Waheguru (Punjabi: Whegur; also transliterated as Vahiguru) is a term most often u sed in Sikhism to refer to God, the Supreme

Being or the creator of all. It mean s "Wonderful Teacher" in the Punjabi language. Wahi means "wonderful" (a Middle Persian borrowing) and "Guru" (Sanskrit: ) is a term denoting "teacher". Waheguru is also described by some as an experience of ecstasy which is beyond all descript ions. "Waheguru" is the distinctive representation of God's name in the Sikh tradition . In Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, the term does not figure in the comp ositions of the Gurus, though it occurs therein, both as Vahiguru and Vahguru, i n the hymns of Bhatt Gayand, the bard contemporary with Guru Arjan, the fifth Si kh Guru (1553-1606), and also in the Varan of Bhai Gurdas. The most common usage of the word "Waheguru" is in the greeting Sikhs use with e ach other: Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh Wonderful Teacher's Khalsa, Victory is to the Wonderful Teacher. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dasven Patshah Da Granth (Punjabi: "Book of the Tenth Emperor") or Dasam Granth, often called Sri Dasam Granth Sahib with respect, is a scripture of Sikhism, co ntaining much of the texts attributed to 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Dasa m Granth is separate granth and should not be confused with the Guru Granth Sahi b. W. H. McLeod has noted that while the Guru Granth Sahib has a religious focus on "liberation through meditation", the Dasam Granth's focus has "little to do with religious belief". Some compositions of the Dasam Granth like Jaap Sahib, A mrit Savaiye, and Benti Chaupai are part of daily prayers Nitnem of the Sikhs. T hese compositions are also part of Sikh baptism (Khanda di Pahul). It is written in the Braj Bhasha language with the Gurmukhi script. Authorship There are three major views on the authorship of the Dasam Granth: The traditional view is that the entire work was composed by Guru Gobind Sin gh himself. The entire collection was composed by the poets in the Guru's entourage. Only a part of the work was composed by the Guru, while the rest was compose d by the other poets. In his religious court at Anandpur Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh had employed 52 poet s, who translated several classical texts into Braj Bhasha. Most of the writing compiled at Anandpur Sahib was lost while the Guru's camp was crossing the Sirsa river before the Battle of Chamkaur. There were copiers available at Guru's pla ce who made several copies of writings. Later, Bhai Mani Singh compiled all the available works under the title Dasam Granth. The traditional scholars claim tha t all the works in Dasam Granth were composed by the Guru himself, on the basis of Bhai Mani Singh's letter. However, some others dispute this claim, saying tha t the some of the compositions included in Dasam Granth (such as Charitropakhyan ) are out of tune with other Sikh scriptures, and must have been composed by oth er poets. Following is in brief about Historical books after Demise of Guru Gobind Singh w hich mention that Compositions in present Dasam Granth was written by Guru Gobin d Singh: Rehitnama Bhai Nand Lal mentioned Jaap Sahib is an important Bani for a Sikh . RehitNama Chaupa Singh Chibber quotes various lines from Bachitar Natak, 33

Swiayey, Chopai Sahib, Jaap Sahib. In 1711, Sri Gur Sobha was written by Poet Senapat mentioned Conversation of Guru Gobind Singh and Akal Purakh, and written three of its Adhyay on base of B achitar Natak. In 1741, Parchian Srvadas Kian quoted lines from Rama Avtar, 33 Swaiyey and mentioned Zafarnama with Hikayats. in 1751, Gurbilas Patshahi 10 - Koyar Singh Kalal, mentioned Guru Gobind Sin gh composed Bachitar Natak, Krisna Avtar, Bisan Avtar, Akal Ustat, Jaap Sahib, Z afarnama, Hikayats etc. This is first Granth mentioned Guruship of Guru Granth S hahib.The ceremony of initiation into the fraternity instituted by Guru Govind S ingh, and which is still observed, is called the Pahul ; and the first celebrati on has been thus described : The Guru caused his five most faithful followers to sit side by side ; and having placed some purified sugar in water, he stirred i t with a sword ; and after reciting some verses in praise of God, he caused the disciples to drink some of the liquid : some he placed on their heads, and the r emainder he sprinkled over their bodies. Then patting them with his hand, he exc laimed, in a loud voice, "Say,'Ye are the pure of God; and the victory is of the supreme God!" This completed the ceremony, and the exclamation became ever afte r the watchword of Sikhism and the salutation among the Sikh brotherhood. Just a s Muhammadans salute each other with "Salam alaikum!" so do the Sikhs on all occ asions exclaim, "Wa Gum Ji ka Khalsa! wa Guru Ji ki Fateh!" All the ceremonies o f his life, such as birth, marriage, and death, must be performed with passages from the Adi Grantli and the Daswen Padshahi, and from no other book. He must be strictly truthful, kind to the poor, and abstain from false dealing, slandering , and fornication. He is never to uncover his head, or to covet the wife or weal th of another man ; and when he dies, it is not good to cast his ashes into the Ganges, as is the custom of the Hindus, but to throw them anywhere in the neighb ourhood of Amritsar. These were the principles of Sikhism at the time of the las t of the ten Gurus. Some of the major messages can be summarized as follows: # Women are equal to men. One God for all. Speak and live truthfully. Control the five vices. Live in God's hukam (will/order). Practice Humility, Kindness, Compassion, Love, etc. Such, then, is the philosophy and such is the history of Sikhism. It began in si mplicity and large-hearted tolerance, on the one noble principle the Unity of Go d and the Brotherhood of Man ; it passed into sectarianism and a political organ ization based on hatred of Muhammadans ; and has ended by sliding almost insensi bly back to the superstition and mythology of the Hinduism it was intended to re form. In 1766, Kesar Singh Chibber mentioned history of Compilation of Dasam Grant h by Bhai Mani Singh Khalsa on directions of Mata Sundri, as he was first who wr ote history after death of Guru Gobind Singh. In 1766, Sri Guru Mahima Parkash - Sarup Chand Bhalla, mentioned about vario us Banis of Guru Gobind Singh and Compilation of Dasam Granth In 1790, Guru Kian Sakhian - Svarup Singh Kashish, mentione Guru Gobind Sing h Composed, bachitar Natak, Krishna Avtar, Shastarnaam Mala, 33 Swaiyey etc. In 1797, Gurbilas Patshahi 10 - Sukkha Singh, mentioned compositions of Guru Gobind Singh. In 1812, JB Malcolm, in Sektch of Sikhs mentioned about Dasam Granth as Bani of Guru Gobind Singh. Structure The Dasam Granth has 1428 pages and contains Jaap Sahib, the Akal Ustat or prais e of the Creator, the Bachitar Natak or Wonderful Drama, in which gives an accou

nt of his parentage, his divine mission, and the battles in which he had been en gaged. Then come three abridged compositions of the wars of Durga with demons, (Chandi Chritras: Chandi Chritra I, Chandi Chritra II, Chandi di Var). These were writte n to instill the spirit of war among Sikhs. The first stanza of the Sikh ardaas, an invocation to God and the 9 Guru's preceding Guru Gobind Singh Ji, is from C handi di Var. Then follow the Gyan Parbodh, or awakening of knowledge; the Shabad Hazare; quat rains called Sawaiyas, which are religious hymns in praise of God and reprobatio n of idolatry and hypocrisy; the Shastar Nam Mala, a list of offensive and defen sive weapons used in the Guru's time, with special reference to the attributes o f the Creator; the Kabiovach Bainti Chaupai will "absolve the suffering, pain or fear of the person, who will even once recite this Bani"; the Zafarnamah, conta ining the tenth Guru's epistle to the emperor Aurangzeb; and Hikayats, several m etrical tales in the Persian language. Contents The Contents of the Dasam Granth are: Jaap Sahib (Meditation) Akal Ustat (praises of God) Bachitar Natak (autobiography of the Guru) Chandi Charitar I & II (the character of Goddess Chandi) Chandi di Var (a ballad to describe Goddess Chandi) Gyan Prabod (The Awakening of Knowledge) Chaubis Avtar (Narrative of 24 incarnations of Vishnu as ordered by God Almi ghty) Shabad Hazare (Ten Shabads) Swayyae (33 stanzas) Shastar Nam Mala (a list of weapons) Charitropakhyan (various character of men and women [details both negative a nd positive]) Chaupai (Sikhism) (hymn of supplication) Zafarnamah (epistle of victory, a letter written to Emperor Aurangzeb) New Evidence: According to Scholars: Gurinder Singh Mann and Kamalroop Singh who have been res earched the Sikh Scripture for over 10 years the Granth was compiled 1) In the Durbar of Guru Gobind Singh 2) Historical sources from the time of the Guru show this to be the case 3) The earliest manuscripts show Guru Gobind Singh as the writer of the bani. This is all cataloged and neatly referenced in their book: Sri Dasam Granth Sahi b: Questions and Answers. Language and Literary Quality The Dasam Granth is written in rhymed poetry. It was designed to be heard, so th ere is considerable repetition, and a variety of meters to hold the attention. T he language of most of the Dasam Granth is largely Braj Bhasha veering towards S anskrit at one extreme and simple colloquial Hindi at the other, although conven tional Hindi is used marginally. The Braj dialect is a variety of medieval Hindi with a mixture of Sanskrit and Arabic words. The Zafarnamah and the Hikayats ar e in Persian using Gurmukhi characters and several passages in other works are i n Punjabi. The 'author(s)' not only used this melange of languages but also coin ed words half Arabic half Sanskrit (and sometimes words without any meaning just to create a musical effect). Some of this kind of writing has great power and b eauty. From A Short History of the Sikhs, Ganda Singh & Teja Singh:

