Sikhism originated in the 15th century with Guru Nanak, the first of 11 human gurus. The holy scripture is the Guru Granth Sahib, which contains the teachings of the 10 gurus and is treated with the utmost respect. Sikhs are initiated through the Amrit ceremony where they commit to wearing the 5 Ks: uncut hair, steel bracelet, wooden comb, underwear, and ceremonial sword or knife. They worship at gurdwaras and believe in working honestly, sharing earnings, and always remembering God. Major festivals include Vaisakhi, celebrating the founding of the Khalsa in 1699.

1. SIKHISM

2. The Origins of Sikhism: Intro
Where did Sikhism start?
Who was Guru Nanak?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-beginnings-of-
sikhism/4822.html

3. Key Figures
 Sikh tradition tells us that in Sikhism Gurus are not
to be worshipped as they are not God but are
teachers who show the way to God.
All together there are 11 gurus in Sikhism. Guru
Nanak being the first guru and the Last being Guru
Granth Sahib!

4. The Guru Granth Sahib
 The last ten gurus were humans. This Guru is a
sacred collection of texts. It is a preservation of the
teachings of the ten previous Gurus.
 The Guru Granth sahib is the holy scripture in
Sikhism
 Sikhs look to this book for guidance in their lives.
 Sikhs believe it is a Divine Revelation

5. Treatment of the Sacred Text
Chauri (fan) – waved
over the pages as
they are read by the
appointed scripture
reader.
At the beginning of the day the
Granthi (reader), and any other
Sikhs present, form a
procession to carry the Guru
Granth Sahib to its position on
the Manji in the Diwan hall
(place of worship) of
the Gurdwara.
The holy text is put
to bed in it’s own
room every night.
The Guru Granth Sahib is given
the same respect that was
shown to the human Gurus
during their lifetimes.
It is never placed
on the ground and
Sikhs never turn
their back on it.
Manji (cushions) – Where
the text is placed.
Rumara – Cloths to cover.

6. Amrit Ceremony
Sikhs who have been through this ceremony become baptised, take new names and wear the 5
K’s.
The ceremony is the initiation rite introduced by Guru Gobind Singh when founding the Khalsa.
 In the Gurdwara before the Granth Sahib and in presence of 5 initiated Sikhs, they
represent the Panj Piyaras, first 5 initiated Sikhs
 Hyms are recited from the scripture, prayers said and principles affirmed
 Amrit is prepared, a mixture of sugar and water, with a double-edge sword
 Initiation candidates drink the Amrit from the same bowl, it is then sprinkled on their eyes
and hair
 They each recite the Mool Mantra (Fundamentals of Sikhism) readings from the sacred text,
explanation of rules in Sikhism
 Finished with the eating of Karah Parshad, sweet tasting food, been blessed
The initiation can occur as soon as Sikhs are old enough to understand the full commitment
they are making.

7. The Five K’s
Dated from the creation of Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh, 1699
They were introduced for a number of reasons …
 The symbols help identify members of the Khalsa
 Aiding strength as a community
 Each K has a particular meaning and represents a particular symbol
Instruction from the Guru is enough of a reason for many Sikh’s to wear the 5 K’s
The symbols have been seen to increase in power throughout Sikh history
In adoption of the 5 K’s ritual Sikh’s are believed to remember that every warrior,
saint or martyr since 1699 and every member or Khalsa are united
0.20 – 2.10 … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn3KNyPNKic

8. Kesh – Uncut Hair
There are a number of reasons for Sikh’s keeping hair uncut …
 Hair is considered a symbol of holiness and strength and has been throughout history
 Part of God’s creation, a symbol of accepting God’s gift as he intended it
 Adoption of a simple life, denial of pride in appearance
 Moving beyond concerns of the body and attain maturity in Spirit
 A Sikh is to bow his head to no other than the Guru including the barber
 Also a visible symbol of membership to the community
Sikh women are also forbidden to cut hair and trim eyebrows
Sikh men are forbidden to trim their beards.

9. Kara – Steel Bracelet
 Symbolising that a Sikh is linked to the Guru
 A reminder not to do anything the Guru wouldn’t approve
 God has no beginning or end
 Permanent bond to the community, a link in the chain of Khalsa Sikhs
 Made of steel, not gold or silver, it’s not an ornament

10. Kanga – Wooden Comb
 Representing a clean mind and body, keeping the hair neat
 Symbolises the importance of caring for the body, something God has created.
Does not conflict with their aim to move beyond bodily concerns,
the body should be cared for appropriately.

