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)