"In Hindi he developed a style, which for martial cadence, variety of form and r ichness of imagination...has remained unsurpassed since his times. In lines rang ing from monosyllabic verse to long and multiplied swayyas and kabits, we seem t o hear the torrential flow of hill streams or the galloping sweep of cavalry on the march. His intellect quivers in emotion and breaks out against superstition and hypocrisy into humour, irony or banter. His emotion...is raised to the highe st pitch of ecstasy when he communes with God." From Sikhan de Raj di Vithya (History of the Sikh Rule): "This Granth is very difficult, and is composed in the Gurmukhi dialect in sever al kinds of verses. In it there is the description of several weapons of warfare , the rules of warfare, the shortcomings in the character of men and women, and some information on worship and religious knowledge. The descriptions of scenes of battle are couched in extremely vigorous staccato rhyme often reduced to line s of one word each. The battles waged by Chandi encounters with the hill chiefs at Bhangani and Nadaun are among the most stirring that exist. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Adi Granth (or Aad Granth, literally "the FIRST/Beginning scripture" - as in the Mool Mantar; "Aad Sach, Jug Aad Sach", True in the Beginning, True for All time ) is the early compilation of the Sikh Scriptures by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Sikh Guru, in 1604. This Granth ("collection of bani") is the Holy Scriptu re of the Sikhs. The tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh added further holy Shaba ds to this Granth during the period 1704 to 1706. Then in 1708, before his death , Guru Gobind Singh affirmed the Adi Granth as the perpetual Guru of the Sikhs a nd the Granth then became known as the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. In the Adi Granth we find poems by Hindus, by Muhammadans, and by the earlier Sikh Gurus, all ming led together with perfect indifference, but all of them expressing adoration of the Great Incomprehensible Soul of the Universe. In the Daswen Pddshdhi, on the contrary, we have nothing but Hindft material, containing miraculous and mytholo gical performances of Hindu gods and goddesses, extracts from ancient Hindu book s, wonderful stories for the edification of women, laudatory poems on the excell ences of weapons, and a history of Guru Govind Singh and his contests. It is per fectly clear, from a comparison of these two sacred books, that, in the interval between the First and the Tenth Gurus, Sikhism had passed from a position of ne utrality to one of partiality for Hinduism and of antagonism to Muhammadanism. Compilation One of the classic simplifications of Sikh history pertains to the preparation o f the sacred scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. The event is generally described in the briefest terms. The Holy Volume was compiled by Guru Arjan (AD 1563-1606) and the first copy was calligraphed by Bhai Gurdas at his dictation this is all we learn from most of the sources. What amount of planning, minute attention to detail and went into this work is slurred over. An old text which gives some detailed information is the "Gurbilas Chhevin Patsh ahi". Written in A.D. 1718, this, in fact, is the oldest source. Although it doe s not go into the technical and literary minutiae, it narrates the entire proces s from the beginning of the transcription of the Holy Volume to its installation in the newly built Harimandir Sahib at Amritsar. Why Guru Arjan undertook the task is variously explained. One commonly accepted assumption is that the codification of the Gurus' compositions into authorized v olume was begun by him with a view to preserving them from garbling by schismati c groups and others. According to the Mahima Prakash (A.D. 1776), he set to work with the announcement: "As the Panth (Community) has been revealed unto the wor ld, so there must be the Granth (Book), too." Bani included in the Granth

The "Bani", Gurus inspired utterance, had always been the object of highest reve rence for the Sikhs as well as for the Gurus themselves. It was equated with the Guru himself. "The bani is the Guru and the Guru bani" sang Guru Ram Das in mea sure Nat Narain. By accumulating the canon, Guru Arjan wished to affix the seal on the sacred word. It was also to be the perennial fountain of inspiration and the means of self-perpetuation for the community. Guru Arjan called Bhai Gurdas to his presence and expressed to him the wish that the compositions of the Gurus as well as those of some of the saints and sufis be collected. Messages were sent to the disciples to gather and transmit to him the hymns of his predecessors. Baba Mohan, son of Guru Amar Das, Nanak III, had two manuscript collections of the Gurus' hymns inherited from his father. Bhai Gurdas travelled to Goindwal to bring these Pothis but the owner refused to see him. Baba Buddha, one of the oldest Sikhs from Guru Nanak's days, was simil arly turned away from his door. Then Guru Arjan went himself. He sat on the stre et below Mohan's home, serenading him on his tambura. Mohan was disarmed to hear the hymn. He came downstairs with the pothis and presented these to the Guru. A s says the Gurbilas, the pothis were placed on a palanquin bedecked with preciou s stones. The Sikhs carried it on their shoulders and Guru Arjan walked behind b arefoot. He refused to ride his horse, saying that the pothis were the very spir it of the four Gurus his predecessors. The inscription of the Granth The making of the Granth was not an easy task. It involved sustained labour and a rigorous intellectual discipline. Selections had to be made from a vast amount of material. Besides the compositions of the four preceding Gurus and the Guru Arjan who himself was a poet with a rare spiritual insight, there were songs and hymns by saints, both Hindu and Muslim. What was genuine had to be sifted from what was counterfeit. Then the selected material had to be assigned to appropria te musical measures and transcribed in a minutely laid out order. Guru Arjan carried out the work with extraordinary exactness. He arranged the hy mns in thirty different ragas, or musical patterns. A precise method was followe d in setting down the compositions. First came shabads by the Gurus in the order of their succession. Then came hands, vars, and other poetic forms in a set ord er. The compositions of the Gurus in each raga were followed by those of the Bha ktas in the same format. Gurmukhi was the script used for the transcription. A genius, unique in spiritual insight and not unconcerned with methodological de sign, had created a scripture with an exalted mystical tone and a high degree of organization. It was large in sizenearly 7,000 hymns, comprising compositions of the first five Sikhs Gurus and fifteen Bhaktas and Sufis from different parts o f India, including Sheikh Fariduddin Ganjshakar, Kabir and Ravidas. The final version of the Gur Granth Shib was compiled by Guru Gobind Singh in 1678 . It consists of the original di Granth with the addition of Guru Tegh Bahadur's hymns. The Guru Granth Sahib is considered the Eleventh and final spiritual auth ority of the Sikhs. Transliteration: Sabb sikkha k hukam hai gur mny granth. English: All Sikhs are commanded to take the Granth as Guru. It contains compositions by the first five Gurus, Guru Teg Bahadur and just one a lk (couplet) from Guru Gobind Singh. It also contains the traditions and teaching s of sants (saints) such as Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas, and Sheikh Farid along with several others. The bulk of the scripture is classified into rgs, with each rg subdivided accordin g to length and author. There are 31 main rgs within the Gur Granth Shib. In additi on to the rgs, there are clear references to the folk music of Punjab. The main l

anguage used in the scripture is known as Sant Bh, a language related to both Punja bi and Hindi and used extensively across medieval northern India by proponents o f popular devotional religion. As per the name "Gurmukhi", it is not merely a sc ript but it is the language which came out of Guru's mouth - by using this defin ition, all words in Guru Granth Sahib constitute "Gurbani" words, thus making Gu rmukhi language which then constitute two components - spoken Gurmukhi words (in form of Gurbani which originated from different languages (like world's differe nt languages have similar roots) and Gurmukhi script. The text further comprises over 5000 abads, or hymns, which are poetically constructed and set to classical form of music rendition, can be set to predetermined musical tl, or rhythmic bea ts. The Guru Granth Sahib is divided into fourteen hundred and thirty pages known as Angs (limbs) in Sikh tradition. It can be divided into three different sections : Introductory section consisting of the Mul Mantra, Japji and Sohila composed by Guru Nanak Compositions of Sikh Gurus followed by those of Different Bhagats who just k now Only the God, collected according to chronology of Ragas or musical notes (s ee below). Compositions of Guru Tegh Bahadur. The poems are divided on the basis of their musical setting in different ragas. A raga is a series of melodic motifs, based upon a definite scale or mode, that provide a basic structure around which the musician performs. The ragas are asso ciated with different moods and times of the day and year. The total number of r agas in the Sikh system is thirty one, divided into fourteen ragas and seventeen raginis (less important or less definite ragas). Within the raga division, the songs are arranged in order of the Sikh gurus and Sikh bhagats with whom they ar e associated. The various ragas are, in order: Raga Sri, Manjh, Gauri, Asa, Gujri, Devagandhar i, Bihagara, Wadahans, Sorath, Dhanasri, Jaitsri, Todi, Bairari, Tilang, Suhi, B ilaval, Gond (Gaund), Ramkali, Nut-Narayan, Mali-Gaura, Maru, Tukhari, Kedara, B hairav (Bhairo), Basant, Sarang, Malar, Kanra, Kalyan, Prabhati and Jaijawanti. In addition there are twenty-two compositions of Vars (Traditional ballads). Nin e of these have specific tunes and the rest can be sung to any tune. The Granth completed The Sacred Volume consisted of 974 leaves, or 1948 pages, 12" X 8", with several blank ones at the end of a raga when there were not shabads enough to fill the section assigned to it. The site of these marvellous labours is now marked by a shrine called Gurdwara Ramsar. The completion of the Granth Sahib was, says the "Gurbilas", celebrated with h jubilation. In thanksgiving, Karah Prasad was prepared in huge quantities. hs came in large numbers to see the Holy Book. They rejoiced in their hearts a sight of it and bowed before it in veneration. Among the visitors was Bhai no, who had led a group of Sikhs from Mangat, in western Punjab. muc Sik by Ban

Binding the Granth Guru Arjan wanted to have the finished holy scripture bound. He sent Bhai BAnno to Lahore to have this completed. Banno sought the Guru's permission to be allow ed to take the Granth Sahib first to Mangat for the Sikhs there to see it. The G uru allowed this, but enjoined him not to stay at Mangat, or at any other place, more than a night. As Bhai Banno left Amritsar with his sacred charge, it occurred to him to have a second copy transcribed. The first copy, he argued, would remain with the Guru. There must be an additional one for the sangat. The Guru's direction was that h

e should not stay longer than one night at a place, but he had said nothing abou t the time to be spent on the journey. So he proceeded with his plans and sent a Sikh to purchase paper. He proposed to his companions that they should travel by easy marches of five mi les a day. The time thus saved was utilized in transcribing the holy text. Sikhs wrote with love and devotion and nobody shirked his duty whether it was day or night. By the time they reached Lahore, the second copy was ready. But Banno had added to it some apocryphal texts. He had both volumes bound and returned to Am ritsar as fast as he could. The Granth arrives At Amritsar, Banno was received with due ceremony, though Guru Arjan was not a l ittle surprised to see two volumes instead of one. Bhai Banno spoke truthfully: "Lord, there is nothing that is hidden from you. This second copy I have had mad e for the sake of the sangat" But the Guru put his seal only on the volume writt en by Bhai Gurdas's hand. He enjoined the Sikhs to own the Granth equal with the Guru and make no distinction between the two. "He who would wish to see the Gur u, let him see the Granth. He who would seek the Guru's word, let him read the G ranth with love and attention." Guru Arjan asked his Sikhs where the Granth Sahib be installed. Bhai Buddha said , "You are omniscient, Master! But there is no place more suitable than the Hari mandir." The Guru was happy to hear these words "like one who has sighted the ne w moon." He then recited the praise of the Harimandir: "There is nothing like it in all the three worlds. Harimandir is like the shipthe means for the people to cross over the worldly ocean triumphantly. A new joy pervades here every day. A sight of it annuls all sins." Reverence and respect It was decided to spend the night at Ramsar and return to Amritsar the next morn ing. The Granth Sahib rested on a seat under the canopy, whereas the Guru and th e Sikhs slept on the ground. A disciple had to be chosen to take charge of the G ranth Sahib. As says the Gurbilas, Guru Arjan lay awake through the night reflec ting on the question. His choice formally fell on old Bhai Buddha whose devotion was universally applauded. As they awoke, the Guru and his Sikhs made ablutions in Ramsar. The former there upon practiced his wonted meditation. At dawn, the entire sangat marched toward s Harimandir. Bhai Buddha carried the Holy Book on his head and Guru Arjan walke d behind swinging the whisk over it. Musicians sang shabads. Thus they reached t he Harimandir. The Granth Sahib was ceremonially installed in the center of the inner sanctuary on Bhadon Sudi 1, 1661 sK/1 September 1604. Bhai Buddha opened i t with reverence to obtain from it the divine command, as Guru Arjan stood in at tendance behind. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sikhism and travels Rai Bular, the local landlord and Guru Nanaks sister Bibi Nanaki were the first p eople who recognised divine qualities in the boy. They encouraged and supported him to study and travel. Sikh tradition states that at around 1499, at the age o f 30, he had a vision. After he failed to return from his ablutions, his clothes were found on the bank of a local stream called the Kali Bein. The townspeople assumed he had drowned in the river; Daulat Khan had the river dragged, but no b ody was found. Three days after disappearing, Guru Nanak reappeared, staying sil ent. The next day, he spoke to pronounce, "There is neither Hindu nor Mussulman (Muslim) so whose path shall I follow? I shall follow God's path. God is neither Hindu nor Mussulman and the path which I follow is God's." Guru Nanak said that

