Sikhism

Sikhi,
plainly put.

The words, the ten Gurus, the banis of an ordinary day, and the gurudwaras themselves. These pages explain; they do not reproduce scripture, and they carry no portrait of a Guru. Where Sikh traditions genuinely differ, and they often do, each page says so rather than picking a side and presenting it as settled.

The vocabulary

Words you will meet everywhere.

Waheguru Wonderful Lord, from wahe, an exclamation of awe, and guru, the one who brings light out of darkness Guru Granth Sahib The Guru that is the Granth, a granth being a volume or book Khalsa Pure; and in the revenue usage of the period, held directly rather than through an intermediary Khanda Khanda, a double-edged straight sword; the emblem takes its name from the weapon at its centre Langar An almshouse or public kitchen; the word is Persian and predates its Sikh use Hukamnama An order in writing, from hukam, a command, and nama, a document Mool Mantar The root formula, from mool, root or origin, and mantar, a formula or utterance Kirpan Commonly derived from kirpa, grace or compassion, and aan, honour or dignity Sangat Company, association, or a gathering; from a root meaning to join Gurmukhi From the mouth of the Guru, from gur, the Guru, and mukh, mouth or face
The succession

Ten Gurus, 1469 to 1708.

Guru Nanak 1469 to 1539 Guru Angad 1539 to 1552 Guru Amar Das 1552 to 1574 Guru Ram Das 1574 to 1581 Guru Arjan 1581 to 1606 Guru Hargobind 1606 to 1644 Guru Har Rai 1644 to 1661 Guru Har Krishan 1661 to 1664 Guru Tegh Bahadur 1665 to 1675 Guru Gobind Singh 1675 to 1708
Nitnem

The banis of an ordinary day.

Japji Sahib Path Amrit Vela, the hours before dawn, traditionally reckoned as roughly 2 to 6 in the morning Jaap Sahib Path Amrit Vela, the hours before dawn, immediately after Japji Sahib Tav-Prasad Savaiye Path Amrit Vela, the hours before dawn, after Japji Sahib and Jaap Sahib Chaupai Sahib Path Twice daily: within Rehras Sahib after sunset, and among the morning banis in some traditions Anand Sahib Path At the close of almost every Sikh service, within the evening Rehras Sahib, and in the morning Nitnem of some traditions Rehras Sahib Path After sunset, as the working day ends; the hour moves through the year with the light Kirtan Sohila Path Before sleep, at the close of evening gurudwara ceremonies, and at the antam sanskar Sukhmani Sahib Path At no fixed hour, read by occasion and often in a group Sehaj Path No fixed hours; commonly paced so the bhog falls on a chosen day Akhand Path Timed so the bhog falls on the intended day, such as a gurpurab, an anniversary, or the close of a mourning period
Gurudwaras

Where an ardas can be offered.

Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib Anandpur Sahib, Punjab Gurudwara Bangla Sahib New Delhi, Delhi Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo Talwandi Sabo, Punjab Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) Amritsar, Punjab Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded Nanded, Maharashtra Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib Hemkund, Uttarakhand Takht Sri Patna Sahib Patna, Bihar

Begin a seva.

An ardas in your name at the gurudwara you choose.

Begin a seva About ardas