Amritsar Travel and Tours

Basic beliefs of Sikhism

• Sikhs believe in one God. He is the same for all people of all religions.
• Sikhism teaches equality of all people. Sikhism preaches that people of different races, religions, or sex are all equal in the eyes of God. Sikhism teaches the full equality of men and women.
• Sikhism emphasizes daily devotion to the remembrance of God. One should remember God at all times.
• Sikhism teaches religious freedom. All people have the right to follow their own path to God without condemnation or coercion from others.
• Sikhism emphasizes a moral and ethical life. A Sikh should represent moral responsibility and righteousness.
• Sikhism rejects all forms of rituals such as idol worship, pilgrimages, fasting, and superstitions.
• Sikhism teaches service to others. The primary task in life should be to help the poor, needy, and oppressed. The Sikhs have a long heritage of speaking out against injustice and for standing up for the defenceless.
• Sikhs are supposed to be saints, scholars, and soldiers.
• The word Sikh means disciple or student. Sikhs are the disciples of God who follow the writings and teachings of the ten Sikh Gurus.

Three Principles of Sikhism

Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru, taught three fundamental principles:
• Kirat Karo - Work hard and honestly
• Wand Ke Chhako - Share what you have with the needy
• Naam Jappo - Always remember God throughout the day

Ten Gurus

"The Palace of the Lord God is so beautiful. Within it, there are gems, rubies, pearls and flawless diamonds. A fortress of gold surrounds this Source of Nectar. How can I climb up to the Fortress without a ladder? Meditating on the Lord, through the Guru, I am blessed and exalted. The Guru is the Ladder, the Guru is the Boat, and the Guru is the Raft to take me to the Lord's Name. The Guru is the Boat to carry me across the world-ocean; the Guru is the Sacred Shrine of Pilgrimage, the Guru is the Holy River. If it pleases Him, I bathe in the Pool of Truth, and become radiant and pure." (Guru Nanak, Sri Rag, pg. 17)

The word 'Guru' in Sanskrit means teacher, honoured person, religious person or saint. Sikhism though has a very specific definition of the word 'Guru'. It means the descent of divine guidance to mankind provided through ten Enlightened Masters. This honour of being called a Sikh Guru applies only to the ten Gurus who founded the religion starting with Guru Nanak in 1469 and ending with Guru Gobind Singh in 1708; thereafter it refers to the Sikh Holy Scriptures the Guru Granth Sahib. The divine spirit was passed from one Guru to the next as "The light of a lamp which lights another does not abate. Similarly a spiritual leader and his disciple become equal, Nanak says the truth."

First Guru- Guru Nanak Sahib
Second Guru -Guru Angad Sahib
Third Guru- Guru Amardas Sahib
Fourth Guru -Guru Ramdass Sahib
Fifth Guru- Guru Arjan Sahib
Sixth Guru- Guru Hargobind Sahib
Seventh Guru- Guru Har Rai Sahib
Eighth Guru -Guru Harkrishan Sahib
Ninth Guru -Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib
Tenth Guru -Guru Gobind Singh Sahib

Mool Mantar

Mool Mantar is a basic prayer, composed by Guru Nanak Dev. It is the key prayer of Sikhs which sums up the basic concepts of the Sikh religion.
There is one God. Ik Onkar
His Name is Truth. Satnam
He is the Creator. Karta
He is present throught His Creation. Purakh
He fears none. Nirbhao
He hates none. Nirvair
His existence is immortal. Akal Murat
He is not born, nor does He die. Ajuni
He is self-illuminated. Saibhang
He is realized through the grace of the Guru. Gur prasad

Sikh Symbols

Khanda and Nishan Sahib

The Sikh Insignia - Khanda

The Khanda constitutes three symbols in one. However, the name is derived from the central symbol, Khanda, a special type of double-edged sword which confirms the Sikhs' belief in One God.

* The double-edged sword is the creative power of God which controls the destiny of the whole creation. It is sovereign power over life and death.

* The right edge of the double-edged sword symbolizes freedom and authority governed by moral and spiritual values.

* The left edge of the double-edged sword symbolizes divine justice which chastises and punishes the wicked oppressors.

* On the left side is the sword of spiritual sovereignty, Piri; on the right side is the sword of political sovereignty, Miri.