he had been taken to God's court. There, he was offered a cup filled with amrit (nectar) and given the command "This is the cup of the adoration of God's name. Drink it. I am with you. I bless you and raise you up. Whoever remembers you wi ll enjoy my favour. Go, rejoice of my name and teach others to do so. I have bes towed the gift of my name upon you. Let this be your calling." From this point o nwards, Nanak is described in accounts as a Guru, and Sikhism was born. Although the exact account of his itinerary is disputed, he is widely acknowledg ed to have made four major journeys, spanning thousands of kilometres, 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 towa rds Baghdad, Mecca and Medina on the Arabian Peninsula. Guru Nanak crossed into Arunachal Pradesh and visited most of the part. First wh ile going to Lhasa (Tibet) he passed through Tawang after crossing from Bhutan a nd entered Tibet from Samdurang Chu. He returned from Lhasa and went to the famo us monastery Samye and entered Pemoshubu Menchukha in Arunachal Pradesh. He medi tated for some time at this location. From Menchukha he went back to Tibet, brou ght the residents of Southern Tibet and got them settled in Menchukha. Thereafte r through Gelling and Tuiting he proceeded to Saidya and Braham-Kund, before ent ering the state of Assam again. Guru Nanak is the founder of the Sikh religion. Personal life Guru Nanak was married to Mata Sulakhni at about 16 years of age. His marriage t o her took place in the town of Batala. The marriage party had come from the tow n of Sultanpur Lodhi. The couple had two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Chand. Merged with God (Jyoti Jyot Samaye) Guru Nanak appointed Bhai Lehna as the successor Guru, renaming him as Guru Anga d, meaning "ones very own" or "part of you". Shortly after proclaiming Bhai Lehna as the next Guru, Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji merged with God ( jyoti jyot samaye) o n 22 September 1539 in Kartarpur, at the age of 70. Teachings Guru Nanaks teachings can be found in the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib, as a vast collection of revelatory verses recorded in Gurmukhi. From these some common principles seem discernible. Firstly a supreme Godhead wh o although incomprehensible, manifests in all major religions, the Singular "Doe r" and formless. It is described as the indestructible (undying) form. Guru Nanak describes the dangers of the Egotism (haumai- "I am") and calls upon devotees to engage in worship through the word of God (Naam, implies God, the Re ality, mystical word or formula to recite or meditate upon (shabad in Gurbani), divine order (hukam) and at places divine teacher (guru) and gurus instructions) and singing of Gods qualities, discarding doubt in the process. However, such wor ship must be selfless (sewa). The word of God, cleanses the individual to make s uch worship possible. This is related to the revelation that God is the Doer and without God there is no other. Guru Nanak warned against hypocrisy and falsehoo d saying that these are pervasive in humanity and that religious actions can als o be in vain. It may also be said that ascetic practices are disfavoured by Guru Nanak who suggests remaining inwardly detached whilst living as a householder. Through popular tradition, Guru Nanaks teaching is understood to be practised in three ways: Va Chakk: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need Kirat Kar: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud Naam Japna: Chanting the Holy Name and thus remembering God at all times (ce aseless devotion to God)

Guru Nanak put the greatest emphasis on the worship of the Word of God (Naam Jap na). One should follow the direction of awakened individuals (Gurmukh or God wil led) rather than the mind (state of Manmukh- being led by Self will)- the latter being perilous and leading only to frustration. Reforms that occurred in the institution and both Godhead and Devotion, are seen as transcending any religious consideration or divide, as God is not separate f rom any individual. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Panj Piare (Punjabi: Paj Pi'r, literally the five beloved ones), name given to the five Sikhs, Bhai Sahib Singh , Bhai Dharam Singh, Bhai Himmat Singh, Bhai Mo hkam Singh and Bhai Daya Singh who were so designated by Guru Gobind Singh at th e historic divan at Anandpur Sahib on 30 March 1699 and who formed the nucleus o f the Khalsa as the first batch to receive at his hands khanda di Pahul, i.e. ri tes of the two-edged sword. Panj pyare In Sikh theology, as in the Indian classical tradition generally, panj or panch, the numeral five, has a special significance. Guru Nanak in Japji refers to fiv e khands, i.e. stages or steps in spiritual development, and calls a spiritually awakened person a panch. The ancient Indian socio-political institution panchay at meant a council of five elders. Something like an inner council of five exist ed even in the time of the earlier Gurus: five Sikhs accompanied Guru Arjan on h is last journey to Lahore; the five were each given 100 armed Sikhs to command b y his successor, Guru Hargobind; Guru Tegh Bahadur, set out on his journey to De lhi to court execution attended by five Sikhs. Until the Baisakhi of AD 1699, Sikh initiation ceremony, charan pahul, comprised the administering of charanamrit or charanodak to the novitiate. As Bhai Gurdas , Varan, I.23, records, this was the practice Guru Nanak introduced for the Sikh s. At the ceremony the novitiate quaffed water poured over the foot of the Guru and vowed to follow the religious and moral injunctions as well as the code of c ommunal conduct laid down. Later, masands or local leaders, specially authorized by the Gurus, also administered charan pahul. According to Kesar Singh Chhibbar , Bansavalinama, a modification was introduced in the time of Guru Hargobind whe n water, poured over the toe of the right foot of each of the five chosen Sikhs assembled in a dharamsal, was received in a bowl and administered to the seekers after ardas or supplicatory prayer. Story of Vasakhi Guru Gobind Rai Ji was 33 years old when he had Divine inspiration to actuate hi s designs and make an undying legacy. Every year at the time of Baisakhi (spring time), thousands of devotees would come to Anandpur to pay their obeisance and s eek the Guru's blessings. In early 1699, months before Baisakhi Day, Guru Gobind Rai sent special edicts to congregants far and wide that that year the Baisakhi was going to be a unique affair. He asked them not to cut any of their hairto co me with unshorn hair under their turbans and chunis, and for the men to come wit h full beards. On Baisakhi Day, April 13, 1699, hundreds of thousands of people gathered around his divine temporal seat at Anandpur Sahib. The Guru addressed the congregants with a most stirring oration on his divine mission of restoring their faith and preserving the Sikh religion. After his inspirational discourse, he flashed his unsheathed sword and said that every great deed was preceded by equally great sa crifice: He demanded one head for oblation. "I need a head", he declared. After some trepidation one person offered himself. The Guru took him inside a tent. A little later he reappeared with his sword dripping with blood, and asked for ano

ther head. One by one, four more earnest devotees offered their heads. Every tim e the Guru took a person inside the tent, he came out with a bloodied sword in h is hand. Thinking their Guru to have gone berserk, the congregants started to disperse. T hen the Guru emerged with all five men dressed piously in white. He baptized the five in a new and unique ceremony called pahul, what Sikhs today know as the ba ptism ceremony called Amrit. Then the Guru asked those five baptized Sikhs to ba ptize him as well. This is how he became known as Guru Chela both teacher and st udent. He then proclaimed that the Panj Pyare -- the Five Beloved Oneswould be th e embodiment of the Guru himself: "Where there are Panj Pyare, there am I. When the Five meet, they are the holiest of the holy." He said whenever and wherever five baptized (Amritdhari) Sikhs come together, th e Guru would be present. All those who receive Amrit from five baptized Sikhs wi ll be infused with the spirit of courage and strength to sacrifice. Thus with th ese principles he established Panth Khalsa, the Order of the Pure Ones. Unique Identity At the same time the Guru gave his new Khalsa a unique, indisputable, and distin ct identity. The Guru gave the gift of bana, the distinctive Sikh clothing and h eadwear. He also offered five emblems of purity and courage. These symbols, worn by all baptized Sikhs of both sexes, are popularly known today as Five Ks: Kesh , unshorn hair; Kangha, the wooden comb; Kara, the iron (or steel) bracelet; Kir pan, the sword; and Kashara, the underwear. By being identifiable, no Sikh could never hide behind cowardice again. Political tyranny was not the only circumstance that was lowering people's moral e. Discriminatory class distinctions (--the Indian "caste" system--) promoted by Hindu Brahmins were responsible for the people's sense of degradation. The Guru wanted to eliminate the anomalies caused by the caste system. The constitution of the Panj Pyare was the living example of his dream: both the high and low cas tes were amalgamated into one. Among the original Panj Pyare, there was one Khat ri, shopkeeper; one Jat, farmer; one Chhimba, calico printer/tailor; one Ghumar, water-carrier; and one Nai, a barber. The Guru gave the surname of Singh (Lion) to every Sikh and also took the name for himself. From Guru Gobind Rai he becam e Guru Gobind Singh. He also pronounced that all Sikh women embody royalty, and gave them the surname Kaur (Princess). With the distinct Khalsa identity and con sciousness of purity Guru Gobind Singh gave all Sikhs the opportunity to live li ves of courage, sacrifice, and equality. The birth of the Khalsa is celebrated by Sikhs every Baisakhi Day on April 13. B aisakhi 1999 marks the 300th anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh's gift of Panth Kh alsa to all Sikhs everywhere. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Five Ks (Punjabi: Paj Kakr) are five Articles of Faith that Khalsa Sikhs wear at all times at the command of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh who so ord ered at the Vaisakhi Amrit Sanskar in 1699. The Five Ks are not just symbols but Articles of Faith that collectively form the external identity and the Khalsa d evotee's commitment to the Sikh rehni "Sikh way of life". A Sikh who has taken Amrit, dons all five Ks is known as Khalsa ("pure") or Amri tdhari ("Amrit Sanskar participant"), while a Sikh who has not taken Amrit but f ollows all rules and keeps all five Ks is called a sahajdhari ("slow adopter"). One who is neither following rules nor keeping all five Ks can not be called a S ikh. The five items

