Sikh History

Sikhism is a distinct religion that originated in India in 1469 with the

birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The Khalsa was created by Guru Gobind
Singh Ji in 1699. In these 537 years, Sikhs have endured through
many tough times.

The major time periods in Sikh History are:

1) Guru's Period Era

2) Banda Singh Bahadur Era
3) Religious Persecution Era
4) Sikh Kingdom Era
5) Colonial Era
6) Sikh Immigrants
7) Present Era

Sikhism is now the World's 5th largest religion with 26 million followers
worldwide. The picture below shows the location of India, the
homeland of Sikhs.

Guru's Period

The first Sikh prophet, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469 and the
10th and last Sikh prophet, Guru Gobind Singh Ji went to his heavenly
abode in 1708. This time period lasted for more than 239 long years.
The Sikh religion progressed very well during this time, under the
Guru's proper guidance. While Guru Nanak Dev Ji started the Sikh
religion by preaching against the caste system, animal sacrifice, and
fasting, Guru Gobind Singh Ji completed its form by requiring all Sikhs
to get baptized. Many Sikhs, who were very close to Guru Sahib, wrote
Rehatnamas based on his teachings, which are called the Sikh code of
 conduct. All the Gurus preached for service to humanity, sharing with
the needy, and praising God. Guru Angad Dev Ji, the 2nd Guru,
developed the Gurmukhi script of the Punjabi language. Guru Amar
Das Ji, the 3rd Guru, wrote the hymns, which are sung at the death
ceremony. Guru Ram Das Ji, the 4th Guru, wrote the hymns which are
sung at the time of marriage. Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the 5th Guru,
compiled all the hymns of first four Gurus and himself into Adi Granth.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji added the 9th Guru's hymns into the Adi Granth
and completed Granth Sahib. In 1708, he asked Sikhs to follow Granth
Sahib and declared that Granth Sahib will be eternal Guru of the Sikhs
in the future. So by the time Guru Gobind Singh Ji went to his
heavenly abode, the Sikhs had their own language, own holy Guru
Granth Sahib Ji, own religious places, own baptism ceremony, own
code of conduct, own marriage, and own death ceremony. The Sikh
religion is complete.

Banda Singh Bahadur

Banda Singh's original name was Madho Dass and he had many
spiritual powers. He renounced the world lived in Nanded, South India.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji reached there in 1708 and preached to him that
renouncing the world may not be the right path, when the poor are
being treated unfairly by the rich in this world. He became the Guru's
follower and got baptized and changed his name to Banda Singh. Guru
Ji sent him to Punjab in northern India, along with 5 Sikhs to fight the
tyrants. He came to Punjab, collected an army and started attacking
the small rulers of villages and towns. Ultimately, he had enough
soldiers to fight with the ruler of Sirhind, who had mercilessly killed
the two innocent young children of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The Sirhind
army was composed of 25,000 men with cannons and elephants.
Banda Singh had a smaller army with no artillery. But Banda Singh's
army had something which other side lacked. They were ready to fight
with religious fervor and to avenge the deaths of two innocent children
of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. There was a fierce fight outside of Sirhind.
Originally the Sirhind army started moving forward due to their
superiority. Then Banda Singh prayed and used one of the five arrows
given to him by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who asked him to use them
during these times. It tilted the scales. Now Banda Singh's army
started moving forward. Ultimately, Banda Singh led his army to
victory in that battle. He entered Sirhind and punished the cruel rulers.
The ruler of Sirhind got killed, as with many of his advisors. He
established the first Sikh kingdom. He made his close advisors the
rulers of Sirhind and other towns. He established a new fort near
Nahan and gave it a name of Lohgarh. That became Banda Singh's
capital.

Banda Singh ruled only short time but he made a great contribution for
the poor people of Punjab. He ordered that ordinary peasants, who
were doing agricultural work for the landlords, will actually be the real
land owners. So he helped the poor and downtrodden people. He
started his own currency in the name of Guru Nanak -- Guru Gobind
Singh Ji. Banda Singh's kingdom stretched all the area of Punjab
between Delhi and Lahore.

The Emperor of Delhi didn't like Banda Singh's rise. He ordered the
Lahore ruler to collect all the army and attack Banda Singh. The Hindu
and Muslim rulers of other towns and cities also obeyed to emperor's
orders and joined the Lahore army. Banda Singh was in the Gurdaspur
area when he was attacked from all sides. The Sikhs fought with
bravery, but they were encircled from all sides. Ultimately, they fell
back to Gurdas Nangal fort. There they remained encircled for eight
long months. They ran out of ammunition and all rations. Many died
due to hunger. The remaining were half dead due to hunger.
Ultimately they were made prisoners in December 1715.

