Research Paper On Sikhism

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History
Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak, the first of the ten gurus, in the early fifteenth century. He was born in what is now Nankana Sahib, Pakistan to Hindu parents. Religion interested him from a young age and he wanted to know more about the wonders of life. One day he went to meditate at the river and was gone for three days. When he returned he was quoted saying, “There is no Hindu and no Muslim.” From there Nanak began to establish his new religion, going on four great journeys to all of India and Arabia as well as Mecca and Baghdad in Persia. He spoke to all groups of people from different backgrounds and faiths against certain religious conventions including inequality between genders and the caste system. Since 1469 (Guru Nanak’s …show more content…

A Gurdwara is defined as a place that contains the holy scripture of the Sikhism religion, the Guru Granth Sahib. Gurdwaras most commonly are places where the spiritual wisdom about topics such as Sikh faith and customs are passed on as well as a commune to hold religious ceremonies. The Gurdwara, however, also has many other uses including a community centre for those in need, a library of Sikh literature, a school to teach Gurmukhi and a place to work on charitable causes for the wider community. Inside there are no depictions of God in any form because they believe that God has no physical appearance. To enter there are four doors, the Door of Peace, the Door of Livelihood, the Door of learning and the Door of Grace symbolising that everyone is welcome in the …show more content…

The Khanda is a double edged sword symbolising the belief in one god and the two Kirpans that cross represent spiritual authority and political power. The Chakkar (circle) signifies how God has no beginning or end and reminds the Sikhs to stay in the rule of God. The Khanda (the symbol not the sword) appears in many places including the Sikh’s flag, the Nishan Sahib, so it has great importance to the Sikh religion. The Nishan Sahib is also a significant symbol and it can be found outside of every Gurdwara. It is triangular and basanti (saffron orange) coloured, with the Khanda emblem in dark blue in the centre. Nishan means flag or symbol and Sahib is added for respect. The flag personifies freedom for the Khalsa. The final notable symbol is Ik Onkar which translates to “There is only one god”. These are the first two words of the Guru Granth Sahib and is one of the main beliefs that Sikhism is built on. These three visual representations symbolise well what the Sikh faith means as a

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