Kanga, Kara and Kirpan three of the five Ks , , , , ,

Kachera, Kara, Kirpan, Kanga and Kesh. A person who wears all these Five Kak aars should be considered a Sikh. Kesh uncut hair. Kanga - a wooden comb. Kara - a metal bracelet. Kachera a specific style of cotton undergarments Kirpan a strapped curved sword. Kesh One who does not tie a fresh turban is liable for penalty. For this reason it is mandatory for every Sikh of the Guru to tie a turban every day. (Rehitnama Bhai Chaupa Singh ji) The Kesh or unshorn long hair is an indispensable part of the human body. It was created by Waheguru as the mainstay of the 'Jivan Jaach', the Rehni that was pr escribed by Guru Gobind Singh Sahib by which a Sikh is clearly and quickly ident ified. A Sikh never cuts or trims any hair to indicate the perfection of God's c reation. The uncut long hair and the beard, in the case of men, form the main ka kr for Sikhs. A Dastaar is a turban worn to protect the Kesh and guard the Dasam Duaar (the Te nth Gate), a spiritual opening at the top of the head. The turban is a spiritual crown, which is a constant reminder to the Sikh that he or she is sitting on th e throne of consciousness and is committed to living according to Sikh principle s. Guru Gobind Singh jee told his Sikhs: "Khaalsa mero roop hai kaas. Khaalsa mai ho karo nivaas... The Khalsa is my image. Within the Khalsa I reside." Wearing a turban declares sovereignty, dedic ation, self-respect, courage and piety. Kangha , Comb the hair twice a day, covering it with turban that is to be tied from fre sh. Tankhanama Bhai Nand Lal Singh A Kangha is a small wooden comb that Sikhs use twice a day. It should be worn in the hair, and only the hair, at all times. Combs help to clean hair and remove tangles from it, as well as being a symbol of cleanliness. Combing their hair re minds Sikhs that their lives should be tidy and organized, too. The Sikhs were c ommanded by Guru Gobind Singh to wear a small comb called a Kangha at all times. The comb keeps the hair tidy, a symbol of not just accepting what God has given, but also an injunction to maintain it with grace. The Guru said hair should be allowed to grow naturally. For men, this includes not shaving. At the time of Gu ru Gobind Singh, some holy men let their hair become tangled and dirty. The Guru said that this was not right. Hair should be allowed to grow but it should be k ept clean and combed at least twice a day. Kara The Sikhs were commanded by Guru Gobind Singh at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar in 1 699 to wear an iron bangle called a Kara at all times. The Kara is a constant re minder to always remember that whatever a person does with their hands has to be in keeping with the advice given by the Guru. The Kara is a steel circle to sym

bolize life as never ending. Kachera The sign of true chastity is the Kachera, you must wear this and hold weapons in hand. Bhai Gurdas, Var. 41, pauri 15 Originally, the Kachera was made part of the five Ks as a symbol of a Sikh soldi er's willingness to be ready at a moment's notice for battle or for defense. The confirmed Sikh (one who has taken the Amrit) wears a kachera every day. Some go to the extent of wearing a kachera while bathing, to be ready to at a moment's notice, changing into the new one leg at a time, so as to have no moment where t hey are unprepared. Further, this garment allowed the Sikh soldier to operate in combat freely and without any hindrance or restriction, because it was easy to fabricate, maintain, wash and carry compared to other traditional under-garments of that era, like the dhoti. The Kachera symbolises self-respect, and always re minds the wearer of mental control over lust, one of the Five Evils in Sikh phil osophy. Kachera follow a generally practical and roomy design. It features an embedded s tring that circles the waist which can be tightened/loosened as desired, and the n knotted securely. The Kachera can be classed between underwear and an outer ga rment, as in appearance it does not reveal private anatomy, and looks and wears like shorts. As with all of the Five Ks, there is equality between men and women , and so women are also expected to wear it. Considering the hot climate in Indi a, the Kachera is often worn by men as an outer garment, keeping the wearer cool and being practical in manual work such as farming, however it is generally not considered respectful for women to wear the Kachera as an outer garment (on its own) as it is considered too revealing. Kirpan , Those who never depart his/her arms, they are the Khalsa with excellent rehats . Rehatnama Bhai Desa Singh The Kirpan is a short dagger which symbolizes a Sikh's duty to come to the defen ce of those in peril. All baptised Sikhs should wear a short form of Kirpan (app rox. 6" to 9" long) on their body at all times as a defensive side-arm, just as a police officer is expected to wear a public-defensive weapon when on duty. Its use is only allowed in the act of self-defense and the protection of others. It stands for bravery and protecting the weak and innocent. Originally, the kirpan was kept sharp and was actually used to defend others, su ch as those who were being oppressed by harsh rulers, women who were raped in th e streets, or a person who was being robbed or beaten. The true Sikh cannot turn a blind eye to such evils, thinking that they are "someone else's concern." It is the duty of the true Sikh to help those who suffer unjustly, by whatever mean s available, whether that means alerting the police, summoning help, or literall y defending those who cannot defend themselves, even if that means putting onese lf in harm's way. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Ards is a Sikh prayer that is done before performing or after undertaking any significant task; after reciting the daily Banis (prayers); or completion of a service like the Paath (scripture reading/recitation), kirtan (hymn-singing) pro gram or any other religious program. In Sikhism, these prayers are also said bef ore and after eating. The prayer is a plea to God to support and help the devote e with whatever he or she is about to undertake or has done.

The Ardas is usually always done standing up with folded hands. The beginning of the Ardas is strictly set by the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. When it co mes to conclusion of this prayer, the devotee uses word like "Waheguru please bl ess me in the task that I am about to undertake" when starting a new task or "Ak al Purakh, having completed the hymn-singing, we ask for your continued blessing s so that we can continue with your memory and remember you at all times", etc. The Ards is normally said while standing with folded hands before and after perfo rming any relevant task. It starts with "pritham bhagautee simar kai, Gur Nanak laee dhiaa-e phir Angad gur tay Amardaas, Raamdaasai hoee sahaee" and ends with "Naanak naam charhdee kalaa, tayray bhaanay Sarbaht dah Phahla." It is more than just a prayer; it is a new concept of therapy for the elevation of the human sp irit, mind and body. Following are the main features and benefits of saying the ards. It is a petition to God, the merciful creator of the universe It lowers ones ego and brings calmness to the mental state Teaches one Nimrata, Daya, and Chardikala One is reminded of the level of dedication required to become a better human being Gives one inner strength and energy Links the mind with the pure ones from human history Elevates ones spiritual state; builds ones confidence Brings a sense of "community" to the person. In a congregational setting, the ards is recited by one member of the assemblage with everyone standing reverentially, hands crossed, facing the Guru Granth Sahi b. Periodically throughout the recitation, the assembly as a whole repeats the w ord Waheguru in order to support the idea that God, the "Wondrous Guru", is the Supreme Being capable of anything. At the completion of ards, the congregation bo ws down as one and places their foreheads on the floor to symbolize the fact tha t they will go as low as necessary to support Waheguru and all that He stands fo r; in essence, they are placing themselves as the servants of God. Upon rising, the Sangat (congregation) proclaims "Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji ki Fateh ". Roughly translated it means "the Khalsa belongs to the Lord to whom [also] be longs the Victory" (Singh, Inderjit). Immediately after uttering these words, on e member of the assembly states the phrase, "Bole So Nihal", or "he who pronounc es these words shall be fulfilled" (Singh, Inderjit). In response to this statem ent, the entire Sangat heartily shouts, "Sat Sri Akal," meaning "True is the Tim eless Lord". The content of the prayers serves to unite the Sangat and show the degree of faith present in each person. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Langar (Hindi: ) is the term used in the Sikh religion or in Punjab in general for c ommon kitchen/canteen where food is served in a Gurdwara to all the visitors (wi thout distinction of background) for free. At the langar, only vegetarian food i s served, to ensure that all people, regardless of their dietary restrictions, c an eat as equals. Langar is open to Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike. The exception to vegetarian langar is when Nihangs (in India) serve meat on the occasion of Holla Mohalla, and call it Mahaprasad. There are also variations on langar, for example at Hazur Sahib, where meat is included. Langar is also a com mon term used across various units in the Indian Army, when referring to a mess, especially when there is no building and the food is served in open air (or thr ough temporary arrangements like tents). History The institution of the Sikh langar, or free kitchen, was started by the first Si kh Guru, Guru Nanak. It was designed to uphold the principle of equality between

all people regardless of religion, caste, colour, creed, age, gender or social status, a revolutionary concept in the caste-ordered society of 16th-century Ind ia where Sikhism began. In addition to the ideals of equality, the tradition of langar expresses the ethics of sharing, community, inclusiveness and oneness of all humankind. "..the Light of God is in all hearts." After the Second Sikh Guru, the institution of langar seems to have changed, som ewhat, and meat seems to have been excluded from this institution. The reason ci ted for this by historians, is to accommodate Vaishnavite members of the communi ty. Etiquette The institution of Guru ka langar has served the community in many ways. It has ensured the participation of Sikhs in a task of service for mankind, even Sikh c hildren help in serving food to the people (Sangat). Langar also teaches the eti quette of eating in a community situation, which has played a great part in upho lding the virtue of equality of all human beings and provides a welcome, secure and protected sanctuary. People from all classes of society are welcome at the Gurudwara. Food is normall y served twice a day, on every day of the year. Recent reports say some of the l argest Sikh community dining halls in Delhi prepare between 50,000 and 70,000 me als per day. At Golden temple nearly 100,000 people dine everyday and the kitche n works almost 20 hours daily. Each week one or more families volunteer to provi de and prepare the langar. This is very generous, as there may be several hundre d people to feed, and caterers are not allowed. All the preparation, the cooking and the washing-up is also done by voluntary helpers, known as Sewadars. Open-air langars Besides the langars' attachment to gurdwaras, there are improvised open-air lang ars during festivals and gurpurbs. These langars are among the best attended com munity meals anywhere in the world; upwards of 100,000 people may attend a given meal during these langars. Wherever Sikhs are, they have established their lang ars. In their prayers, the Sikhs seek from the Almighty the favour: Loh langar ta pde rahinmay the hot plates of the langars remain ever in service. The Three Pillars of Sikhism were formalised by Guru Nanak as: The Guru led the Sikhs directly to practise Simran and Naam Japnameditation o n God and reciting and chanting of Gods NameWaheguru. The Sikh is to recite the Ni tnem banis daily in remembrance of the grace and kirpa of the Almighty. He asked the Sikhs to live as householders and practise Kirat Karni: to hone stly earn by one's physical and mental effort, while accepting God's gifts and b lessing. One is to speak the truth at all times and only fear God. Live a life o f decency, high moral values and spirituality. The Sikhs were asked to share their wealth within the community by practisin g Va ChakkShare and Consume together. The community or Sadh Sangat is an important par t of Sikhism. One must be part of a community that is pursuing the values set ou t by the Sikh Gurus and every Sikh has to give in whatever way possible to the c ommunity. This spirit of Giving is an important message from Guru Nanak. Sikh beliefs:1a. Naam Simran 1b. Sewa 2. Three Pillars 2a. Naam Japo 2b. Kirat Karo 2c. Vand Chhako

