from memory of specific passages from the Gur Granth Shib, especially
theJapu(or Japj, literally chant) hymns is recommended immediately after rising and bathing. Family
customs include both reading passages from the scripture and attending the gurdwara (also gurdur,
meaning the doorway to God; sometimes transliterated as gurudwara). There are many gurdwaras
prominently constructed and maintained across India, as well as in almost every nation where Sikhs
reside. Gurdwaras are open to all, regardless of religion, background, caste, or race.
Worship in a gurdwara consists chiefly of singing of passages from the scripture. Sikhs will commonly
enter the temple, touch the ground before the holy scripture with their foreheads, and make an offering.
The recitation of the eighteenth centuryardsis also customary for attending Sikhs. The ards recalls
past sufferings and glories of the community, invoking divine grace for all humanity.[40]
The most sacred shrine is the Harimandir Sahib in Amritsar, famously known as the Golden Temple.
Groups of Sikhs regularly visit and congregate at the Harimandir Sahib. On specific occasions, groups of
Sikhs are permitted to undertake a pilgrimage to Sikh shrines in the province of Punjab in Pakistan,
especially at Nankana Sahib and other Gurdwaras. Other places of interest to Sikhism in Pakistan
includes thesamdh(place of cremation) of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore.
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Sikh Festivals
Festivals in Sikhism mostly centre around the lives of the Gurus and Sikh martyrs. The SGPC, the Sikh
organisation in charge of upkeep of the gurdwaras, organises celebrations based on the
newNanakshahi calendar. This calendar is highly controversial among Sikhs and is not universally
accepted. Several festivals (Hola Mohalla, Diwali, and Nanak's birthday) continue to be celebrated using
the Hindu calendar. Sikh festivals include the following:
Gurpurabs are celebrations or commemorations based on the lives of the Sikh gurus. They tend
to be either birthdays or celebrations of Sikh martyrdom. All ten Gurus have Gurpurabs on the
Nanakshahi calendar, but it is Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Gobind Singh who have a gurpurab
that is widely celebrated in Gurdwaras and Sikh homes. The martyrdoms are also known as a
shaheedi Gurpurab, which mark the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Tegh
Bahadur.
Vaisakhi or Baisakhi normally occurs on 13 April and marks the beginning of the new spring year
and the end of the harvest. Sikhs celebrate it because on Vaisakhi in 1699, the tenth guru,
Gobind Singh, laid down the Foundation of the Khalsa an Independent Sikh Identity.
Bandi Chhor Divas or Diwali celebrates Guru Hargobind's release from the Gwalior Fort, with
several innocent Hindu kings who were also imprisoned by Jahangir, on 26 October 1619.
Hola Mohalla occurs the day after Holi and is when the Khalsa Panth gather at Anandpur and
display their warrior skills, including fighting and riding.
Ceremonies and customs
The anand kraj(Sikh marriage) ceremony
Nanak taught that rituals, religious ceremonies, or idol worship is of little use and Sikhs are discouraged
from fasting or going on pilgrimages.[41]
However, during the period of the later gurus, and owing to
increased institutionalisation of the Sikh religion, many ceremonies and rituals did arise. Converts to
Sikhism are welcomed. The morning and evening prayers take about two hours a day, starting in the very
early morning hours. The first morning prayer is Guru Nanak's Jap Ji. Jap, meaning "recitation", refers to
the use of sound, as the best way of approaching the divine. Like combing hair, hearing and reciting the
sacred word is used as a way to comb all negative thoughts out of the mind. The second morning prayer
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is Guru Gobind Singh's universal Jaap Sahib. The Guru addresses God as having no form, no country,
and no religion but as the seed of seeds, sun of suns, and the song of songs. The Jaap Sahib asserts
that God is the cause of conflict as well as peace, and of destruction as well as creation. Devotees learn
that there is nothing outside of God's presence, nothing outside of God's control. Devout Sikhs are
encouraged to begin the day with private meditations on the name of God.
Upon a child's birth, the Guru Granth Sahib is opened at a random point and the child is named using the
first letter on the top left hand corner of the left page. All boys are given the middle name Singh, and all
girls are given the middle name Kaur.[42]Sikhs are joined in wedlock through theanand krajceremony.
Sikhs are required to marry when they are of a sufficient age (child marriage is taboo), and without regard
for the future spouse's caste or descent. The marriage ceremony is performed in the company of the
Guru Granth Sahib; around which the couple circles four times. After the ceremony is complete, the
husband and wife are considered "a single soul in two bodies."[43]
According to Sikh religious rites, neither husband nor wife is permitted to divorce. A Sikh couple that
wishes to divorce may be able to do so in a civil court but this is not condoned.[44]
Upon death, the body of
a Sikh is usually cremated. If this is not possible, any means of disposing the body may be employed.
The krtan shil and ards prayers are performed during the funeral ceremony (known asantim sanskr).
Baptism and the Khalsa
A ka, kaghand kirpn.
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Khalsa (meaning "pure") is the name given by Gobind Singh to all Sikhs who have been baptised or
initiated by takingammritin a ceremony calledammrit sacr. The first time that this ceremony took place
was on Vaisakhi, which fell on 29 March 1698/1699 at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. It was on that occasion
that Gobind Singh baptised thePaj Pirwho in turn baptised Gobind Singh himself.
Baptised Sikhs are bound to wear the Five Ks (in Punjabi known aspaj kakk orpaj kakr), or articles