​Sikhism

.Sikhism was founded in the Punjab by Guru Nanak in the 16th Century and is a monotheistic religion.
Sikhs think religion should be practised by living in the world and coping with life's everyday problems.

• It's about 409 years old.

Where They Live

• There are 20 million Sikhs in the world, most of whom live in the Punjab province of India.

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Beliefs

• God

  • There is only one God
  • God is without form, or gender
  • Everyone has direct access to God
  • Everyone is equal before God
  • A good life is lived as part of a community, by living honestly and caring for others
  • Empty religious rituals and superstitions have no value

Living in God and community

• Sikhs focus their lives around their relationship with God, and being a part of the Sikh community. The Sikh ideal combines action and belief. To live a good life a person should do good deeds as well as meditating on God.

The Sikh place of worship is called a Gurdwara
Biwli

• For Sikhs, is particularly important because it celebrates the release from prison of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind, and 52 other princes with him, in 1619.

Hala Mahalla

• Today, Sikhs celebrate by watching and partaking in martial arts parades, led by the nishan sahibs of the Gurdwaras. These are followed by poetry readings and music
• started this festival as a day for Sikhs to practise their military exercises and hold mock battles

Womens Rights

• If social equality paralleled religious equality then women's rights wouldn't even be an issue. It is always surprising to hear women ask what their rights are in Sikhism as if their rights are gender dependent. We find it absolutely necessary to address the most frequently asked questions. Ladies! It cannot be emphasized enough that God created men equal to women. Although with varied biological functions (and we delight in those biological differences), one isn't superior to the other.

Important days

• Chet – March 14 – (31 days)
  Vaisakh – April 14 – (31 days)
  Jeth – May 15 – (31 days)
  Harh – June 15 – (31 days)
  Sawan – July 16 – (31 days)
  Bhadon – August 16 – (30 days)
  Asu – September 15 – (30 days)
  Katik – October 15 – (30 days)
  Maghar – November 14 – (30 days)
  Poh – December 14 – (30 days)
  Magh – January 13 – (30 days)
  Phagan – February 12 – (30/31 days)

Vaisakhi, also spelled Baisakhi, is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. It is the Sikh New Year festival and is celebrated on April 13 or 14. It also commemorates 1699, the year Sikhism was born as a collective faith.