3. Five 3a. 3b. 3c. 3d. 3e. 4. Five 4a. 4b. 4c. 4d. 4e.

Evils Kaam (lust) Krodh (wrath) Lobh (greed) Moh (attachment) Hankaar (ego, pride) Virtues Sat Santokh Daya Nimrata Pyaar

The Guru Granth Sahib, a Sikh religious text, promotes a moral teaching that Sah ib explains is about living a life of Truth, respect for others, and high moral standards. Followers of the Guru are considered to be members of the Sikh religi on, and they are known as Gurmukh which literally means follower of Guru. Qualities promoted All people of the world are equal The Guru Granth Sahib promotes the message of equality of all beings and at the same time state that Sikh believers "obtain the supreme status" (SSGS, Page 446) . Discrimination of all types is strictly forbidden based on the Sikh tenet Fath erhood of God which states that no one should be reckoned low or high, stating t hat instead believers should reckon the entire mankind as One (Akal Ustat, 15.85). Sri Guru Granth Sahib promotes the concept of equality by highlighting the fact that we are made of the same flesh, blood and bone and we have the same light of God with us Soul . Our building bricks are the same: SGGS Page 272 Full Shabad The God-conscious being is always unstained, like the sun, which gives its comfo rt and warmth to all. The God-conscious being looks upon all alike, like the wind, which blows equally upon the king and the poor beggar. The Gurus also encourage believers to promote social equality by sharing earning s with those in need. Women's Status Guru Nank Dev Ji said "Sikhi does not teach you to raise your hand on a women it teaches you to respect them" Sikhism also preaches that equal respect should be given to women. "In the earth and in the sky, I do not see any second. Among all the women a nd the men, His Light is shining. (3)" -Guru Granth Sahib Page 223 Shabad 706 Sikhism is strictly monotheistic in its belief. This means that God is believed to be the one and sole Reality in the cosmos, meaning that no other being have e xtra-human power. Sikh Gurus state that God alone is worthy of worship, and the highest end of existence, that is mukti or liberation can come through Devotion to God alone. Besides its monotheism, Sikhism also emphasizes another philosophical idea, whic h is known as monism. Monism is the belief the world is only a "vision" or illus

ion (Maya) and that God is the sole "Continuing Reality" so that selfishness, eg oism and hate are meaningless. SGGS Page 710 Full Shabad God is merciful and infinite. The One and Only is all-pervading. He Himself is all-in-all. Who else can we speak of? God Himself grants His gifts , and He Himself receives them. Coming and going are all by the Hukam of Your Will; Your place is steady and unc hanging. (20,1) Speak and live truthfully Sikhs believe in the importance of truthful living, which can only be created by purity of mind and not through religious purification rites. They believe that impurity of mind leads to many other vices such as anger, lust, attachment, ego, and greed. "So how can you become truthful? And how can the veil of illusion be torn aw ay? O Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam of His Command, and wal k in the Way of His Will." -Guru Granth Sahib Page 1 Shabad Control the five vices Devotees of Guru Sahib believe they must control the animal instincts of Pride/E go, Anger/Temper, Greed/Urges, Attachment/Dependency and Lust/Addiction. "All virtues are obtained, all fruits and nd; my hopes have been totally fulfilled. The arm, will cure all illnesses and totally take Lust, anger, egotism, jealousy and desire e of the Lord." -Guru Granth Sahib Page 1388 Shabad 5352 rewards, and the desires of the mi Medicine, the Mantra, the Magic Ch away all pain. are eliminated by chanting the Nam

Live in God's hukam A Sikh believes they should live and accept the command of God easily and withou t too much emotional distress. They attempt to live in contentment and in Chardi kala (positive attitude). "Shalok: He wanders around in the four quarters and in the ten directions, a ccording to the dictates of his karma. Pleasure and pain, liberation and reincarnation, O Nanak, come according to one's pre-ordained destiny. (1)" -Guru Granth Sahib Page 253 Shabad 792 Virtues The Sikh religion emphasizes several other virtues: Truth (Sat), contentment (sa ntosh), Love (Ishq), Compassion/Mercy (daya), Service (seva), Charity (dana), fo rgiveness (ksama), humility (nimrata), patience (dheerjh), non-attachment (vaira gya) and renunciation (tyaga). These believers attempt to avoid anger (krodh), egoism (ahankara), avarice (lobh ), lust (kama), infatuation (moha), sinful acts (papa), pride (man), doubt (duvi dha), ownership (mamata), hatred (vair), and hostility (virodh). In the Sikh rel igion, freedom from these vices, or Sahaj, is attained through tension-free, eth ical living, grounded in spirituality avoiding self-mortification and other reli gious rites of cleansing. The ceremony of initiation into the fraternity instituted by Guru Govind Singh, and which is still observed, is called the Pahul ; and the first celebration has been thus described : The Guru caused his five most faithful followers to sit s

ide by side ; and having placed some purified sugar in water, he stirred it with a sword ; and after reciting some verses in praise of God, he caused the discip les to drink some of the liquid : some he placed on their heads, and the remaind er he sprinkled over their bodies. Then patting them with his hand, he exclaimed , in a loud voice, "Say,'Ye are the pure of God; and the victory is of the supre me God!" This completed the ceremony, and the exclamation became ever after the watchword of Sikhism and the salutation among the Sikh brotherhood. Just as Muha mmadans salute each other with "Salam alaikum!" so do the Sikhs on all occasions exclaim, "Wa Gum Ji ka Khalsa! wa Guru Ji ki Fateh!" All the ceremonies of his life, such as birth, marriage, and death, must be performed with passages from t he Adi Grantli and the Daswen Padshahi, and from no other book. He must be stric tly truthful, kind to the poor, and abstain from false dealing, slandering, and fornication. He is never to uncover his head, or to covet the wife or wealth of another man ; and when he dies, it is not good to cast his ashes into the Ganges , as is the custom of the Hindus, but to throw them anywhere in the neighbourhoo d of Amritsar. These were the principles of Sikhism at the time of the last of t he ten Gurus. Some of the major messages can be summarized as follows: # Women are equal to men. One God for all. Speak and live truthfully. Control the five vices. Live in God's hukam (will/order). Practice Humility, Kindness, Compassion, Love, etc. Such, then, is the philosophy and such is the history of Sikhism. It began in si mplicity and large-hearted tolerance, on the one noble principle the Unity of Go d and the Brotherhood of Man ; it passed into sectarianism and a political organ ization based on hatred of Muhammadans ; and has ended by sliding almost insensi bly back to the superstition and mythology of the Hinduism it was intended to re form. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Khanda (Sikh symbol)

, kha) is one of the most important symbols of Sikhism alongsi The Khanda ( , Punjabi: the Ik Onkar. The khanda is like a "coat of arms' for Sikhs. It was introduced b y the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji. It is an amalgam of three symbols, represen ted by three different items. It is commonly found on the Nishan Sahib or flag o f the Sikhs, anywhere in a Gurudwara. The Khanda is made up of three symbols. The Sikh national Emblem was created by the Shromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committ ee (SGPC) after its constitution in the early twentieth century, when it depicte d the Sikh doctrine Deg Teg Fateh in the form of Emblem (logo). Since then it is s een inscribed on the Sikh national flag/ letter heads and the stamps of various Sikh organizations. The doctrine is first found in written form in Persian, on t he seal of Banda Singh Bahadur (1708-1716), stamped on his letters. The seal bor e the inscription: Deg-O-Teg 0 Fateh-Nusrat-I -Bedrang Yafat -Az Nanak--Guru Gobi nd Singh i.e, The kettle (Deg)- (The Sikh symbol of economy, the means to feed al l and sundry on an egalitarian base), sword (Teg)-(The Sikh symbol of power, to protect the weak and hapless and smite the oppressor), victory and unending patr onage are obtained from Gurus Nanak-- Gobind Singh . After Banda Singh, this inscription was adopted by the Sikh Misals and then by S ikh rulers for their coins also. Now the official seal of Akal Takhat bears this inscription.

The circle in the emblem of Sikhism represents the Deg (cauldron or kettle) used to prepare food, Guru ka Langar initiated by the founder of the Sikh faith, Gur u Nanak to remove caste barriers, teach people equality and humility before each other and to feed all and sundry on an egalitarian base so that no body sleeps with an empty stomach. The two swords on the outside represent the Miri--Piri (Bhagti and Shakti) doctr ine of Sikhism, revealed by Guru Nanak and put into practice by his sixth succes sor, Guru Hargobind indicating the integration of spiritual and temporal powers together and not treating them as two separate and distinct entities. In the center is the Khanda, the double-edged sword, used by the tenth Nanak, Gu ru Gobind Singh to prepare Amrit to initiate the Sikhs. Khanda has cutting edge on both sides indicative of two swords fused together representing Bhagti and Sh akti (spiritual and temporal powers), giving birth to The Khalsa, who is a saint-s oldier (Sant-Sipahi), the saint meaning scholarly in knowledge of Gurbani and so ldier meaning martial in spirit. To summarize, the Sikh national Emblem, reminds the Sikhs that they are warriors , they should take Pahul (Amrit), become Khalsa i.e, The ultimate form of the Sikh , keep Guru Ka Langar going so that no body sleeps hungry, protect the weak and hapless, fight injustice and oppression, wherever it takes place, the victory wi ll be theirs: Deg-Teg-Fateh. There are three different items used in a Khanda ( ), which also have a symbolic m eaning: A double-edged sword called a Khanda which is in the centre A Chakkar which is circular Two single-edged swords, or kirpans, are crossed at the bottom and sit on ei ther 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 c ircle in the middle denotes the one God, never beginning and never ending. The Khanda represents knowledge of God, the Chakkar represents the eternal natur e of God and oneness of humanity, the two swords represent Miri (political sover eignty) and Piri (spiritual sovereignty). Sikh practices are simple, precise and practical guidelines laid out by the Guru s for the practice of the "Sikh way of life". The Gurus emphasise that a Sikh sh ould lead a disciplined life engaged in Naam Simran, meditation on God's name, K irat Karni, living an honest life of a house-holder, and Wand kay Shako, sharing what one has with the community. This translates into hard work, honest living, love of fellow humans and through them service of the God, the primal power. Th is way of life is said to have been stripped of complications, myths, jargon, ri tuals and exploitation of man by man in the name of religion. No benefits are ga ined by where and to which family the person is born to All have to undertake th e rigours of Simran (meditation) and Sewa (selfless service) to progress spiritu ally. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib asks the Sikh to "Practice truth, contentment an d kindness; this is the most excellent way of life. One who is so blessed by the Formless Lord God renounces selfishness, and becomes the dust of all. Disciplined life The Sikh is required to undertake the following observances: Wake up early in the morning. Bathing and cleansing of the body should be performed.

