Sikhism

Sikhism is the 5th largest organised religion in the world and was founded on the wisdom of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and 10 successive Sikh Gurus. The organised religious beliefs and expression by tradition is called Gurmat (the counsel of the Gurus) or the Sikh dharma. The faith in WaheGuru and Ek Onkar (The Universal / Omnipresent God) is the principle belief of Sikhism. Salvation is pursued through discipline, obedience and personal meditation on the name and message of god. Sikhism is a non anthropomorphic concept of god to a certain degree that one can construe God as the Universe itself. Sikhs are bound to follow the teachings of the ten Sikh Gurus and Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Granth Sahib includes the writings if six of the ten Sikh Gurus and also includes selected works of many devotees from various socio-economic and religious backgrounds. The text of Guru Granth Sahib was the verdict of the tenth Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

The first Sikh Guru, Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469 and the 10th and the last Sikh Guru went to his heavenly abode in 1708. This entire time period lasted more than 239 years.
Under the guidance of Sikh Gurus the religion progressed very well. Guru Nanak Dev Ji started the religion by preaching against caste system, animal sacrifice and fasting. Guru Gobind Singh Ji completed it by preaching all the Sikhs to get baptised. The Sikhs close to Guru sahib wrote Rehatnamas that were Sikh code of conducts. All Gurus preached their Sikhs to serve humanity, sharing with the needy, and always praise god. The Gurmukhi script of Punjabi was developed by the 2nd Guru, Guru Angad Dev Ji (1504-1552) and he also composed 62 hymns that were later included in the Guru Granth Sahib. The 3rd Guru, Guru Amardas Ji (1479-1574) set up the first pilgrimage site at Goindval Sahib and wrote the hymns that are sung at the death ceremony. His hymn, Anand Sahib is a part of Sikh daily ritual. Guru Ram Das Ji (1534-1581) was the founder of the holy city of Amritsar. The holy pool at Amritsar was dug by his followers and hymns created by him are sung at Sikh marriages.

Guru Arjun Dev Ji (1563-1606) was the fifth Guru and he was the one who compiled all the hymns of the previous four Gurus and added 2616 of his own to form the Guru Granth Sahib. He also built the golden temple at Amritsar.Guru Hargobind (1595-1644) were the son of Guru Arjun Dev Ji and proclaimed himself as a military leader as well as a spiritual leader. The reason being, conflict with the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. He was succeeded by the 7th Guru, Guru Har Rai (1630-1661) who were the grandson of Guru Hargobind Ji. Guru Har Krishan Ji(1656-1664) was the younger son of Guru Har Rai Ji and became Guru at the tender age 5 and passed away at the age of 8 due to smallpox. He is the only Guru without a beard. Guru Teg Bahadur Ji (1621-1675) became the 9th Guru and he was the great uncle of Guru Har Krishan Ji. Sikh rivals barred him from Amritsar so he founded the great Sikh centre of Anandpur. During his time Brahmins were forced to accept Islam by Muslims, he stood up for the Brahmins and was beheaded in Delhi. Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666-1708) was the 10th Guru and was born to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Second only to Guru Nanak in importance he is the most high up in Sikhism. He was the one who resisted repression by Hindu and Mughal authorities, exemplifying the Sikh principle of the heroic saint-soldier. He was founder of the Khalsa and Sikh baptism. Guru Gobind Singh Ji added Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s hymns into the Adi Grantha and completed Guru Granth Sahib. In 1706 he declared Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru of the Sikhs in future and all the Sikhs were told to follow the holy book.

So by the time Guru Gobind Singh Ji went to his heavenly abode, Sikhs had their own baptism ceremony, own code of conduct, own death and marriage rituals, own religious places, own language and above all own Guru Granth Sahib Ji.