Banda Singh and 740 of his associates were brought to Delhi as

prisoners. There they were given the choice to embrace Islam or get
ready to die. All of them refused the forced conversion and were
ultimately killed. Banda Singh and his four year old innocent child were
brought out of prison. They were given the same choice but they
refused. Ultimately Banda Singh's four year old son was killed and his
the child's heart was forcibly put into Banda Singh's mouth. Then he
was killed limb by limb. He was martyred in 1716

Religious Persecution Era

Banda Singh was martyred in 1716. The religious persecution of the

Sikhs started immediately after that. They were outlawed by the
Government. No laws protected their lands or property. They were
attacked and murdered and their houses were looted. Thousands of
Sikhs lost their lives like this. The remaining Sikhs retreated into the
forests. They survived on vegetables, fruits and even the roots of the
trees. But they didn't feel discouraged. They firmly believed in Guru
Gobind Singh Ji's prophecy that the Sikhs would rule the country one
day. Some time they will come out of the forests to attack the
government forces. The Government was getting more frustrated with
them. Therefore the Government decided to deal with them once and
for all. A proclamation was made that the Sikhs should be wiped out
from the face of earth. It was declared that financial sums will be
given to the people who will kill the Sikhs and will bring their heads as
a proof to the capital. This practice went on for many years. Everyday
money was given to the people who brought the heads of the Sikhs.
Sikh women and children were arrested and brought to Lahore, the
capital. There all children were killed and their body parts were put
into their mothers laps.

The religious persecution went on for about 50 years. But the

Government was weakened by the attacks from Ahmad Shah, an
afghan king. Ahmad Shah reached all the way to Delhi and killed
thousands of people. He imprisoned about 20,000 young Hindu girls
and was taking them to Afghanistan to make them slaves. Sikhs
attacked his convey and released a good portion of those girls and
sent them safely back to their homes. This infuriated Ahmad Shah.
The next year, he again attacked India. Sikhs started retreating
towards the safer areas. Ahmad Shah followed them and encircled
them. There was a fierce fight and 70% of the Sikh community was
slaughtered in one single day. This black day is also known as
holocaust day in Sikh history. Ahmad Shah also destroyed the
Sikhism's holiest place, the Golden Temple.

Sikhs regrouped and got ready to fight the tyrants. Ultimately they
became strong enough to defeat the tyrants and started ruling the
area around 1760s.

Sikh Kingdom Era

As mentioned in the previous section, the Sikhs became strong enough

to rule the area of Punjab by 1760s. They even conquered the capital
of Lahore in the 1770s. However, they were divided into 12 different
groups under the local leaders. They were all independent of each
other as there was no main leader.

Maharaja Ranjeet Singh filled that whole. He was born in 1780 and he
conquered Lahore in 1799, at the age of 19. He gained more and more
territory every year he ruled Punjab for 40 years. He had a vast
empire by the time he died in 1839 at the age of 59. His kingdom was
so vast that he had to divide his kingdom into 4 different states, and
he appointed Governors for those states. He won territory in far away
places. In fact, the present day boundaries between Pakistan and
Afghanistan and also between Northern India and China were defined
his kingdom. He was so strong that invaders from Afghanistan stopped
attacking India very year. On the east, the Tibet Government, or
present day China, signed a peace treaty with him. In the South, the
British also signed a peace treaty with him, which defined his
kingdom's boundaries.

He was a very kind and fair ruler and he never gave the capital
punishment to anybody during his 40 year rule. He would go to
common people in the evening and at night in disguise to find out their
problems and their feelings about his kingdom. He would change his
policies based on the true feedback from the people. The British were
very impressed with his personality. He also had many European
Generals, especially French, in his army. Even the Russian
Government sent their ministers to his kingdom.

The Sikhs went through religious persecution for more than 50 long
years, as described before. Maharaja Ranjeet Singh's kingdom gave
them the opportunity to settle down into civilian life. The Sikh
community prospered during his time. He built many Gurdwaras
during his period. He put all the Gold on Sikhism's most sacred place
in Amritsar, that's why it is now known as Golden Temple.

Maharaja Ranjeet Singh died in 1839 at the age of 59.

