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Sikhism
Ik Onkar: one Creator, the ten Gurus and Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
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In one minute
Sikhism, Sikhi in the community's own word, began in Punjab with Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the late 15th century and was shaped by ten Gurus over about two centuries. Sikhs believe in Ik Onkar, the One Creator present in all of creation, who is remembered through Naam (the divine Name) and reached by grace and a truthful, honest life. Since 1708 Sikhs have honoured Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as their eternal living Guru, and the Khalsa Panth, the collective community, as its body on earth. Honest work, sharing with others and selfless service (seva) are central, seen most famously in langar, the free kitchen of every gurdwara.
In India (Census 2011): 2.08 crore (1.7%)
Origins
As the tradition tells it
Sikhs remember that Guru Nanak Dev Ji, while living at Sultanpur Lodhi, went into the Bein river one morning and was not seen for three days. When he returned, his first words were remembered as "there is no Hindu, there is no Musalman", understood as a call to see the One Creator in every person. He then travelled widely for many years with his companion Bhai Mardana, who played the rabab while the Guru sang the bani (divine word). In Sikh belief the same divine light (jot) passed from Guru Nanak Dev Ji through all ten Gurus, and the bani is revealed word, which is why the Guruship finally rests in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
As historians describe it
Historians place the beginnings of the Sikh tradition in Punjab in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, a region where Hindu devotional (bhakti and Sant) traditions and Sufi Islam were both strong. Scholars note that Guru Nanak Dev Ji's hymns share themes with Sant poets such as Kabir, whose verses are also included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, while his settled community at Kartarpur and the line of successor Gurus gave the movement its own lasting institutions. The janamsakhis, the life stories of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, were written down after his time, so historians read them alongside the Gurus' own hymns and other records. Over the 16th and 17th centuries the Gurus built towns, gurdwaras, a scripture and a scripture-centred community, which took a new form with the Khalsa in 1699.
Timeline
- 1469 CEBirth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji at Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, today Nankana Sahib in Pakistan.
- c. 1500 to 1520sGuru Nanak Dev Ji's long journeys (udasis) with Bhai Mardana, followed by the founding of Kartarpur on the Ravi, where the first Sikh community lived, worked and ate together.
- 1539 CEGuru Nanak Dev Ji names Guru Angad Dev Ji as his successor, beginning the line of Gurus.
- 1570sGuru Ram Das Ji founds the town of Ramdaspur around a sacred pool; it grows into the city of Amritsar.
- 1604 CEGuru Arjan Dev Ji compiles the Adi Granth and installs it in the Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar.
- 1606 CEMartyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji in Lahore under the Mughal emperor Jahangir's orders. Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji succeeds him and raises the Akal Takht facing the Harmandir Sahib.
- 1675 CEMartyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji in Delhi, remembered by Sikhs as a sacrifice for the freedom of others to follow their own faith. Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib marks the place.
- 1699 CEOn Vaisakhi at Anandpur Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh Ji creates the Khalsa, initiating the Panj Piare (five beloved ones) with Khande di Pahul (amrit).
- 1708 CEAt Nanded, before his passing, Guru Gobind Singh Ji confers the Guruship on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, which Sikhs honour as the eternal Guru from then on.
- 1799 to 1839Maharaja Ranjit Singh rules a Sikh kingdom from Lahore; the Harmandir Sahib is covered in gilded copper in his time, giving it the name Golden Temple.
- 1920 to 1925The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is formed in 1920, and the Sikh Gurdwaras Act of 1925 places major gurdwaras in Punjab under its elected management.
- 1945 to 1950The Sikh Rehat Maryada, the code of Sikh conduct and conventions, is approved through the SGPC and published; it remains the most widely used code today.
Core teachings
Ik Onkar and the Mool Mantar
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji opens with the Mool Mantar, beginning "Ik Onkar": there is One Creator, whose Name is Truth, fearless, without enmity, timeless, unborn and self-existent, known by the Guru's grace. Most Sikhs, following the Rehat Maryada, take the Mool Mantar to end at "Gur Prasad"; some traditions read it as continuing to the end of the following verse.
Naam Japna, Kirat Karni, Vand Chhakna
In Sikh teaching, daily life rests on three pillars: remembering the divine Name, earning a living by honest work, and sharing what one has with others.
Equality and langar
The Gurus taught that all people are equal before the Creator, whatever their caste, gender or faith. In langar everyone sits together in rows (pangat) and eats the same simple meal.
Seva
Selfless service, such as cooking and serving langar, cleaning the gurdwara or looking after shoes, is valued in Sikh life as a way of overcoming ego and serving the Creator through people.
Haumai and the five thieves
Sikhs believe ego (haumai) separates a person from the Creator. Lust, anger, greed, attachment and pride are called the five thieves; the gurmukh, the one who turns towards the Guru, overcomes them through Naam and grace.
