On the Origins of Sikhism

During a discussion with my mom about religions and Sikhism in particular, I asked her what the foundations of Sikhism were. She could not really come up with an answer. So I casually started telling her about what I had gleaned from my readings. It is not often that a child gets to enlighten the parent about religion. Guru Nanak Dev was born to a Hindu family in 1469 and from an early age, it was obvious that he was an exceptionally gifted child. He was more interested in discovering the meaning of life. As he grew older, he became extremely disappointed with the clashes between Hindus and Muslims in India and he famously remarked that there is no Hindu and there is no Muslim. He created the religion of Sikhism in the hope that it would get rid of the differences between Hindus and Muslims. When Guru Nanak would travel, he would dress in a combination of styles worn by both Hindu and Muslim holy men. Upon his death, Hindus and Muslims fought over whether he should be cremated or buried. He believed truth to be the ultimate goal for each person and if that could not be achieved, then everyone should at least aim to lead a truthful life.

Guru Nanak also championed against all kinds of discrimination, whether they be caste-based or monetary-based. Everyone is equal in the eyes of God because we are all His creation. Who are we to judge and condemn others? When we go to a Gurudwara (Sikhs’ place of worship), we all sit on the ground and eat together. The reason behind this is to teach us that in the house of God, no one is poor or rich, and no one is a Brahmin (upper caste) or a Shudra (lower caste). The nine Gurus, after Guru Nanak, built on these teachings. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, founded the Khalsa brotherhood, which inducted men and women. To all Khalsa members, the rites of Sati performed by Indian widows and the killing of daughters were prohibited. He also said that women were equal to men and they did not require the wearing of a veil. In his address to the Khalsa audience he said, “And, between the Hindus and Muslims, you will act as a bridge, and serve the poor without distinction of caste, color, country, or creed.”

When Guru Gobind led an army against the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, he was not fighting a religion or an ideology. He was fighting to put a stop to the tyrannical control of Aurangzeb as the emperor was forcing Hindus and Sikhs either to convert to Islam or face the penalty of death. He was fighting for the independence and freedom of the people to be able to make their own choices.

Somewhere along the road, we have lost that. There is caste distinction within the Sikh community. The wealthy are given preference and having money is considered to be the “in” thing. This does not just apply to Sikhs, but to other Indians and to people in other countries worldwide. Being rich is equated to success and happiness. In the words of Frank McKinney Hubbard, “It’s pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness. Poverty and wealth have both failed.” I would like to add to this statement by saying that a person is truly successful when he or she is happy. Now, if that happiness comes from being rich, then so be it. On the other hand, if happiness comes from going home to your family and sharing a meal, then that’s also success. The important thing to remember is that we should not judge anyone. We can’t get inside their head and experience whatever emotion they are feeling or whatever has happened in their life. Also, we need to stop measuring wealth as a way of judging a person’s worth. A person’s worth lies in their actions, not in how much money is in their bank account. There is more to a person than how rich or poor he is.

Another point that should be mentioned is that in general, we fear anyone that is different from what we are used to seeing. This might mean someone who dresses differently from the norm, who has different customs, or who is from a different country. I have lived in four different countries so far (India, England, Spain, and the USA) and I have interacted with people from various countries and different cultures. I have come to the realization that differences can be embraced and enjoyed. There is so much to learn from others’ experiences and traditions. Also, it is a great thing to be able to share things from your life with others. You find out that despite all those seemingly big differences, we all share the mutual desire to love and to be loved, to be respected, to be admired, and to be accepted. So then perhaps, we are not as different from others as it might seem. And whatever differences there are, they should be celebrated and not fought.

Guru Nanak Dev was a revolutionary for he spoke against the accepted and established religious tenets in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century. So were the other Gurus. They led many Indians on this path of liberation from closed-minded conformity. It can be argued that just because something has been happening for centuries and is culturally accepted, it is not enough to make it right. Sometimes, you have to go against the mainstream culture in order to fight for justice. It is difficult for people to accept change and so, they will fight against it. In addition, it is difficult to adopt a new lifestyle or change an aspect of culture, because that is treading in an unknown zone and it can be daunting. However, when that change means that you are fighting discrimination based on caste, color, religion, or nationality, then it is an appropriate thing to do. As the Gurus have tried to teach us, we are all equal in the eyes of God. Therefore, we have to make a conscious effort to fight discrimination at every level, no matter how small, and realize that we are all human beings and we all deserve to be treated kindly, lovingly and respectfully.

Notes

Gopal Singh, “A History Of the Sikh People, 1469-1978” (Delhi: World Sikh University Press, 1988) , 289-290.

Frank McKinney Hubbard, “Quotations About Happiness.” Welcome To the Quote Garden, 1998-2011 (Accessed May 14, 2011).

Bibliography

Hubbard, Frank McKinney. “Quotations About Happiness.” Welcome To the Quote Garden, 1998-2011 (Accessed may 14, 2011).

Singh, Gopal. A History Of the Sikh People, 1469-1978. Delhi: World Sikh University Press, 1988.