Colonial Era

The sons and advisers of Maharaja Ranjit Singh started fighting among
themselves after his death and many of them were killed. The British
bought the Generals of the Army and then attacked the Sikh kingdom.
So the Sikh kingdom era ended in 1849, and the British annexed
Punjab with the rest of India, where they were already ruling.

The British knew that Sikhs are great warriors so they rewarded the
Sikhs with jobs in their army and won over them. The Sikhs proved to
very beneficial to the British in many wars that they fought in. The
British also gave lands to the Sikhs who retired from the Army. This
induced more Sikhs into the army. By the time British left India and
the country became independent, Sikhs constituted about 80 percent
of the Army.

The British sent Sikhs to many battles far and near. The Sikhs fought
for the British in the two world wars at places like Germany, Belgium,
Italy, North Africa, Iraq, Burma, Singapore and China. 83,000 Sikh
soldiers died and 146,000 were wounded while fighting in the 2 world
wars. Some Sikhs were decorated with the "Victoria Cross Medal" --
the highest war time medal. Sikh soldiers were also part of the victory
parade in London after the second world war.

Punjab made a lot of progress during the colonial era. Many cities were
connected by railroads and by paved roads. Schools were opened in all
the towns, where English was also taught, which helped Sikhs when
they started immigrating to western countries. The big cities had
colleges also. The British generally tried not to interfere in the Sikhs'
religious affairs.

The Indians' struggle for independence started in the 1920s and

continued till 1947, when the British left India. The Sikhs were at the
forefront of the independence struggle also. The British tried many
freedom fighters, and hanged hundreds of them. They sent thousands
to lifetime imprisonments at a prison on an island thousands of miles
in the ocean. The vast majority of them (80 to 90 percent) were Sikhs.

Ultimately, the British left India in 1947. But they divided the country
into two parts before leaving. The Muslim majority area became
Pakistan and the Sikh and Hindu majority area became India. Punjab
also got divided. The West portion was included in Pakistan and the
east portion became part of India. Religious riots broke out
immediately and there was a mass migration of the population. About
one million people lost their lives in the next two months. Millions
more were displaced and were left without homes

Sikh Immigrants

Sikhs started immigrating to the United States in 1897. Some Sikhs

came straight from India, while others came from the far east, where
they had immigrated decades ago. There were thousands of Sikhs
living in California and the other western states by the end of the first
decade of the 20th century. But the vast majority of them were singles
because they couldn't bring their families due to the strict immigration
laws. They couldn't buy property and land due to the immigration laws
either. So the majority of them either returned to India after a few
years, or married women of Mexican ancestry. Early Sikhs mainly
worked on agricultural or railroad construction jobs. Some of them
worked in mines and lumber mills also. They built their first US
Gurdwara in Stockton, California in 1912, which is still in operation
today.
Bhagat Singh, was one of the educated Sikhs, who came to study at
Berkeley University in 1912. When the announcement was made that
anybody who would serve in US Army during first world war , would
be given citizenship he joined US Army in 1914. He proudly served
during the first world war and was honorably discharged at the end of
the war in 1918. But he was denied citizenship because he was not
Caucasian. He fought his case in courts and went all the way to US
Supreme Court, but ultimately lost. He ended up marrying a local
woman and ended up staying here. He did his PhD and worked as a
professor. He wrote more than a dozen books in his field of expertise.

Dalip Singh Saund was another Sikh who came to study at Berkeley
University. He completed his PhD in Mathematics but couldn't get a job
due to the strict immigration laws. He started working in the
agricultural fields and ultimately became a successful farmer. When
immigration laws changed in 1940s, he got his citizenship. He became
a judge in 1950s. He then ran for the US Congress in the 1950s from
Riverside county of California and was a US Congressman for 3
consecutive terms.

Immigration of the Sikhs almost stopped after 1915 due to the strict
immigration laws. The population of the Sikhs dwindled. There were
only few hundred Sikhs living in California at the end of second world
war. When the immigration laws changed in 1965, a new wave of
Sikhs started coming. Most of them were educated and they got jobs
in almost every profession. Wherever they settled, they also built
Gurdwaras. There are hundreds of Gurdwaras in the United States
today. Some of them joined the US Army and proudly served. The
Police forces in New York, Los Angeles, and the California National
Guard have turbaned Sikh police officers. Since pioneer Sikhs got jobs
in agriculture, they settled in California's central valley. Due to that,
10% of Yuba City's population is Sikh. Sikhs get together on the first
Sunday of every November to celebrate the anniversary of the first
installation of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. There are an estimated 40 to 50
thousand Sikhs in the parade, which gives a big boost to Yuba City's
economy.
Early Sikhs Immigrants and their Role in Nation Building

1906 – Sikh Immigrant track workers pose for a picture

(Photo courtesy Plumas County Museum, Quincy, CA.)

