Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded in 15th-century Punjab by Guru Nanak, emphasizing equality, service to others, and devotion to one God.
A radical idea for its time and place — that spiritual worth had nothing to do with caste, religion, or gender — became the founding principle of a faith that still serves free meals to anyone who visits its temples.
A Vision of Oneness
Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak around 1500 CE in the Punjab region of South Asia, teaching that there is one God accessible to all people regardless of caste, religion, or gender — a radical message in the deeply stratified society of the time.
Ten Human Gurus
Sikhism was further developed and shaped by nine successive Gurus after Nanak, with the tenth and final human Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, establishing many of the tradition's most distinctive practices before declaring the Sikh scripture itself to be the eternal, living Guru.
Equality Through Community Kitchens
A defining Sikh institution is the langar, a community kitchen found at every Sikh temple, or gurdwara, that serves free meals to all visitors regardless of religion, caste, or background — a powerful practical expression of the faith's core commitment to equality.
The Five Ks
Many baptized Sikhs observe the Five Ks, physical articles of faith including uncut hair (kesh) and a turban, symbolizing their commitment to Sikh values and creating an easily identifiable visual expression of their faith.
A Global Community
Today, Sikhism has roughly 25 to 30 million adherents worldwide, with the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, serving as its holiest and most significant site of pilgrimage and worship.
