Sikhism - Iowa Park High School
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Transcript Sikhism - Iowa Park High School
A 500 year old, monotheistic religion of Northwest
India, followed by some 26 million
World’s 5th largest religion
“There is no Muslim, there is no Hindu; all are
equal human beings because they are the children
of the same Father, God.“ – Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak (1469-1538)
Hindu by birth and upbringing
Influenced by the Bhakti and Sant tradition of
medieval northwest India
Drew his own disciples (“sikhs”) following a
mystical realization in 1499 - Sikhs are disciples
of the gurus and of the ultimate (wahe) guru,
God
Preached a unifying message that overcame
religious differences, uniting both Hindu and
Muslim in common devotion to the same God
Rejected meaningless ritual, images and idols of
gods in favor of simple, heartfelt devotion
Monotheistic
One God (whom people call by many names)
Sat Nam (“true name”), Waheguru (“great
guru”)
Equality of all human beings (reject caste
distinctions)
Karma and reincarnation
The spirit of the guru (Nanak) continued for
200 years through a succession of ten human
gurus…
The Sikh place of worship is called a gurdwara,
which means house of God. Wherever Sikhs go,
they build a gurdwara as a place to worship and
meet each other.
Sri Harimandir Sahib, commonly referred to as
the "Golden Temple," is the world's most
famous gurdwara.
Sikhs have a way to show their commitment to their religion: they
wear five articles of faith, called kakkars or "5 K's.“.
• Kachhera: The kachhera, a cotton undergarment, reminds
Sikhs of their modesty.
• Kanga: The kanga, a small wooden comb, represents
cleanliness and taking care of yourself.
• Kara: a steel bracelet. Symbolizes strength and integrity
• Kes: Sikhs do not cut their hair in order to maintain the way
their bodies were given to them. Most men and some
women wrap their long hair in a turban. Almost all people
you see wearing turbans in the United States are Sikhs.
• Kirpan: The kirpan, a small religious sword, represents a
commitment to justice.
Vaisakhi: April 13th, anniversary of founding of
the Khalsa
Guru Nanak’s birthday (November)