Cleanse the mind by spending some time meditating on God. Engage in family life and address your responsibilities within the family. Attend to a work or study routine and earn a living by earnest means. Undertake to help the less well off with monetary and/or physical help. Exercise your responsibilities to the community and take active part in the maintenance and safeguard of the community. Personal regulations Wear the 5Ks Kesh long and uncut hair and a turban to protect the hair on the head. Kanga small comb to be used twice daily to keep the hair in clean and he althy condition. Kaccha underwear in the form of shorts to exercise self-control. Kara a steel slave bangle on the dominant arm to remind the Sikh to alwa ys remember the Guru before undertaking any action. Kirpan a short, often dagger-sized sword to remind the Sikh that he is t o defend against repression of the weak. Meditate by reciting his Gurbani and by singing his Kirtan (music based hymn s) and remember Him always. Wash your mind clean with Sewa, selfless service to the community by doing m anual work at the Gurdwara by cleaning the dishes, washing the floors, painting the walls; working in Community Centres; in old peoples homes, etc. Practice Truth at all times: To live by the Gurus instruction to practice Tr uth thus: "Those who practice Truth reap the profits, abiding in the Will of God . With the Merchandise of Truth, they meet the Guru, who does not have a trace o f greed. (6)" (SGGS page 59 (2)) and also "O Siblings of Destiny, follow the Gur u's Teachings and dwell in truth. Practice truth, and only truth, and merge in t he True Word of the Shabad. ||1||Pause||" (SGGS page 30 (3)) Be kind and merciful to others: Kindness is a virtue that the Sikh have been asked to exercise at all times. The Gurus have shown on many occasion how to pr actise and live a life of kindness and mercy and have the following message for the keen devotee: "Become 'Jivan-Mukta', liberated while yet alive, by meditatin g on the Lord of the Universe, O mind, and maintaining faith in Him in your hear t. Show kindness and mercy to all (sentient) beings, and realize that the Lord i s pervading everywhere; this is the way of life of the enlightened soul, the sup reme swan. ||7||" (SGGS page 508 (4)) Become a Gurmukh by doing Good deeds: The Sikh Gurus repeatedly ask the dedi cated Sikh to always do good deeds as shown by this verse from the Guru Granth S ahib - "The Gurmukh practices doing good deeds; thus he comes to understand this mind. The mind is like an elephant, drunk with wine. The Guru is the rod which controls it, and shows it the way. ||2||" (SGGS page 159 (5)) Community practices Organise Gurdwaras: As a community Sikhs set up local places of worship call ed Gurdwara. Services are held in the morning and evening including: Asa-di-war kirtan Sukhmani sahib paath Akhand Paath Ardas and Hukamnama Kirtan programs Naming Ceremony Marriage Ceremony Antam Sanskar Amrit Sanskar, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Khls is the Eleventh and final temporal-Guru/leader of the Sikhs. It is the collec tive body of Singhs and Kaurs represented by the five beloved-ones. The Khalsa w as inaugurated on March 30, 1699, by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru. The

leadership was passed on by Guru Gobind Singh to the Khalsa and bestowed the ti tle Guru Panth or Guru. Though, during the next nine years of his life, Guru Gob ind Singh remained the Commander-in-chief of the Khalsa. It can be concluded the Khalsa is the Eleventh Guru of the Sikhs with Guru Granth Sahib its soul. The Khalsa is also the nation of the sikhs. The Khalsa is responsibile for all e xecutive, military and civil authority. The meaning of Khalsa translates to "Sovereign/Free". Another interpretation is that of being 'Pure'. Guru Gobind Singh has declared the Khalsa as his true Guru and therefore as following described in the Sarbloh Granth the attributes of th e Khalsa: The Sikhs of the Khalsa can be identified with the given Five Ks and titles Sing h and Kaur. This happens after being baptised to the order of the Khalsa. The te nth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh at an event which conincided with the Baisakhi day in year 1699 initiated that every Sikh must follow the Five Ks; they are not merely symbols but commitment to the faith and philosophy of Guru Nanak, Sikhis m, and collectively form the external visible symbols; hence clearly and outward ly advertising and displaying one's commitment. It is as much analogous to the u niform of an organization, especially a Military. A Sikh who has been initiated into the Khalsa is titled Singh (males)/Kaur (fema les) and commonly referred to as Amritdhari, as opposed to Sahajdhari the non-ba ptized Sikhs who believe in all the tenets of Sikhism and the teaching of the Si kh Gurus and hence the Guru Granth Sahib. Sahajdhari Sikhs do not don all the Fi ve Ks. The Khalsa is also the pinnacle of the Sikhism. An individual is commissioned in to the Khalsa only at the will of the Guru which means the individual has alread y, by the grace of the Guru, overcome the inside-evils and therefore is free. Th e political sovereignity is a mere reflection of free ocean inside a Singh/Kaur. In other words, how could an individual, who is free inside, be contained by wo rdly fears of death! This is possible only when the Guru accepts an individual a s Singh/Kaur by granting the "Amrit" or nectar of immortality. One should be war e that soldiery of Singh/Kaur arises out of Sainthood which is reciprocal of Amr it. Thence a Singh/Kaur is a "soldier like saint" rather than a "saint like sold ier".

History Akalees The usual interpretation of the Khalsa is made as "Pure" as in the following sta tement: (Arabic ) ("pure/devoted") word khlia[h] is the recognition of every Sikh that follows the discipline and text from the Guru Granth Sahib.

There is also another word from Arabic " " which is pronounced as "Khalsa" and is adap ted in Punjabi/English/Hindi and many other languages. So, there are two differe nt words in Arabic: " "(Khalsa) and " " (Khalisa(h)). Furthermore, there is a word in n " " meaning "pure" and pronounced as "Khalis". A reader of Urdu can testify the "Kh alis" in the Persian script and language as described below. "Khalsa" is also used for a property which belongs to the emperor directly. The official language in the Mughal era was Persian and Persian language contains a word "Khalis" which directly translates to "Pure" in English. This may give a ne w meaning to the word "Khalsa". On these grounds and as per writings of the Guru Gobind Singh, the father of the Khalsa, wherein the great Guru describes the Kh alsa as army of the timeless-being, it is evident that Khalsa means timeless sov ereign. The Khalsa does not serve any monarch or a wordly sovereign country beca use it is a government in itself which acts only according to Guru Granth Sahib. A majority times "Khalsa" is presented as "Khalis" which, if not wrong, is an i

ncomplete definition. As long as the Khalsa keeps on performing its duty (as ass igned by the Guru and which remains forever) there is no problem as far the dict ionary is concerned and could be a matter of individual research. As long as the Khalsa remains the collective body of the Singhs and Kaurs (the ones who have r eceived the baptism of double-edged sword or "Amrit"), in contrast to someone in dividual (as "amritdharis" are usually referred as today), there is a ray of hop e that it starts functioning again and sooner for benefit of the "Entire". As is traditionally said the soul/spirit is the Granth (Guru Granth Sahib) and b ody is the Panth (the Khalsa) (aatma Granth vich, Shreer Panth vich). In another analogy as every thought needs a body to be executed in this material world ren dering the thought (or spirit) and body inseparable. Thought is the symbol of "s pirituality" and Body is the symbol of "temporality", as far Sikhism is concerne d they are inseparable. Miri-Piri are simply inseparable. So the Guru Granth Sah ib (the word or thought) and the Khalsa (the executive body) are the two insepar able sides of a coin. The Khalsa is definitely the collective body of the Singhs and Kaurs, however for all temporal reasons it is led by Panj Pyare or the five -beloved. At the Battle of Chamkaur, the Khalsa led by Panj Pyare passed on an o rder/command to the Guru Gobind Singh to escape from the Chamkaur and the Guru h ad to obey it, because at that point of time, and as proclaimed by the Guru on M arch 30, 1699 about his absorption into the Khalsa and declaring the five-belove d being equal to him, the Guru was just a Singh of the Khalsa. Also in Sikh tradition, the word Khalsa was already adopted by the sixth Guru as the term first appears in a hukmanama (order) by Guru Hargobind (the sixth Guru ) which refers to a sangat as "Guru ka khalsa" ("Guru's Khalsa"). It also appear s in a letter by Guru Tegh Bahadur (the ninth Guru), in the same sense. Foundation Panj Piare Bhai Sahib Singh Bhai Dharam Singh Bhai Himmat Singh Bhai Mohkam Singh Bhai Daya Singh An inscription naming the five members of the Khalsa Panth, at Takht Keshgarh Sa hib, the birth place of Khalsa on Baisakh 1, 1756 Vikram Samvat. Keshgarh Sahib Gurudwara at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, the birth place of Khalsa The creation of the Khalsa (brotherhood); initiated by Guru Gobind Singh, the te nth Sikh Guru. Although the early Mughal emperors had peaceful relations with the Sikh Gurus, t he Sikhs started facing religious persecution during the reign of Jahangir. Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Guru, was arrested and executed by Jahangir in 1606. In 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs was executed by the Mugh al emperor Aurangzeb for saving the religious rights of Hindus. In 1699, his son and the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh sent hukmanamas (letters of authority) to his followers throughout the Indian sub-continent, asking them to gather at Anandpur Sahib on March 30, 1699, the day of Baisakhi (the annual harvest festival). Guru Gobind Singh addressed the congregation from the entryway of a tent pitched on a hill (now called Kesgarh Sahib). He drew his sword and asked for a volunte er who was willing to sacrifice his head. No one answered his first call, nor th e second call, but on the third invitation, a person called Daya Ram (later know n as Bhai Daya Singh) came forward and offered his head to the Guru. Guru Gobind Singh took the volunteer inside the tent, and emerged shortly, with blood dripp ing from his sword. He then demanded another head. One more volunteer came forwa rd, and entered the tent with him. The Guru again emerged with blood on his swor

d. This happened three more times. Then the five volunteers came out of the tent unharmed. These five, who were willing to sacrifice their lives for their Guru, were called Panj Piare ("the five beloved ones"). These five volunteers were : Daya Ram (Bhai Daya Singh), Dharam Das (Bhai Dharam Singh), Himmat Rai (Bhai Him mat Singh), Mohkam Chand (Bhai Mohkam Singh), and Sahib Chand (Bhai Sahib Singh) . Guru Gobind Singh then took an iron bowl and poured some water in n (later Mata Sahib Kaur) added some sugar crystals to the water, tirred this mixture with a double-edged sword whilst reciting the e resultant solution is called as "Khandey di Pahul" (ceremony of ed sword) or commonly known as "amrit" (nectar) it. Sahib Deva and the Guru s Five Banis. Th the double-edg