11. Kacha – Special Underwear
 These must not come below the knee
 Thought to be a useful garment for Sikh warriors of 18th & 19th centuries
especially for warfare on horses
 Also a symbol of chastity

12. Kirpan – Ceremonial Sword
This can be anything from 3 inches to 5 foot long, kept in a sheath
Can be worn over and under clothing
It is considered to symbolise …
 Defence of good
 Defence of the weak
 Struggles against injustice
 Spirituality
 Soldier saints
 Metaphor for God

13. Worship
Sikhs believe in one God so only worship one God
To many Sikhs God is abstract
 Cant be physically described
 Self exists in everyone’s souls
 Is only ‘seen’ by those God has blessed
This abstraction means most Sikhs worship God without the use of images or statues
Instead Sikhs look upon their holy text, the Guru Granth Sahib for guidance.
The Guru Granth Sahib is highly respected.
When not in use it is covered by a piece of silk called a Romalla.
Sikh worship can be public or private:
Private worship can be at any day, any time, anywhere
Sikhs aim to pray at least 3 times a day, morning, evening and before going to sleep
It is important to allow no distractions so that prayer is effective
Prayer is spending time with God who, although abstract, is seen as a caring friend
Public congregational worship is special to Sikhs
Public worship takes place in a Gurdwara and can be led by any Sikh, male or female

14. The Three Duties
Most Sikh’s believe that these must be carried out in a lifetime,
essentially, Pray, Work and Give.
 Nam japna –
Always keeping God in the mind
 Kirt Karna –
An honest living and seeking to live honestly, not just
to avoid crime as all should vow to do but avoid
temptation to gamble, beg or work in the alcohol or
tobacco industries.
 Vand Chhakna –
Sharing one’s earnings with others, including giving to
charity and also through care and affection for those
around you.

15. The Five Vices
Where possible, these are avoided by the five vices that are believed to
make people self-centred, building barriers against God in their lives.
 Lust
 Greed
 Attachment to things of this world
 Anger
 Pride
To overcome the vices aids the road to liberation

16. THE GURDWARA
THE GURDWARA MEANS- THE GATEWAY TO THE GURU
A FLAG CALLED THE NISHAN SAHIB IS FLOWN AT EVERY GURDWARA
ANY PLACE WHERE THE GURU GRANT SAHIB (HOLY BOOK) IS, IS A SIKH PLACE OF WORSHIP.
SIKHS TAKE THEIR SHOES OFF WHEN ENTERING AND BOW TO THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB WHEN WORSHIPPING
SERVICES ARE GENERALLY HELD ON SUNDAYS AND ARE BASED ON THE VERSES FROM THIS HOLY TEXT
DURING WORSHIP SIKHS BELIEVE IT IS RESPECTFUL FOR SOMEONE TO SIT BEHIND
THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB HOLDING A CHAURI
SIKHS CHANT AND PRAY TOGETHER WHICH IS KNOWN AS KEERTAN
EVERY SERVICE ENDS WITH A SHARED MEAL WHICH IS KNOWN AS LANGA

17. Vaisakhi
 Vaisakhi is the Sikh new year, where Sikhs celebrate the founding of the Sikh community in 1699 = this is
called Khalsa
 It is usually on the 13th or 14th of April
 This is the most important festival in Sikhism
 It was originally the harvest festival in Punjab
The story behind Vaisakhi:
 In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh came out of a tent carrying a sword requesting for anyone who is prepared to give
their life for their religion
 A young Sikh volunteered & went into the tent, the Guru then came out with blood on the sword
 He asked for another volunteer and then this was repeated another 4times until a total of 5 Sikhs went in to
the tent
 The 5 Sikhs then appeared alive out of the tent with turbans on
 These 5 were known as the Panj Piare ‘beloved five’
 They became the first 5 members of the Khalsa (Sikh community)

18. Sikh baby Rites
 In all ceremonies Sikhs follow instruction as set out in the Sikh Rahit
Maryada, the code of conduct
 When a Sikh woman discovers their pregnancy their first action is to pray
 On the birth of the baby, the words of the Mool Mantar are whispered into
the ears of the new born and honey is placed inside the mouth
 As soon as it is possible, it’s customary to visit the temple, usually expected
within 40 days of the birth
 A passage is read aloud on this day, the family then choose a name using
the first letter of the hymn on which the page was opened.
 The baby’s name is announced to comgregation, the Granthi would usually
add Singh (lion) as a surname if the baby is a boy, and Kaur (princess) if it’s
a girl
 In celebration at this ceremony Karah Parshad is distributed.