1909 – Sikh Workers on the Pacific & Eastern Railroad in Oregon

(Photo courtesy of the Southern Oregon Historical Society, Medford, Oregon)

 1912 Sikh Farm Workers – Sacramento Valley

(Photo Courtesy of The Tide of Turbans: Asian Indians In America by Ronald Takaki)

Bhagat Singh (1892-1967)

(Photo courtesy of the Thind Family)

Served in the US Army during 1st World War (1914-18). Honorably discharged from
the US army On Dec 16, 1918
 Present Era

Sikhs are thriving in India in the post-independence period. Sikhs can

be seen in all the high posts in every aspect of the country. The
present Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, is a Sikh. Gen. J.J.
Singh, the Indian Army Chief, is also a Sikh. The Sikhs have served in
very high posts of the Government and the private industry as well.

60% of the population in Punjab is Sikh, and Punjab is the most

prosperous state in India. Sikhs have started immigrating to Western
countries in the post-independence period. They generally have
migrated to the US, Canada, UK, and Australia. One million Sikhs live
in North America. 2% of Canada's population is Sikh, as well as 10 of
its Parliament members. Canada's ex-health Minister and ex-premier
of British Colombia are also Sikhs.

In America, Sikh Americans continue to contribute to all facets of the

US economy. The first Asian American Congressman was a Sikh. The
“father of Fiber Optics”, the chief marketing officer of Palm Inc, and
America’s largest peach grower are all Sikhs. The largest Federal Court
security contractor for the US Marshals service is Sikh owned. Sikhs
are seen in most of the prof essions in America today.

Sikh Symbols: What do they signify?

In the Sikh religion, there are quite a few symbols. However, only
some of these symbols apply to all people. What I mean is that some
of the major symbols of Sikhism only apply to those people that have
been baptized. The major Sikh Symbols are:

1) Ek-Onkar
2) Khanda
3) Kesh
4) Kangha
5) Kara
6) Kachhera
7) Kirpan
8) Nishan Sahib
 Ek-Onkar

The words Ek-Onkar have a firm place in Sikhism and it

symbolizes a lot. The Guru Granth Sahib Ji opens with
these words. Ek-Onkar means 'There is one God.' Many
Gurdwaras and Sikh organizations use this symbol on
letters and other documents. In fact, many Sikhs also use
this symbol on their letters. This constant repetition of Ek-
Onkar is done so that Sikhs are constantly reminded that there is only
one God in the universe.

Sikh Symbols

Khanda

The Khanda, like Ek-Onkar is a very important symbol in

Sikhism. The Khanda is commonly seen in Gurdwaras and on
the Sikh flag. The Khanda symbolizes God's Universal and
Creative Power. In it's center is a double edged sword, which
symbolizes the primal and almighty power of the creator. The 'Chakra'
or the circle is a symbol of the continuity. The two swords on the
outside are symbols of the spiritual and political balance in the
universe.

Sikh Symbols

Kesh

Kesh is one the 'Panj Kakar' or 'Five Ks' that people have
after being baptized. However, Kesh, or uncut hair from
everywhere on their body, is one of the two Ski's that
most people have, even if they aren't baptized. Sikh males
tie their hair into a 'Joora', or bun. They cover this with a
'Pag', or turban. At a younger age, people cover their
Joora with a 'Patka', a smaller turban. Most females either
braid their hair or put it in a bun on the back of their head. There are
some women who tie and cover their hair like the men do. A lot of
emphasis is put on Kesh because it is the body in the natural way that
it was created by God.

Sikh Symbols
 Kangha

The Kangha is another of the Panj Kakar, and it primarily

in the possession of people who have been baptized. It is
a comb and used for the cleanliness of the hair. Sikhs are
asked to clean their hair in the morning and at bed time.

Sikh Symbols

Kara

The Kara is the third of the Panj Kakar and it is the

other Kakar that most people where, regardless of the
fact whether they are baptized or not. The Kara is an
iron or steel bracelet that binds the Sikh, who is
wearing it, to God. The Kara is used to remind the Sikh
to do the right deeds. The Kara is usually worn in the predominant
hand so that the Sikh can see the Kara whenever he does anything.