These actions allude to the nature expected of the inductees to the Khalsa: that they must have the will and the strength to fight oppression (symbolized by the sword), but must always remember that their actions are born from protection an d not hatred (symbolized by the sweetness of the sugar). Each of the Panj Piares were given five handfuls of the Amrit to drink, and had amrit sprinkled in their eyes five times. Each time, they repeated the phrase "V aheguru ji ka Khalsa, Vaheguru ji ki Phateh" ("The Khalsa belongs to Vaheguru (t he wondrous teacher), the victory belongs to Vaheguru (the wondrous teacher)"). Guru Gobind Singh gave them the title (analogous to "Knight" or "Sir" in English culture) of "Singh" (meaning "lion"). Similarly, for female the title of "Kaur" (meaning "Princess"). As a matter of fact, nowadays the majority of Sikhs carry this title without taking the oath of double-edged sword. Guru Gobind Singh is the "Father" of the Khalsa and Mata Sahib Kaur is the "Moth er". One important outcome of joining the Khalsa is the abolition of one's previ ous caste, nation, race, rituals, customs, religion, clan, Karma. The new member is the citizen of Anandpur Sahib and their birthplace is the Kesgarh Sahib. The uniform of a Singh/Kaur of the Khalsa comprises the Five Ks: Kesh The uncut hairs on all the body. Kanga - A wooden comb. Kara - An iron bracelet. Kachera A pair of drawers (a specific type of cotton underwear). Kirpan A dagger or sword. Besides this, there is a basic code of conduct to be followed and a breach of wh ich requires the fallen to appear before the five beloved ones who award a suita ble punishment. The basic code of conduct (Rehat Maryada) issued by the Khalsa i s: Not to disturb the natural growth of the hairs. Not to commit adultery (sexual intercourse outside marriage). Not to eat sacrificial meat (meat prepared in the ritualistic way e.g. "hala l", "Kosher", "Hindu Sacrificial meat though the animal is slaughtered in one bl ow"). Not to consume any kind of intoxicants, e.g., tobacco, opium, alcohol, ganja , etc. Initial tensions with the non-Khalsa disciples With the creation of Khalsa, Guru Gobind Singh had abolished all existing social divisions as was fundamental in the teachings of Siri Guru Nanak. In their new order, the former lowest of the low would stand with the former highest; all wou ld become one and drink from one vessel. All previous beliefs relating to family , occupation, customs and ceremonies were declared useless by the Guru and salva tion could be achieved only by the ways of the Khalsa. This caused discomfort to

the conservative followers of the Guru and they protested. Many departed from t he ceremony, but the Guru declared that the low castes should be raised and woul d dwell next to him. The newswriter of the Mughal government, Ghulam Mohyiuddin, reporting to the emp eror wrote: He has abolished caste and custom, old rituals, beliefs and superstition s of the Hindus and bonded them in one single brotherhood. No one will be superi or or inferior to another. Men of all castes have been made to eat out of the si ngle bowl. Though orthodox men have opposed him, about twenty thousand men and w omen have taken baptism of steel at his hand on the first day. The Guru has also told the gathering: "I' ll call myself Gobind Singh only if I can make the meek sparrows pounce upon the hawks and tear them; only if one combatant of my force faces a legion of the enemy" Sri Gur Sobha (18th century) by Sainapati (Saina Singh) contains two sections (a dhyays) on the controversies that arose, when Guru Gobind Singh's disciples in D elhi heard the news of his new order. Much of the controversy stated in Sri Gur Sobha revolves around bhaddar, the ritual shaving of head after death of a close relative, which was discouraged by Guru Gobind Singh. According to Sainapti, wh ile creating the Khalsa, Guru Gobind Singh said that bhaddar is bharam (illusion ), and not dharam. Tensions developed between the Punjabi Khatri disciples of the Guru in Delhi, an d members of the newly-formed Khalsa. A prominent Khatri disciple was expelled f rom the place of worship (dharmasala) for refusing to join the Khalsa. Another d isciple was expelled for eating with him, starting a chain of further expulsions .[10] The expelled disciples convened a community gathering, at which two wealth y Khatris demanded that the Khalsa produce a written order from the Guru that a new mandatory code of conduct had been promulgated. A Khatri family that refused to follow the bhaddar ritual was boycotted by the Khatri community. The Khatri council (panch) closed the bazaar to pressurize the Khalsa. The Khalsa petitione d the state officials to intervene, who forced reopening of the shops. Later, pe ace was established between the two groups in a sangat (congregation). However, hostility between some Khatris and the Khalsa persisted in the later years. Khalsa as a military force One of the duties of the Khalsa is to practice arms. This has been deemed necess ary due to the rising persecution from the rulers. Before joining the Khalsa, mo st of the people were from professions like farming, pottery, masonry, carpenter s, Labanas, etc. Guru Gobind Singh in Oct, 1708 deputed his disciple Banda Singh Bahadur to lead the Khalsa in an uprising against the Mughals. Banda Singh Bahadur first establi shed a Sikh kingdom and then brought in the Land reforms in the form of breaking up large estates and distributing the land to peasants. He and his comrades wer e eventually defeated and executed, but he became an icon among the Sikhs. After a long exile the Khalsa regrouped under Nawab Kapur Singh, who gathered local K halsa leaders and created Dal Khalsa, a coalition army. The Dal Khalsa fought ag ainst the Mughals and the Afghans, eventually resulting in the establishment of a number of small republics called misls (autonomous confederacies) and later in the formation of the Sikh Empire. After the fall of the Mughal empire and the later establishment of a Sikh Empire in the Punjab, the Khalsa became an instrumental force in the new risen politic al frames with the inception of a Sikh monarchy: the Khalsa was created a democr atic body, and could oppose the Maharaja of Punjab. By the time of death of Maha raja Ranjit Singh in 1839, the regular army of Sikh Empire was assessed by Sir L epel Griffin at 29000 men, with 192 artillery guns. The irregular levies were es timated at a similar number.

The official name of the state (Sikh empire) of Sikhs was "Sarkar Khalsa": gover nment of the Khalsa. The boundaries of this state stretched from Tibet to Afghan istan and from Kashmir to Sutlej in the south and included countries of Punjab, NWFP, Kashmir, Jammu, Ladakh, etc. Modern status Sikhs appeared to possess more of a martial streak than their non-Sikh brethren. The reason for this was summed up by Major A.E. Barstow as being due to the inf luence of Sikhism. Today, the Khalsa brotherhood is respected by the entire Sikh nation; however, n ot all Sikhs are Amritdharis/Singhs. The issue of Khalsa code of conduct has led to several controversies. In the early 1950s, a serious split occurred in the C anadian Sikh community, when the Khalsa Diwan Society in Vancouver, Canada elect ed a clean-shaven Sikh to serve on its management committee. Although most of th e early Sikh immigrants to Canada were non-Khalsa, and a majority of the members of the society were clean-shaven non-Khalsa Sikhs, a faction objected to the el ection of a non-Khalsa to the management committee. The factions in Vancouver an d Victoria broke away from the Khalsa Diwan Society, and established their own g urdwara society called Akali Singh. In the United Kingdom there have been tensions between the Khalsa Sikhs and the non-Khalsa Sikhs. Many Sikhs in Britain have insisted on their right of not conf irming to the Khalsa norms, while maintaining that they are truly Sikh. On the o ther hand, some of the Khalsa Sikhs think of the non-Khalsa Sikhs as having aban doned the Sikh faith altogether. Khalsa code of conduct The Khalsa needs to follow rules and codes of conduct set by Guru Gobind Singh. The Reht Maryada (code of conduct) is based upon guidelines laid down by Guru Go bind Singh in 1699. They are for identification and representation of the ideals of Sikhism, such as honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God, and never bowing to tyranny, an d for helping/protecting the weak, and self defence. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sangat is a Sikh term with its origin in the Sanskrit word 'sangh', which means company, fellowship and association. In Sikh vocabulary, the word has a special connotation. It stands for the body of men and women who meet religiously, espec ially in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. Two other expressions carrying t he same connotation and in equally common use are sadh sangat (fellowship of the seekers of truth). The word sangat has been in use since the time of Guru Nanak (1469-1539). In his days and those of his nine successors, sangat referred to t he Sikh brotherhood established in or belonging to a particular locality. Use Sangat is used in the Janam Sakhis, or traditional life-stories of Guru Nanak, a s well as the hukamnamas, or edicts issued by the Gurus to their followers in di fferent parts of the country. In the hukamnamas there are references to Sarbatt Sangat Banaras Ki (i.e. the entire Sikh congregation of Banaras (Varanasi)), Pat na ki Sangat (i.e. the Sikhs of Patna) and Dhaul ki Sangat (the Sikhs of Dhaul). In the common and current usage, the word signifies an assembly of the devotees . Such a gathering may be in a gurdwara, in a private residence or in any other place, but in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. The purpose is religious pr ayer, instruction or ceremony. The sangat may collectively chant the sacred hymn s, or, as it more often happens, there may be a group of musicians to perform ki rtan. At sangat there may be recitals of the holy writ with or without expositio

