The most distinguising feature of Sikhism is its emphasis on not renouncing wordly activities. A Sikh believes implicitly in the teachings of the ten Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib. of the ten Gurus, three in particular-Nanak, Arjan and Guru Gobind Singh- have left a deep impresion of their personalites on Sikhism. Guru Nanak (1469-1539), Founder of the Sikh religion, preached the unity of Godhead, the obligation of leading a pure life, the abolition of caste and the futility of ritual and form. There was nothing new or startling about this, the common theme of the reformers of the time. Nanak's real greatness lay in the fact that, in an age troubled by doubts and uncertainties, his words rang out loud and clear like a trumpet. His fundamental teachings are contained in his verses know as Japji, rightly considered to be the epitome and indeed the main inspiration of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Guru Nanak was succeeded by nine other Gurus- Angad (1539-1552), Amar Das (1552-1574), Ram Das (1574-1581), Arjan (1581-1606), Har Gobind (1606-1645), Har Rai (1645-1661), Har Kishan (1661-1664), Teg Bahadur (1664-1675), and Gobind Singh (1675-1708).
Guru Angad improved upon the old punjabi script which came to be known as Gurmukhi. Guru Amar Das was mainly interested in social reform, particularly the emancipation of women, from pardah and sati. None could see him without partaking of the food prepared in the common kitchen (Langer). Guru Ram Das provided the Sikhs with a rallying center by laying the foundation of Ramdaspur or Guru ka chak, now known as Amritsar. It was Guru Arjan who infused vigor into Sikhism. He increased the importance of Amritsar by making it his headquarters, completing the construction of the tank, and building a temple - Har Mandir (Temple of God) in its midst. He also built a temple at Tarn Taran and founded the city of Kartarpur, both of which became important places of pilgrimage. He considerably extended the system of tithes. His most important contribution was the compilation of the Adi Granth or the Guru Granth. He incurred the enmity of emperor Jahangir on account of his religious activities and, having been accused of giving refuge to the rebel Prince Khusro, He was tortured to death in 1606.
The martydom of Guru Arjan was a turning-point in the history of sikhism; It created a rift between the Sikhs and the Mughals, and started the process by which Sikhism became a militant church. The first significant step in this direction was taken by Guru Har Gobind, who sanctioned the use of steel in the defense of Dharma and for the protection of the oppressed. He wore two swords representing the spiritual and temporal authority- Piri and Miri. Events moved fast to crisis in the region of Emperor Aurangzeb, who orderd Guru Teg Bahadur to be put to death (1675) on account of his proselytizing activities and for having taken up the cause of Kashmir Hindus. Religious persecutioin inevitably paved the way for the transformation of Sikhism into a militant church under Guru Gobind Singh.
Guru Gobind Singh realized the imperative necessity of raising the morale of the Sikhs by giving them a distinct individuality. This he did by introducing a new form of baptism. On Baisakhi Day in 1669 he baptised five of his followers, know as Panj Piyare, the Five Beloved Ones. They had answered his call to sacrifice lives for the sake of the Guru and Dharma. These five formed a new fraternity which the Guru named the Khalsa of Waheguru or God's Own. The ceremony of pahul or baptismal cleansing was simple. The Guru poured water in a vessel, stirred it with a two edged daggar and recited compostions of the earlier Gurus and his own while his wife threw in sweets (pata-se), making it amrit, the water of immortality. The five disciples drank out of the same bowl and were given new names with the suffix "Singh" (Lion) attached to them. As the outward and visible signs of this discipline, they were enjoined to wear the five "K"s, namely, kes-long hair, kangha-comb, kachha-a pair of shorts, kara-iron bangles, and karpan-sword. They were further asked to follow four rules of conduct: not to cut the hair; to abstain from smoking tobacco and consuming alcoholic drinks; to avoid eating kosher meat; and to refrain from adultery. The ceremony concluded with the Guru hailing them with a new greeting- "Waheguru ji ka Khalsa; Waheguru ji ki Fateh" (The Khalsa belongs to god; victory be to him).
Guru Gobind Singh was not content with baptising the Five, but he also had himself baptised by them, thus emphasing that the Guru and his disciples were knit together in one common brotherhood. The initation of a guru by his disciples was a unique step, unknown in the history of religions. Thus born on Baisakhi day 1699 was the Khalsa, the militant church, which was to rejuvenate Sikhism. With a new script, a new scripture, new centers of worship and new symbols and cermonines the Sikhs came to have a new individuality. Finally, Guru Gobind Singh declared the line of personal Gurus to an end, and installed the Granth Sahib as the Guru, the symbolic representation of the ten Gurus. Guru Gobind Singh was a versatile scholar. His writings are available under the title Dasam Granth or the book of the Tenth Guru. His life was one long struggle against the Mughals and their allies. His two sons lost their lives in the battle of Chamkaur while two others ( who fell into the hands of the enemy) were cruelly murdered under the orders of the Muslim Governor of Sirhind. The blood of the martyrs nurtured the Sikh community, and in an incredibly short time, the Sikhs became a political force in Punjab.

Home