Sikh Symbols

Kachhera

The Kachhera is yet another of the Panj Kakar and it's

worn by people who have been baptized. It ensures agility
and freedom of movement. Kachhera is a form of boxer shorts that
symbolize chastity and sexual restraint.

Sikh Symbols

Kirpan

The Kirpan is the last of the Panj Kakar and it is only worn
by people who have been baptized. However, like the
other Panj Kakar, it isn't worn at all times. This is because
Sikhs take it off when they ride on airplanes so they don't
start a commotion. Sikhs agreed to these terms with the
FAA.
 Sikh Symbols

Nishan Sahib

Nishan Sahib is the name for the Khalsa Flag. Saffron in color and of
triangle shape it is a religious flag. It has a black Khanda in the
middle. The flag post is also covered in saffron cloth and has a metallic
Khanda at the top. Sighting of a Nishan Sahib gives the idea that there
is a Gurdwara around.

Gurus: The True Spiritual Teachers

When the Sikh religion was founded, it had 10 Gurus to lead it. The
word Guru means "A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical
matters." However, the Gurus were more than just that. The Gurus
were the leaders of the Sikhs in religious matters, and in later times,
they also became the leaders of the Sikhs in worldly matters. In fact,
the Gurus were God in the form of a human being. All the Gurus made
their contributions and a new religion "Sikhism" was formed. The ten
Gurus are:

1) Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539)

2) Guru Angad Dev Ji (1504-1552)
3) Guru Amar Das Ji (1479-1574)
4) Guru Ram Das Ji (1534-1581)
5) Guru Arjan Dev Ji (1563-1606)
6) Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji (1595-1644)
7) Guru Har Rai Ji (1630-1661)
8) Guru Har Krishan Ji (1656-1664)
9) Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (1621-1675)
10) Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666-1708)
11) Guru Granth Sahib Ji (1708-Present)
 Sikh Beliefs

The Sikh Gurus practiced what they preached for well over 200 years
and the Sikh beliefs are born out of their examples and sacred
writings. Due to this, Sikhs have a strong base when it comes to
beliefs. Some of the major Sikh beliefs are:

1) One God

God is the Creator of the Universe

God isn't born and will never die
God is present everywhere

2) Equality

All human beings are equal

People of all religions and races are welcome in Sikh Gurdwaras
Women have equal status with men in religious services and
ceremonies

3) Birth and Death

After a person dies, his soul is born again in another body, human or
animal
One's next life depends on his deeds in the past life
The human life is supreme and it is through this life that we can
achieve oneness with God
Finding God takes us out of this life cycle

4) Non-Violence

Sikhs are a peace loving people and stand for Truth and Justice
Guru Gobind Singh Ji said, "It is right to use force as a last resort
when all other peaceful means fail."
The four basic principles for living a good life and leaving the life cycle
are:

1) Naam Japna or Simran (Meditation)

One of the basic principles for living a good life

Simran helps you get closer to God
Simran brings a peace of mind

2) Kirat Karni (Work)

The second basic principle for living a good life

Sikhs should only accept what they have earned by honesty and
hard work
Sikhs shouldn't take away what rightfully belongs to others
Guru Nanak Dev Ji said, "Taking away other's right is as sinful as
pork to a Muslim and beef to a Hindu."

3) Wand Chakna (Charity Donations)

Sikhs should give to the poor and needy in the form of charity
Sikhs should share with others

4) Sewa (Service to Humanity and God)

Sewa is a major part of Sikhism and many people do it at the

Gurdwara
A great example of Sewa is the story of Bhai Kanahya, who in a
battle gave water to both Sikhs and Mughals
Bhai Kanahya was asked by Guru Gobind Singh Ji why he was doing
it and Bhai Kanahya said, "I do not see a friend or foe, I only see
your face everywhere."
Bhai Kanahya was blessed and started the first Red Cross
Guru Gobind Singh Ji said, "Realize that the human race is one."
 Sikh Festivals

Sikh festivals are occasions for Sikhs to rededicate themselves to the

Faith. Even martyrdoms and death anniversaries of the Gurus are
festivals to inspire the faithful and remind them of their history and
the value of sacrifice for a good cause. People of various faiths are
invited to these celebrations to give them a view of the Sikh faith and
way of life.