n, lectures on religious or theological topics, or narration of events from Sikh history. Social and political matters of interest for the community may as well be discussed. In Sikh faith, the highest merit is assigned to meeting of the followers in sang at. This is considered essential for the spiritual edification and progress of a n individual. It is a means of religious and ethical training. Worship and praye r in sangat count for more than isolated religious practice. The holy fellowship is morally elevating. Here the seeker learns to make himself useful to others b y engaging in acts of seva, or self-giving service, so highly prized in Sikhism. The seva can take the form of looking after the assemblys shoes for all must ent er the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib barefoot; preparing and serving food in Guru ka Langar; and relieving the rigour of a hot summer day by swinging over t he heads of the devotees large hand-fans. It is in the company of pious men that true religious discipline ripens. Those intent on spiritual advantage must seek it. Guru Nanak Though sangat has the freedom to discuss secular matters affecting the community , it is its spiritual core which imparts to it the status and authority it comma nds in the Sikh system. Guru Nanak said, satsangat is where the Divine Name alone is cherished. (GG, 72) This is where virtues are learned. Satsangat is the Gurus o wn school where one practises godlike qualities. (GG, 1316) Attendance at sangat wins one nearness to God and release from the circuit of birth and death. Sitting among sangat one should recite Gods praise and thereby swim across the impassabl e ocean of existence. (GG, 95) As satsangat is obtained through the Gurus grace, t he Name blossoms forth in the heart. (GG, 67-68) Amid sangat abides the Lord God. (GG, 94) God resides in the sangat. He who comprehends the Gurus word realizes thi s truth. (GG, 1314) Deprived of sangat, ones self remains begrimed. (GG, 96) Without sangat ego will not be dispelled. (GG, 1098) Says Guru Arjan in Sukhmani, Highest among all works is joining the sangat and thereby conquering the evil propensit ies of the mind. (GG, 266) Again, As one lost in a thick jungle rediscovers ones pa th, so will one be enlightened in the company of the holy. (GG, 282) Sangat, fellowship of the holy, is thus applauded as a means of moral and spirit ual uplift; it is as well a social unit which inculcates values of brotherhood, equality and seva. Sangats sprang up in the wake of Guru Nanaks extensive travels . Group of disciples formed in different places and met together in sangat to re cite his hymns. As an institution, sangat had, with its concomitants dharamsal, where the devote es gathered in the name of Akal, the Timeless Lord, to pray and sing Guru Nanaks hymns, and Guru ka Langar, community refectory, where all sat together to partak e of a common repast without distinction of caste or statussymbolized the new way of life emerging from Guru Nanaks teachings. At the end of his udasis or travels , Guru Nanak settled at Kartarpur, a habitation he had himself founded on the ri ght bank of the River Ravi. There a community of disciples grew around him. It w as not a monastic order, but a fellowship of ordinary men engaged in ordinary oc cupation of life. A key element in this process of restructuring of religious an d social life was the spirit of seva. Corporal works of charity and mutual help were undertaken voluntarily and zealously and considered a peculiarly pious duty . To quote Bhai Gurdas: dharamsal kartarpur sadhsangati sach khandu vasaia, Varan, XXIV. 11, i.e. in establishing dharamsal at Kartapur, with its sangat or societ y of the holy, Guru Nanak brought the heaven on earth. Sikh community These sangats played an important role in the evolution of the Sikh community. T he social implications of the institutions were far-reaching. It united the Sikh s in a particular locality or region into a brotherhood or fraternity. A member of the sangat, i.e. every Sikh was known as bhai, lit. brother, signifying one o

f holy living. The sangat brought together men not only in spiritual pursuit but also in worldly affairs, forging community of purpose as well as of action base d on mutual equality and brotherhood. Though sangats were spread over widely sep arated localities, they formed a single entity owning loyalty to the word of Gur u Nanak. Sangats were thus the Sikh community in formation. In these sangats the disciples mixed together without considerations of birth, p rofession or worldly position. Bhai Gurdas, his Var XI, mentions the names of th e leading Sikhs of the time of Guru Nanak and his five spiritual successors. In the first 12 stanzas are described the characteristics of a gursikh, or follower of the Guru. In the succeeding stanzas occur the names of some of the prominent Sikhs, in many cases with caste, class or profession of the individual. In some instances, even places they came from are mentioned. In these stanzas, Bhai Gur das thus provides interesting clues to the composition, socially, of early Sikhi sm and its spread, geographically. Out of the 19 disciples of Guru Nanak mention ed by Bhai Gurdas, two were MuslimsMardana, a mirasi, or bard, from his own villa ge, and Daulat Khan Lodi, an Afghan noble. Bura, celebrated as Bhai Buddha, who was contemporary with the first six Gurus, was a Jatt of Randhava subcaste. So w as Ajitta, of Pakkhoke Randhava, in present-day Gurdaspur district. Phirna was a Khaihra Jatt; Malo and Manga were musicians; and Bhagirath, formerly a worshipp er of the goddess Kali, was the chaudhari, i.e. revenue official of Malsihan, in Lahore district Of the several Khatri disciples, Mula was of Kir subcaste, Prit ha and Kheda were Soinis, Prithi Mall was a Sahigal, Bhagta was Ohri, Japu a Van si, and Sihan and Gajjan cousins were Uppals. The Sikh sangat was thus the melti ng-pot for the high and the low, the twice-born and the outcaste. It was a new f raternity emerging as the participants response of discipleship to the Guru. Sangats were knit into an organized system by Guru Amar Das who established manj is or preaching districts, each comprising a number of sangats. Guru Arjan appoi nted masands, community leaders, to look after sangats in different regions. San gat was the precursor to the Khalsa manifested by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Tha t was the highest point in the evolution of the casteless Sikh commonwealth orig inating in the institution of sangat. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The philosophy of Sikhism is covered in great detail in the Guru Granth Sahib, t he Sikh holy text. Detailed guidance is given to followers on how to conduct the ir lives so that peace and salvation can be obtained. The holy text outlines the positive actions that one must take to make progress in the evolution of the pe rson. One must remember the Creator at all times it reminds the follower that th e "soul is on loan from God, who is ever merciful", and that the follower must d edicate their life to all good causes - to help make this life more worthwhile. The sections below give more details of the underlying message of this faith. It is easiest to discuss the topic if the details are divided into the following s ections: Underlying values The Sikhs must believe in the following values: Equality: All humans are equal before God No discrimination is allowed on th e basis of caste, race, gender, creed, origin, color, education, status, wealth, et cetera. The principles of universal equality and brotherhood are important p illars of Sikhism. Personal right: Every person has a right to life but this right is restricte d and has attached certain duties simple living is essential. A Sikh is expected to rise early, meditate and pray, consume simple food, perform an honest day's work, carry out duties for his or her family, enjoy life and always be positive, be charitable and support the needy, et cetera. Actions count: Salvation is obtained by ones actions good deeds, remembrance

of God Naam Simran, Kirtan. Living a family life: Encouraged to live as a family unit to provide and nur ture children for the perpetual benefit of creation. (as opposed to living as a wild hermit, which was, and remains, a common spiritual practice in India.) Sharing: It is encouraged to share and give to charity 10 percent of ones net earnings. Accept Gods will: Develop your personality so that you recognise happy event and miserable events as one the will of God causes them. The four fruits of life: Truth, contentment, contemplation and Naam, (in the name of God). Prohibited behavior Non-logical behavior: Superstitions, or rituals which have no meaning, such as pilgrimages, fasting and bathing in rivers, gambling, worship of graves, idol s or pictures, and compulsory wearing of the veil for women, are prohibited. Material obsession: ("Maya") Accumulation of materials has no meaning in Sik hism. Wealth such as gold, portfolio, stocks, commodities, properties, et cetera , will all be left here on Earth when you depart. Do not get attached to them. Sacrifice of creatures: Sati Widows throwing themselves in the funeral pyre of their husbands, the act of slaughtering lambs and calves to celebrate holy oc casions Non-family oriented living: A sikh is encouraged not to live as a recluse, b eggar, monk, nun, celibate, or in any similar vein. Worthless talk: Bragging, gossip and lying are not permitted. Intoxication: The consumption of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or other intoxican ts is prohibited. No priestly class: Sikhs do not have to depend on a priest for any of the fu nctions that need to be performed. Eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner (Kutha meat): Sikhs are strictly prohibited from eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner (such as halal or kos her, known as Kutha meat), or any meat where langar is served. In some small Sik h Sects, i.e. Akhand Kirtani Jatha eating any meat is believed to be forbidden, but this is not a universally held belief. The meat eaten by Sikhs is known as J hatka meat. Having premarital or extramarital sexual relations Technique and method Naam: Meditate upon Gods name (Waheguru in the Sikh religion) through verba t he mind is stilled and cleansed in order to become one with God. The technique t aught by the Guru Granth Sahib is "Urd Uhrd". This means to inhale with the "Wah e" syllable and exhale on the "Guru" syllable. Kirat Karni: - Earning an honest living while remembering the Lord. Vand Chakna: - Share with others who are deserving, as during langar Other observations One God: - There is only one God who has infinite qualities and names. God i s Creator and Sustainer - all that you see around you is His creation. He is eve rywhere, in everything. He is without birth or death, and has existed before Cre ation and will exist forever. Sikhism does not acknowledge an anthropomorphic Go d. This is true to the extent than one can interpret Him as the Universe Itself. Sikhism also does not acknowledge the belief of a Personal God, as does Christi anity. Instead, God is usually interpreted as being unfathomable, yet not unknow able. Reincarnation, karma and salvation: Every creature has a soul. Upon death, t he soul is passed from one body to another until liberation. The journey of the soul is governed by the deeds and actions that we perform during our lives. Remember God: Love God. Only by keeping the Creator in your mind at all time s will you make progress in your spiritual evolution. Humanity (brotherhood): All human beings are equal. We are sons and daughter s of Waheguru, the Almighty.

Uphold moral values: Defend, protect and fight for the rights of all creatur es, in particular your fellow human beings. Personal sacrifice: Be prepared to give your life for all supreme principles . See the life of Guru Teg Bahadur. Many paths lead to God: Sikhs are not special; they are not the chosen peopl e of God. Simply calling yourself a Sikh does not bring you salvation. Members o f all religions have the same right to liberty as Sikhs. Positive attitude toward life: "Chardi Kala" Always have a positive, optimis tic and buoyant view of life. God is there He will be your help. Disciplined life: Upon baptism, a Sikh must wear the 5Ks and perform strict recital of the five prayers Banis. No special worship days: Sikhs do not believe that any particular day is hol ier than any other. Conquer the five thieves: It is every Sikh's duty to defeat these five thiev es: Pride (aHankar), Anger (Krodh), Greed (LobH), Attachment (MoH), and Lust (Khaam). Known collectively as P.A.G.A.L. Attack with Five Weapons: Contentment (Santokh), Charity (Dan), Kindness (Da ya ), Positive Energy (Chardi Kala), Humility (Nimarta). Having premarital sexual or extramarital relations: Sikhs are encouraged to be faithful to their spouse. All forms of adultery are discouraged. Not son of God: The Gurus were not, in the Christian sense, Sons of God. Sikhi sm says we are all God's children. All are welcome: Members of all religions can visit Sikh temples (Gurdwaras), while observing local rules: cover head, no shoes, no smoking in the main hall. Multi-level approach: Sikhism recognizes the concept of a multi-level approa ch to achieving your target as a disciple of the faith. For example, "Sahajdhari " (slow adopters) are Sikhs who have not donned the full 5Ks but are still Sikhs regardless. Note: The Punjabi language does not have a gender for God. Unfortunately, when t ranslating, the real meaning cannot be properly conveyed without using "Him," "H is," "He," "Brotherhood," "Him or Her," et cetera; furthermore, this distorts th e meaning by giving the impression that God is masculine, which is not the messa ge in the original script. The reader must allow for this every time these words are used. It is often the case that rather than taking a gender definition, God is simply conveyed as "Omnipotent Being" rather than God, thus converying the c orrect perceptual image.