Miri and piri
Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji wore two swords, for worldly responsibility (miri) and spiritual authority (piri). In Sikh teaching the two belong together: a spiritual life also means standing up for justice and protecting the weak.
The Khalsa and the five Ks
Initiated Sikhs of the Khalsa keep the five Ks: kesh (uncut hair, covered by a turban), kangha (a small wooden comb), kara (a steel bracelet), kachera (cotton undergarment) and kirpan (a small sword, a sign of the duty to protect). They are articles of faith, not ornaments.
Sacred books
📖 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
The eternal living Guru of the Sikhs. First compiled as the Adi Granth by Guru Arjan Dev Ji in 1604, with the hymns of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji added under Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Its 1,430 pages (angs) in Gurmukhi script hold the bani of six Gurus along with Sant and Sufi poets such as Kabir, Ravidas, Namdev and Sheikh Farid, set in ragas. It is installed with honour under a canopy, opened each morning and respectfully closed at night.
Reader coming📖 Japji Sahib ›
The opening composition of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, by Guru Nanak Dev Ji: the Mool Mantar followed by 38 pauris (stanzas) and a closing salok. Many Sikhs recite it every morning as part of Nitnem, the daily prayers.
Read now📖 Dasam Granth
A collection of writings associated with Guru Gobind Singh Ji, including Jaap Sahib, which many Sikhs recite daily. Its compilation and the authorship of some parts are discussed among scholars and within the community.
Reader coming📖 Varan Bhai Gurdas
Poems by Bhai Gurdas, the scribe who wrote out the Adi Granth for Guru Arjan Dev Ji. They explain Sikh teaching and early Sikh history and are sung in gurdwaras.
Reader coming📖 Sikh Rehat Maryada
The code of Sikh conduct and conventions issued through the SGPC (approved 1945, published around 1950). It guides personal discipline, gurdwara services, initiation and ceremonies, and is the most widely followed code.
Reader comingKey figures
| Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469 to 1539) | First Guru and founder of the Sikh path. Composed Japji Sahib, taught Naam, honest work and sharing, travelled widely and founded Kartarpur. |
|---|---|
| Guru Angad Dev Ji | Second Guru. Gave the Gurmukhi script its standard form, gathered Guru Nanak Dev Ji's hymns and strengthened langar at Khadur Sahib. |
| Guru Amar Das Ji | Third Guru. Asked all visitors to eat in langar before meeting him, organised the community into regions (manjis), built the baoli at Goindwal Sahib and composed Anand Sahib. |
| Guru Ram Das Ji | Fourth Guru. Founded Ramdaspur (Amritsar) and its sacred pool, and composed the Laavan hymns used in the Sikh wedding (Anand Karaj). |
| Guru Arjan Dev Ji | Fifth Guru. Built the Harmandir Sahib, compiled the Adi Granth (1604) and composed Sukhmani Sahib. Remembered as the first Sikh Guru to be martyred, in Lahore in 1606. |
| Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji | Sixth Guru. Wore the two swords of miri and piri and raised the Akal Takht. His release from Gwalior Fort is remembered on Bandi Chhor Divas. |
| Guru Har Rai Ji | Seventh Guru. Remembered for his gentleness, his care for animals and nature, and a herbal dispensary at Kiratpur Sahib. |
| Guru Har Krishan Ji | Eighth Guru, who became Guru as a small child. Served the sick during an epidemic in Delhi; Gurdwara Bangla Sahib stands where he stayed. |
| Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji | Ninth Guru. Founded Anandpur Sahib and wrote hymns included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Martyred in Delhi in 1675; Sikhs remember him as Hind di Chadar, the shield of India, for defending others' freedom of faith. |
| Guru Gobind Singh Ji | Tenth Guru, born at Patna. Created the Khalsa in 1699, was a poet and warrior, and in 1708 at Nanded passed the Guruship to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. His four sons, the Sahibzade, are remembered as martyrs. |
Schools and communities
Where traditions within this faith differ. Described side by side, with no verdict.
Khalsa (Amritdhari Sikhs)
Sikhs who have taken amrit (initiation) and keep the five Ks and the discipline of the Khalsa. Most gurdwaras and many Sikhs follow the Sikh Rehat Maryada issued through the SGPC, though some groups keep their own long-standing conventions.
Keshdhari and Sahajdhari Sikhs
Keshdhari Sikhs keep uncut hair without (yet) taking amrit. Sahajdhari Sikhs follow the Gurus' teachings and revere Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji but do not keep all the outward forms; the word suggests a gradual path.
Nihangs
An order of Sikh warriors who trace their tradition to the time of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. They are known for blue robes, tall turbans, traditional weapons, horsemanship and the martial art gatka, especially at Hola Mohalla.