Some of the major Sikh festivals are:

1) Baisakhi (Vaisakhi)
2) Diwali
3) Hola Mohalla

Baisakhi (Vaisakhi)

Baisakhi is a New Year Festival in the Sikh calendar. Khalsa was

created by Guru Gobind Singh Ji on this day by performing the Amrit
ceremony in 1699. Traditionally, on this day which usually falls on
13th April, 'Nishan Sahib', the Sikh Flag, is replaced by a new one. A
service in the open compound is held, led by 'Panj Pyara'. The Flag
post is taken down and 'Chola', the flag cloth, is removed and the flag
post is cleaned and washed. It is covered with a new 'Chola' and re-
hoisted. The ceremony is completed by an Ardas. The whole scene is
very inspiring.

In common with other festivals, 'Akhand Path' (continuous reading of

Guru Granth Sahib for 48 hours) is arranged to 2 days earlier and
'Bhog' (completion ceremony) takes place on the morning of Baisakhi.
This is followed by the singing of divine hymns. Later, learned
preachers give talks on the importance of Baisakhi. Amrit ceremony is
performed at most places for those ready to take Amrit. Competitions
are held in sports, martial arts, poetry and essay writing on the
festival theme. In addition the Sikh men, women and children take
part in 'Sewa' in Langar which stays open throughout the three days
for the worshipers.

Sikh Festivals
 Diwali

Diwali means the Festival of Lights. The Sikhs celebrate Diwali because
Guru Hargobind reached Amritsar on Diwali day after his release from
Gwalior jail. He had also got 52 princes freed from prison. That is why
this festival is very important for the residents of Amritsar. The Golden
Tempe complex is illuminated and wonderful displays of fireworks are
held. Priceless historic treasures and weapons used by the Gurus are
put on display..

The Indian festival of lights held around October 25th. Guru Amar Das
institutionalized this as one of the special days when all Sikhs would
gather to receive the Gurus blessings at Goindwal. In 1577 the
foundation stone of The Golden Temple was laid on Diwali. On Diwali
1619 the Golden Temple was illuminated with many lights to welcome
home and celebrate the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment
in Gwalior fort. Sikhs have continued this annual celebration with
lamps being lit outside gurdwaras and sweets distributed to all. The
largest gathering happens at The Golden Temple which is lit up with
thousands of lights.

Sikh Festivals

Hola Mohalla

An annual festival of thousands held at Anandpur Sahib. It was started

by Guru Gobind Singh as a gathering of Sikhs for military exercises
and mock battles on the day following the Indian festival of Holi. The
mock battles were followed by music and poetry competitions. The
Nihang Singh's carry on the martial tradition with mock battles and
displays of swordsmanship and horse riding. There are also a number
of durbars where Sri Guru Granth Sahib is present and kirtan and
religious lectures take place. The festival culminates in a large parade
headed by the Nishan Sahibs of the gurdwaras in the region. Hola
Mohalla is held aroun d March 17.

Language: Punjabi
Punjabi is the language of the Sikhs. As you can tell, its name
originates from Punjab, the land of five rivers. Punjabi is spoken
primarily in Punjab, although many Punjabi descendents also speak it
around the world. Like all other languages, Punjabi has its own
alphabet. This alphabet is called "Gurmukhi."

The literal definition of Gurmukhi is "from the mouth of the Guru."

Gurmukhi is used in the Sikh scriptures, or Guru Granth Sahib Ji. It is
believed that Gurmukhi is evolved from the old Brahmi scripts and
therefore would be a member of the Brahmi family. Gurmukhi was
widely used to record the sayings coming from the Guru's mukh, or
mouth. This is how Gurmukhi got its name.

The Gurmukhi script was made by the second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad
Dev Ji. I want to point out that Punjabi had been around for some time
when Guru Angad Dev Ji made Gurmukhi. At that time, Punjabi was
said but it was an unorganized language because it didn't have a
proper alphabet. In order to invent Gurmukhi, Guru Angad Dev Ji had
to take many steps. Guru Ji retained and slightly modified certain
letters of the Brahmi scripts. These letters depicted sounds of Punjabi.
Guru Ji also created some other letters for each of the Punjabi
phonemes. Once Guru Angad Dev Ji was done in making the letters,
he rearranged them into what we have today.
However, the letters aren't all the Gurmukhi Sikhs have. Guru Angad
Dev Ji also made numbers as part of the Gurmukhi script.

These are only the first 10 numbers in the Gurmukhi script. In order to
right greater numbers, we just repeat the figures until we have the
desired number.