There must always be a balance between the two and this balance is emphasized by a inside circle. The circle is what is called the Chakra. This is a symbol of all-embracing divine manifestation including everything and wanting nothing, without beginning or end, neither first nor last, timeless, and absolute. It is the symbol of oneness, unity, justice, humanity and morality. The Chakra was also used by the Sikhs as one of the war weapons against injustice and oppression. Almost all Sikh warriors used to wear it in the eighteenth century.

The Sikh Flag - Nishan Sahib

The Sikh flag is a saffron-colored triangular-shaped cloth, usually reinforced in the middle with Sikh insignia in blue. It is usually mounted on a long steel pole (which is also covered with saffron-colored cloth) headed with a Khanda. The Sikh flag is often seen near the entrance to the Gurdwara, standing firmly on the platform, overlooking the whole building. Sikhs show great respect to their flag as it is, indeed, the symbol of the freedom of the Khalsa.

The Five (Kakkar)

The five sacred Sikh symbols prescribed by Guru Gobind Singh are commonly known as Panj Kakkar or the 'Five Ks' because they start with letter K representing Kakkar in the Punjabi language. They are:

1. Kes or unshorn hair, regarded as a symbol of saintliness. Guru Nanak started the practice of keeping the hair unshorn. The keeping of hair in its natural state is regarded as living in harmony with the will of God, and is a symbol of the Khalsa brotherhood and the Sikh faith. Hair is an integral part of the human body created by God and Sikhism call for its preservation. The shaving or cutting of hair is one of the four taboos or Kurehats.

2. Kangha or the comb is necessary to keep the hair clean and tidy. A Sikh must comb his hair twice a day and tie his turban neatly. The Gurus wore turbans and commanded the Sikhs to wear turbans for the protection of the hair, and promotion of social identity and cohesion. It has thus become an essential part of the Sikh dress.

3. Kara or the steel bracelet symbolizes restrain from evil deeds. It is worn on the right wrist and reminds the Sikh of the vows taken by him, that is, he is a servant of the Guru and should not do anything which may bring shame or disgrace. When he looks at the Kara, he is made to think twice before doing anything evil with his hands.

4. Kachh or the soldier's shorts must be worn at all times. It reminds the Sikh of the need for self-restrain over passions and desires. Apart from its moral significance, it ensures briskness during action and freedom of movement at all times. It is a smart dress as compared to the loose dhoti which most Indian wore at that time.

5. Kirpan or the sword is the emblem of courage and self-defense. It symbolizes dignity and self-reliance, the capacity and readiness to always defend the weak and the oppressed. It helps sustain one's martial spirit and the determination to sacrifice oneself in order to defend truth, oppression and Sikh moral values.

The Five K's, along with the turban, constitute the Khalsa uniform, which distinguishes a Sikh from any other person in the world, and is essential for preserving the life of the community and fostering the Khalsa brotherhood.

The Five K's are not supposed to foster exclusiveness or superiority. They are meant to keep the Sikhs united in the pursuit of the aims and ideals of the Gurus. They enable them to keep their vows made at the time of baptism. The Sikhs have been known to face torture and death rather than cut their hair or remove any of the sacred symbols.

The Khalsa cannot be anonymous. His religion is known to all. He stands out among people, and any unseemly behaviour or action on his part would be noted as unbecoming of a follower of the Gurus. People would easily blame him if he deviated from the disciplinary code of Guru Gobind Singh.

Along with the maintenance of the Five K's, the Khalsa is required to refrain from committing the four taboos or Kurehats. These are:

1. Trimming, shaving or removing hair from the body.
2. Using tobacco or intoxicants in any form.
3. Eating of meat.
4. Committing adultery.

A Sikh guilty of committing any of these serious breaches is regarded as the fallen one (Patit or Tankhahiya). Guru Gobind Singh declared that as long as the Khalsa followed the Five K's and Sikh code of discipline, he would win glory, but if he showed indifference, his progress would be hampered.

To explore about Sikhism visit India (Punjab) the city of Amritsar. A number of airlines run frequently to Amritsar. Airlines like Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airline, Air India, Qatar Airways and Turkmenistan Airlines operate daily from all major UK Airports. Amritsar, the city of Golden Temple is visited by a large number of people all the year round. Flights to Amritsar is one of the easiest and most convenient options to reach the city