Namdharis
A movement associated with Satguru Ram Singh in the 19th century, centred at Bhaini Sahib in Punjab. Namdharis wear white and follow a line of living Gurus after Guru Gobind Singh Ji, a belief that differs from most Sikhs, who hold Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as the Guru.
Udasis
An ascetic order tracing its origin to Baba Sri Chand, elder son of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Udasi sadhus historically cared for many gurdwaras and spread the Gurus' bani.
Holy places
📍 Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple)
Amritsar, Punjab
The central gurdwara of the Sikhs, built by Guru Arjan Dev Ji in the middle of the sacred pool. It has doors on all four sides as a sign that it is open to everyone, and its langar serves many thousands of people every day.
📍 Sri Akal Takht Sahib
Amritsar, Punjab, facing the Harmandir Sahib
Raised by Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, it is the first of the five Takhts (seats of authority). The others are Keshgarh Sahib, Damdama Sahib, Patna Sahib and Hazur Sahib.
📍 Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib
Anandpur Sahib, Punjab
Marks the place where Guru Gobind Singh Ji created the Khalsa on Vaisakhi in 1699. Anandpur Sahib also hosts the Hola Mohalla gathering.
📍 Takht Sri Damdama Sahib
Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, Punjab
Sikhs remember that Guru Gobind Singh Ji stayed here and that the final version of the scripture, including Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji's hymns, was prepared here.
📍 Takht Sri Patna Sahib
Patna, Bihar
Birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, also visited by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.
📍 Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib
Nanded, Maharashtra
On the banks of the Godavari, where Guru Gobind Singh Ji spent his last days and passed the Guruship to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in 1708.
📍 Gurdwara Janam Asthan
Nankana Sahib, Pakistan
Marks the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji; many Sikh pilgrims travel here for his Gurpurab.
📍 Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur
Kartarpur, Narowal district, Pakistan
The town Guru Nanak Dev Ji founded on the Ravi, where he lived his last years farming alongside the first Sikh community.
Festivals
- Gurpurab of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Prakash Purab): Celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, usually on Kartik Purnima (October or November), with an Akhand Path, early morning processions (prabhat pheri), kirtan and langar.
- Vaisakhi: Around 13 or 14 April. A harvest festival in Punjab and, for Sikhs, the day the Khalsa was created in 1699. Many take amrit on this day, and the Nishan Sahib flag pole is renewed.
- Bandi Chhor Divas: Falls on the same day as Diwali. Sikhs remember Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji's release from Gwalior Fort, together with other detained kings, and light up the Harmandir Sahib.
- Hola Mohalla: Held the day after Holi, mainly at Anandpur Sahib, a tradition begun by Guru Gobind Singh Ji with displays of gatka, horsemanship, poetry and kirtan.
- Gurpurab of Guru Gobind Singh Ji: Marks the birth of the tenth Guru, usually in December or January, with kirtan, processions (nagar kirtan) and langar.
- Shaheedi Purab (martyrdom days): Days remembering the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, when many gurdwaras serve chilled sweet water (chhabeel) to passers-by, and of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, marked with prayer and kirtan.
In India today
Sikhs numbered about 2.08 crore in the 2011 Census, around 1.7% of India's population. Punjab is the only state where Sikhs are the majority, and there are large communities in Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra. Historic gurdwaras stand far from Punjab, at Patna Sahib in Bihar and Hazur Sahib in Nanded, and Sikligar and Vanjara Sikh communities have long lived in central and southern India. Sikhs have a long record in farming, the armed forces, transport, business and public life, and gurdwara langars are known for feeding people of every background, including during floods, earthquakes and other emergencies.
Visiting and learning with respect
- Visitors of every faith are welcome in a gurdwara. Cover your head (scarves are usually available), remove your shoes and wash your hands before entering.
- Do not bring tobacco, alcohol or other intoxicants onto gurdwara premises.
- Sit on the floor in the darbar hall and in langar, and avoid pointing your feet or turning your back towards Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
- Speak of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as the Guru, not just a book. The turban and the five Ks are articles of faith: never touch or joke about them.
Test what you learned
Which Guru first compiled the Adi Granth in 1604?
In which year was the Khalsa created at Anandpur Sahib?
Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib is in which city?
To whom did Guru Gobind Singh Ji pass the Guruship in 1708?
What is langar?
In which script is Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji written?
Score: 0 / 6
Sources: Census of India 2011, religion data (Office of the Registrar General) · Encyclopaedia Britannica: Sikhism · Encyclopaedia Britannica: Guru Nanak · Encyclopaedia Britannica: Golden Temple · Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)
Corrections from members of every tradition are welcome at support@indiadigital.org. Last checked: .