The Gurmukhi script is special in the sense that in some cases an ' a '
is added to a consonant. This ' a ' is added to consonants as long as it
isn't pronounced at the end of the syllable. For example, ' j ' and ' l '
combine to become ' jal ' in Punjabi. In this case, the ' j ' becomes ' ja
' and the 'l' stays as ' l .' Another way that a vowel can be used after a
consonant is by using the first three letters of the Gurmukhi script. The
first and third letters can't be used independently and they need a
vowel sign, which changes their pronunciation. The second letter of the
script can also be used with these vowel signs. In the Gurmukhi script
there are 10 different ways to say a letter. Out of these 10 vowel
signs, only Sihari comes before the consonant but, like the others, it is
pronounced after it.

Like specific vowel signs, Gurmukhi also has nasalization signs. What I
mean by this is that these signs are used to nasalize the sound of the
vowels. There are two basic nasalization signs in Gurmukhi: the Tippee
and the Bindee. Out of these two, the Tippee is used more often and is
portrayed as a half-circle that is concave down and is located above
the end of the letter. The Tippee is used with :

The Bindee is portrayed as a dot above or slightly after the vowel sign.
The Bindee is used with :

Both the Tippee and the Bindee create a half ' n ' sound.

Another sign that is used in Gurmukhi is called the Adhak. Some

people confuse the Adhak with the Tippee because the Adhak is
portrayed as a half-circle that is concave up and is located above the
end of the letter. The only difference in look between the Adhak and
the Tippee is the direction of the concavity. The job of the Adhak is to
create the sound of a double consonant. In other words, it emphasizes
the consonant that it is placed before.

Guru Angad Dev Ji has created a beautiful script for Sikhs. This is
shown with the proportions of the letters. All of the letters have the
same height with the exception of ooraa, the first letter, whose top
curve extends above the line. The width of all the letters is also the
same.

Since its induction, Gurmukhi has played a major role in Sikh faith and
traditions. Although the script was originally used only for Sikh books,
it spread under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. This was because Maharaja
Ranjit Singh used it for administrative purposes by putting Gurmukhi
on the monetary coins of his kingdom. Another reason that Gurmukhi
was spread was due to the fact that it has been the bare minimum for
literacy in Punjab and nearby areas where schools were attached to
Gurdwaras.

Gurmukhi has been very important to the Sikhs. This is because,

without Gurmukhi, Punjabi would still be a Persian script. The Punjabi
language has extended throughout the world today because Sikhs
have settled in many countries and Gurmukhi has followed them.
Today Punjabi is used in culture, arts, education, and administration.
Punjabi is also the state language of Punjab.

Sikhism

World's 5th largest religion

26 million followers worldwide
Over 500 years old
Originated in India
Sikhism is a distinct religion, having no links with Hinduism or Islam
Sikhs

Sikhs have lived in America for over 100 years

People who wear turbans in the US are Sikhs
26 million Sikhs worldwide
Sikhs are living in America since 1897
Early Sikhs built railroads, and worked in lumber mills and on farms
83,000 Sikh soldiers died during 2 World wars
One million Sikhs live in North America, including 15,000 in the
Greater Sacramento area
7 Sikh Temples in Capital area
First US Sikh Temple in Stockton, 1912

(Photo courtesy of Stockton Record Newspaper Dated November 22, 1915)

Sikhs believe in:

Freedom of speech, religion
Justice and liberty for all
Defending civil liberties and protecting the defenseless
Tolerance and absolute equality of all people without regard
to gender, race, caste, or religion
One God common to all
Equal right for women

Sikhs DO NOT Believe In:

 Sikhs do not believe in terrorism or hurting innocent people
Sikhs do not believe in hate or racial profiling
Sikhs do not believe in war based on religion
Sikhs do not believe in proselytism
Sikhs do not believe in fasting

Sikhs Turbans

99.9% of people with turbans in US are Sikhs

U •cover long, uncut hair and provides the distinct identity
• Approx. 15 feet of cloth wrapped neatly around the head every
time it is put on
• Symbolizes discipline, integrity, humility, and spirituality
• Religious requirement - must be worn at all times in public
• A turban is not a hat. It cannot be casually taken on and off. It
must be carefully retied each time it is removed
• Turbans are a mandatory part of Sikh faith, not a social
custom
• Sikhs feel humiliated if asked to remove their turban in public,
as doing so exposes an intimate part of their body
Sikh Americans are easily identified by their colorful turbans and
unshorn hair
Sikh population by each Indian state

