History and Practices

The  founder  of  the  Sikh  religion was Guru Nanak  who  was born in 1469.  He preached
a message  of  love  and  understanding  and  criticized    the  blind  rituals  of  the  Hindus  
and Muslims.  Guru  Nanak   passed   on  his    leadership of  the Sikhs and his enlightened 
spirit to nine  successive  Gurus.  The   final    living  Guru,  Guru  Gobind Singh  died  in 
1708.

In   his   lifetime   Guru   Gobind    Singh  established  a  new voluntary order of Sikhs, the Khalsa brotherhood  (meaning  'The Pure'),   soldier-saints.   The    Khalsa    upheld   the highest  Sikh virtues    and   fought   many  battles  to  fight   injustice  and  preserve  Sikhism.  The Khalsa are  Sikhs   who  have  undergone  the  baptism  ceremony   initiated  by Guru Gobind Singh and  who  follow a  Code of   Conduct  and  wear  five  physical  symbols  of   the brotherhood. One of the more noticeable symbols is the uncut hair which is kept in a bun and covered  with a turban.

Before his death Guru Gobind Singh declared that  the Sikhs no longer needed a   living     Guru and  appointed  his  successor   as  the  Sikh Holy Book the Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Gobing Singh   felt  that  all  the  wisdom needed by  the  Sikhs   for  guidance in their daily lives could be found  in  the   Guru  Granth Sahib, the eternal Guru of the Sikhs. The  Guru Granth Sahib is  unique  in  the  world  of  religious  scriptures   because not only is it accorded the status of being the head of the Sikh religion,   but besides  the poetry  of the Gurus, it also contains the writings of Hindu and Muslim Saints.

Sikhism  does  not  have  priests,  which  were   abolished by Guru Gobind Singh.   The Guru
felt  that  they  had  become  corrupt  and full of ego. Sikhs only have custodians of the Guru Granth Sahib(granthi), and any Sikh is free to read the Guru Granthi Sahib in the Gurdwara (Sikh Temple)  or  in  their  home.  All  people  of   all religions are welcome to the Gurdwara.
A  free community kitchen  can  be  found  at  every   Gurdwara  which  serves  meals  to all, community  service   is  an  important aspect of Sikhism. The most important religious center for  the  Sikhs  is  Harmandir  Sahib (The  Golden   Temple) at  Amritsar  in  Punjab.   As  the Vatican   is  to  Catholics  and  Mecca  to  the  Muslims   so  is The  Golden  Temple to Sikhs.