# State Total Males Females

1 Andaman & Nicobar Islands 1,587 873 714

2 Andhra Pradesh 30,998 17,264 13,734

3 Arunachal Pradesh 1,865 1,475 390

4 Assam 22,519 13,508 9,011

5 Bihar 20,780 11,057 9,723

6 Chandigarh 545,175 76,000 69,175

7 Chhattisgarh 69,621 36,662 32,959

8 Dadra & Nagar Haveli 123 96 27

9 Daman & Diu 145 92 53

1
Delhi 1,555,602 288,675 266,927
0

1
Goa 970 590 380
1

1
Gujarat 45,587 24,987 20,600
2

1
Haryana 2,170,662 618,558 552,104
3

1
Himachal Pradesh 472,355 38,118 34,237
4

1
Jammu & Kashmir 207,154 114,524 92,630
5

1
Jharkhand 83,358 45,348 38,010
6

1
Karnataka 15,326 8,811 6,515
7

1
Kerala 2,762 1,611 1,151
8
1
Lakshadweep 6 6 0
9

2
Madhya Pradesh 1,150,772 80,122 70,650
0

2
Maharastra 815,337 117,736 97,601
1

2
Manipur 1,653 1,091 562
2

2
Meghalaya 3,110 1,810 1,300
3

2
Mizoram 326 251 75
4

2
Nagaland 1,152 774 378
5

2
Orissa 17,492 9,448 8,044
6

2
Pondicherry 108 70 38
7

2
Punjab 14,592,387 7,692,776 6,899,611
8

2
Rajasthan 818,420 432,534 385,886
9
3
Sikkim 1,176 1,061 115
0

3
Tamil Nadu 479,545 5,515 4,030
1

3
Tripura 1,182 1,074 108
2

3
Uttar Pradesh 1,678,059 361,320 316,739
3

3
Uttaranchal 212,025 111,723 100,302
4

3
West Bengal 66,391 36,738 29,653
5

Mission
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

This site is put together for Sikhs and non-Sikhs to learn the truth about
Sikhism. Purpose of this site is to educate people how Sikhism is a different
religion from all other religions and how Sikhism is not a separate movement or
an offshoot of Hinduism and/or Islam. Many people out there know nothing
about Sikhism and Sikh youth is going away from Sikhism because of lack of
knowledge about this beautiful religion which is why we made "Sikhism"
category under which all the basic beliefs of Sikhism are included. This
category tells almost everything a new person to Sikhism should know about.
"Sikhism" is a very good introductory course to Sikhism. "Khalsa" category is
created for people to learn little bit about Sikh history and how Sikhs being the
great warriors freed India from Mughals and became rulers of northern India.

"Gurus" and "Martyrs" categories are created so that people can actually learn
about Sikh Gurus and rich heritage of sacrifices Sikhs made for freedom. No
other religion has produced these many martyrs. Only Sikhism, the youngest
religion, has more martyrs than any other religion. Reading about Sikh martyrs
would surely touch the hearts of the Sikh youth and would make them proud to
be Sikhs.

"Articles" category goes into depth of Sikhism. Without enough knowledge you
might not be able to understand most of the articles. This section includes the
major differences between Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam. Many people
mistakenly think of Sikhism as another movement or a sect of Hinduism or Islam
which is not true. Articles section explains this very well. Also, other articles
on RSS and Khalistan are included which are written especially for Sikhs.
Purpose of these articles is to aware the Sikhs about the dangers to Sikhism and
propaganda of Indian government. These articles will educate Sikhs about the
truth that goes on in India. Many websites out there talk about Khalistan but
very few actually go into details on why Khalistan is really needed and those
websites fail to address the current problems Sikhs are facing today in India
and around the world. These articles will get the message across.

We have included picture gallery for our people. This is also a good source to
learn about Sikh history such as Operation Blue Star. A picture is equal to
thousand words. By looking at the pictures people would understand Sikh
history better because this is s solid proof of what really happened. We decided
to put up stories of people who become Sikhs under Stories section. These
stories will inspire people to join Sikhism. Many people get confused about
taking Amrit, or want to know if there are other people who think about joining
Sikhism and this section will serve the purpose very well. These stories are
collected from different web sites. No other web site has decided to collect
these stories and put them all in one place. So we decided to save those stories
for our readers to inspire them to join Sikhism. We have tried to present the
most accurate information on Sikhism. We really hope after reading this
website people will have better understanding about Sikhism. Our overall
purpose for this website sums up as follows:

1) To educate Sikhs and non-Sikhs about the true teaching of Sikhism.

2) Sikhism is a separate religion and not a movement or sect of any other

religion.

3) Khalistan is a MUST for Sikhs in order to survive.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh