SIKHS: THEIR NUMBERS, IDENTITY AND CHARACTERISTICS

SIKHS

Sikh at Golden Temple The Sikhs are an Indian people, defined by their religion, who emerged in India during the centuries of Muslim political power. They are also known as Khalsa, Singhs, Nanakpanthis, Amrit-dharis, Sahaj-dharis, Kes-dharis, Although Sikhs today generally acknowledge themselves solely as "Sikh," the aforementioned ethnonyms bove may be used to identify specific varieties of Sikhs. They are also known as Sardarji, which is a form of address. If one wants to be picky, the word Sikh is usually mispronounced in the West as "seek". It should be pronounced "se-ikh," with the "kh" pronounced gutturally, in the back of the throat.

The Sikhs are followers of the “Ten Gurus” (from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh) who preached monotheism, tenets found in both Islam and Hinduism, encouraged mediation and rejected the Hindu caste system. The Sikh religion (Sikhism) began in the 15th century with Guru Nanak. The word “sikh” is derived from the Sanskrit word shishya which means "disciple." In Punjabi Sikh means “learner.” Sikhs in India used the terms sikhy (“disciplineship”) and gurmat (“Guru’s doctrine”) to describe their religion. Guru means "teacher" or "leader."

Sikhs have assumed an importance far beyond their numbers because Sikhs have played a disproportionately large role in the armed forces and public affairs in India for the last 400 years. Although most Indian Sikhs (79 percent) remain concentrated in the state of Punjab, several million Sikhs live outside the state, while about 5 million live abroad. This Sikh diaspora, driven by ambition and economic success, has made Sikhism a world religion as well as a significant minority force within the country. [Source: Library of Congress]

Sikh Identity

The Punjab remains the homeland of the Sikhs. Sikhs call their homeland Khalistan. Nearly all Sikhs are descendants of ancestors that were originally Hindus rather than Muslims. Many are Jats (a farming people that have a history of standing up to persecution). Punjabi culture and Sikh culture are interwoven (See the Punjab or Anything related to the Punjab). Until the Indian government invasion of the Golden Temple in 1984 many Sikhs didn’t even regard themselves as belonging to a distinct religious community.

Observant male Sikhs are recognized by their beards and turbans, which are symbols of their faith. Many Sikhs observe a code of conduct and discipline that includes wearing recognizable marks of orthodoxy. These marks include unshorn hair, a comb, a dagger, a steel bangle, and a pair of breeches. Additionally, there is a ban on tobacco, and male and female converts are given common titles, Singh (meaning 'lion') and Kaur (meaning 'princess'), respectively. The Orthodox group, which has gradually grown to dominate the public life of the community, consists of amritdhari Sikhs, those who have undergone baptism. Other Sikhs in the community may not fully adhere to the code of conduct, but they are still accepted as Sikhs due to their devotion, participation in worship, and respect for the gurus. [Source: N. Gerald Barrier, “Encyclopedia of World Cultures’, Gale Group, Inc., 1996]

The shrines and holy sites associated with significant events in Sikh history, particularly the Golden Temple in Amritsar, are mainly located in the Punjab areas of Pakistan and India (The Punjab was divided when greater India was divided in India and Pakistan in 1947). In the late nineteenth century, when the British ruled India, Sikhs started migrating to Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. Nowadays, large and often very affluent and highly educated Sikh communities can be found in these areas.

How Sikhs Are Identified

Most Sikhs are from India, have ethnic links to the Punjab, and generally identify themselves by their religious tradition, Sikhism. There are Sikhs today, however, who are not ethnically Punjabi, namely western converts to the Sikh tradition who are members of the Khalsa Dharma in The West. of the Western Hemisphere organization. A group of Western Sikh converts, known as the gora or 'white' Sikhs and led by Harbajan Singh, are associated with several gurdwaras (houses of worship) in North America and have their own organizations. While the centrality of Punjabi language and culture in the daily lives of Sikhs can sometimes create divisions between those with roots in Punjab and these new converts, common worship, beliefs, and a shared code of discipline tend to overcome any ethnic differences.

Pashaura Singh wrote in the “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices”: “Although Sikhism is an organized religion, the issue of membership is complex. Punjabi society is kinship-based, with most of the people Sikhs by birth. To a certain extent it is a closed society, and Sikhs are not ordinarily known as aggressively expansionist in urging their beliefs upon others. Despite the absence of an active agenda to proselytize non-Sikhs into the tradition, people may join Sikhism of their own free will. In fact, conversion to Sikhism indicates the extent to which a person incorporates the ideals of the Guru (gurbani, prashad, amrit, rahit, and so on) into his life when he formally joins the Khalsa order through the initiation ceremony. It is interesting to note that in Sikh society the idea of conversion does not carry with it the same notions as in Christianity, out of which the term originally evolved. On the one hand, Sikhism does not actively seek converts by knocking on people's doors, but, on the other, it does not refuse admission to any person who makes a conscious effort to join the Sikh fold. [Source: Pashaura Singh, “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices”, Thomson Gale, 2006]

“In the 1970s a group of American and Canadian Caucasians converted to the Sikh faith at the inspiration of their Yoga teacher, Harbhajan Singh Khalsa (Yogi Bhajan), who founded the Sikh Dharma movement. These so-called white, or gora, Sikhs, male and female alike, wear white turbans, tunics, and tight trousers. They live and raise families in communal houses, spending long hours in meditation and chanting while performing various postures of tantric yoga. They have thus introduced the Sikh tradition into a new cultural environment. Most Punjabi Sikhs have shown an ambivalent attitude toward these converts. On the one hand, they praise the strict Khalsa-style discipline of the white Sikhs; on the other hand, they express doubts about the mixing of the Sikh tradition with the ideals of tantric yoga.

Sikh Population Numbers

There are approximately 26 million Sikhs worldwide, with over 24 million of them in India, where they form roughly 2 percent of the Indian population. Most live in Punjab state. Sizeable communities of Sikhs — greater than 200,000 people — are found in the Indian states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttaranchal, and Jammu and Kashmir. Sikhs are found in all the major cities of India, although their largest concentration is in Delhi.

The largest Sikh populations outside of India are primarily in former British Empire territories. The UK and Canada both have Sikh populations exceeding half a million people. During the 19th century, migration from India to other parts of the British Empire was high due to labor demands in newer colonies and those where slavery had been abolished. These countries are still popular destinations for Sikh migrants today, as many are highly trained and English-speaking.[Source: Olan McEvoy, Statista, July 17, 2023]

Italy has a significant Sikh population. Many migrated there after serving in the British Army during World War I. They are now a number of them in Italy's dairy industry. The Sikh population in Saudi Arabia is a reflection of the Middle East now being the home to the largest Indian diaspora in the world. This is primarily due to the number of temporary foreign workers that go work in oil-rich Persian Gulf nations. fossil fuel and associated industries.

Countries with largest Sikh population Worldwide (2020)
1) India — 24,246,592
2) United Kingdom — 576,286
3) Canada — 520,0525
4) United States — 417,063
5) Australia — 168,570
6) Malaysia — 81,562
7) Saudi Arabia — 66,843
8) Pakistan — 56,769
9) Kenya — 49,190
10) Italy — 48,369 [Source: Statista]

The Sikh faith began in the 15th century in the part of Punjab that is now in Pakistan. There used to be several million Sikhs in Pakistan. Now there are an estimated 20,000 to 56,000 Sikhs left there. Millions fled to India following the bloody religious violence after partition of India and Pakistan, which sparked the largest mass migration in human history and led to the death of at least one million people. {Source: AFP]

Punjab — the Homeland of the Sikhs

The homeland of the Sikhs is the Punjab — now divided into Punjab province in eastern Pakistan and Punjab state of northwest India. According to the 2021 Census of Punjab 2021, Sikhs make of 57.69 percent of the population there, with Hindus making 38.5 percent, Muslims 1.3 percent and Christians 1.26 percent.Very few Sikhs live in Pakistan today. Siks used to make up a larger portion of the population the Punjab, over 60 percent. Many Sikhs were killed during the mass migrations that accompanied the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.

The Punjab literally means "Land of the Five Rivers," refering to the fertile plains in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent drained by the five great tributaries of the Indus River—the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej. The Indian state of Punjab is bordered by Pakistan to the west, the Indian states of Rajasthan and Haryana to the south, the Himalayas to the north and the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana begin to the east. Sikhism evolved in the Punjab by incorporating various tribes and castes including many Jats, rural agriculturalists and warriors, who have demonstrated great courage in times of persecution and political turmoil.

The Sikhs considered themselves culturally distinct from their Hindu neighbors in the Punjab and this caused tensions. In 1966, the central government of India divided the Punjab State of India into two parts. The northwestern area became a smaller Punjab State where Sikhs were the majority, while the rest became Haryana State. [Source: D. O. Lodrick, “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life”, Cengage Learning, 2009 *]

The land occupied by the Sikhs today is but a remnant of their former homeland the dominated. Present-day Punjab State in India is only 14 percent of the original, undivided Punjab territory. The Punjab is situated on the Indo-Gangetic divide, which is a region of flat alluvial plains that separate the drainage systems of the Indus and Ganges rivers. The western areas are drained by the upper courses of the Beas and Sutlej rivers, but most of the 'Land of the Five Rivers' is now located in Pakistan. Sikh farmers are regarded as some of the best in India.

Punjab

Punjab is split between India and Pakistan and contains the richest agricultural land and is regarded as breadbasket of both countries. Punjab means "Land of Five Rivers" in Persian, a reference to the five rivers that flow out of the Himalayas to join the Indus River: the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. The land between these rivers is known as a doab. Each of the five doabs is considered culturally different from the others. The region has fertile soil, and agriculture is highly productive thanks to canals and irrigation. Punjab is a major producer of wheat and other grains in both India and Pakistan.

The Punjab is mainly a nearly level plain that drops from an elevation of 300 meters in the northeast near the Silwalik range to about 100 meters where the Indus is united with the last if its main tributaries. Above the plain are the Salt Range in Pakistan and the foothills of the Himalayas in India. The entire Punjab covers about 270,000 square kilometers with 205,344 square kilometers in Pakistan and 50,362 square kilometers in India.

The climate is temperate with the hottest season from May to June when temperatures sometimes exceed 40 degrees C. The coolest months are in February, when nighttime frosts occur. Two thirds of the annual rainfall occurs during the June-to-September monsoon season. The amount of rain that falls decreases as one moves farther away from the Himalayas. Near the edge of Himalayas, rainfall amounts often exceed 100 centimeters a year. In Lahore, about 100 kilometers from the Himalayan foothills, the rainfall is around 50 centimeters a year; at Multa about 500 kilometers away, the rainfall is about 18 centimeters.

Language and Names of the Sikhs

Sikhs generally speak the language of the people where they live The language of the Sikh people has traditionally been — and still is among the majority of Sikhs — Punjabi, an Indo-European language derived from Indo-Iranian Sanskrit and Prakrit. Sacred text are hymns written in Saint Bhasha, a language related to Hindi and Punjabi. [Source: Louis E. Fenech, “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 3: South Asia,” edited by Paul Paul Hockings, 1992 |~|]

The term Punjabi is used to describe both the inhabitants of the Punjab and speakers of the predominate language there. Punjabi is clearly related to languages spoken by neighboring people particularly the Pahari. There are six major dialects, each associated with a different area. Majhi and Malwa are considered the most “pure.” Sikh insults include "dirty dog," "I rape your mother," and "I'll rape your sister." There are Jokes about sickles deep in their shorts that come out at dark, Sikh priests that tell girls to unbutton their trousers and, girls "jumping like springs underneath." [Source: "The Villagers" by Richard Critchfirld, Anchor Books]

The script in which Punjabi usually is written is Gurmukhi ("from the mouth of the Guru") which differs considerably from Devanagiri, the script in which many other north Indian languages, particularly Hindi, are written. Gurmukhi was developed during the 16th century by Angad, the second Sikh guru, for the purpose of recording the scriptures of the Sikhs. [Source: D. O. Lodrick, “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life”, Cengage Learning, 2009]

Nearly all Sikh have the same the last name of Singh because they are said to descendants of the great Singh families that founded the religion. Singh is an honorific name that means "lion." Sikhs baptized in Khalsa assume the name of Singh for men and Kaur (meaning “princess”) in the case of women Sikhs generally use their given name preceded by Singh if they are male and Kaur if they are female. Married Sikh women use their given name (first name) plus their husband’s given name. Singh is like a title. Calling someone Mr. Singh is like calling them “Mr. Mr.” Many Silks decide a baby’s name by in a ceremony at the temple in which the Guru Granth Sahib is opened randomly and the name is derived from the letter of the first word of hymn on the page selected.

Sikhism

By some reckonings Sikhism is the world's fifth largest, and one of the youngest, religions. It blends Hindu tradition and Tantric yoga with mystical Muslim beliefs. Unlike Hinduism and Buddhism, it is oriented more towards living in the existing world than doing everything for future lives. Foundations of Sikhism including inward devotion, monotheism, and the belief that god is everywhere and he can be perceived with an inward eye. Mantra-like chants such as nirankar (formless one) are repeated as a form of worship.

Sikhs believe in one God, and emphasize the absolute sovereignty and unity of this god, whose name is ik, which is numeral not a word for God, and who is equated with truth. Sikhs believe that he created all things and that all things are dependent on God’s will. Sikhs reject the caste system, Hindu divine incarnations, the worshipping of images, and the sanctity of the vedas. They are not allowed to belong to any other religion.

There is no official priesthood within Sikhism or any widely accepted institutional mechanism for policy making for the entire faith. Instead, decisions are made by communities of believers (sangat ) based on the Guru Granth Sahib — a tradition dating back to the eighteenth century when scattered bodies of believers had to fight against persecution and manage their own affairs. Anyone may study the scriptures intensively and become a "knower" (giani) who is recognized by fellow believers, and there is a variety of training institutes with full-time students and teachers. [Source: Library of Congress]

Guru Nanak and Early Sikh History

20120502-Guru.Nanak with Hindu.holymen-b.JPG
Guru Nanak with Hindu holymen

Guru Nanak (1469-1539) is credited with founding the Sikh religion in an attempt to come up with a religion that harmonized Islam and Hinduism and contained the good points of each religion but not their inequalities. Sikhism emerged as a distinct religion because of Guru Nanak's personal rejection of pilgrimages, his stress on living the good life on earth, and his appointment of a successor as the master (guru ) for his disciples (sikhs).

Sikhism is rooted in the particular religious experience, piety, and culture and is informed by the unique inner revelation of Guru Nanak, who declared his independence from other thought forms of his day. Those who claimed to be his disciples were known as sikhs, or "learners." He was influenced by the contemporary religious environment of his day — particularly the devotional tradition of the medieval Sufi sants ("poet-saints") of North India, with whom he shared certain similarities. He established a foundation of teaching, practice, and community from which to express his own religious ideals. He is said to have had an especially strong sense of mission, compelling him to proclaim his message. [Source: Pashaura Singh, “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices”, Thomson Gale Sikhism, 2006]

Much of the material concerning his life comes from hagiographical Janam-Sakhis (birth narratives). His life may be divided into three distinct phases: 1) his early contemplative years, 2) the enlightenment experience accompanied by extensive travels, and 3) a foundational climax that resulted in the establishment of the first Sikh community in the western Punjab

Ten Gurus

The Ten Gurus are:
1) Guru Nanak (1469–1539)
2) Guru Angad (1504–1552)
3) Guru Amar Das (1479–1574)
4) Guru Ram Das (1534–1581)
5) Guru Arjan (1563–1606)
6) Guru Hargobind (1595–1644)
7) Guru Har Rai (1630–1661)
8) Guru Har Kishen (1656–1664)
9) Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–1675)
10) Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708)

Nanak's son, Baba Sri Chand, founded the Udasi sect of celibate ascetics, which continued in the 1990s. However, Nanak chose as his successor not his son but Angad, his chief disciple, to carry on the work as the second guru. Thus began a lineage of teachers that lasted until 1708 and amounted to ten gurus in the Sikh tradition, each of whom is viewed as an enlightened master who propounded directly the word of God. Angad developed the Gurmukhi script in which to record Nanak's life and doctrine.

The third guru, Amar Das fixed Sikh funeral and marriage rites, forbade intoxicants and cruel Hindu customs, and established 22 centers of worship and missionary centers to spread the message. He was so well respected that the Mughal emperor Akbar visited him . Amar Das appointed his son-in-law Ram Das (1534-81) to succeed him, establishing a hereditary succession for the position of guru. He also built a tank for water at Amritsar in Punjab, which, after his death, became the holiest center of Sikhism.

20120502-Guru_Arjun_Dev_being_pronounced_fifth_guru.jpg
Guru Arjun Dev being pronounced fifth guru The Ten Sikh Gurus are more than just “spiritual counselors,” the traditional definition of gurus; they are Sat Gurus, “true teachers” who reveal God’s teachings. Their succession has been compared to the transfer of a flame from one spiritual unifier to another. By the late sixteenth century, the influence of the Sikh religion on Punjabi society was coming to the notice of political authorities. Ram Das was the fourth Sikh guru. He founded the city of Armistar, which was built on land given by the Mughal emperor Akbar. The fifth guru, Guri Arjun was Ram Das’s son. He built the original Golden Temple and compiled the Adi Granth (First Book), the canon of hymns and sayings of Guru Nanak and his successors, to be revered by the Sikhs. Guru Arjun was tortured and killed in Lahore by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1606 for alleged complicity in a rebellion. He was an acclaimed poet like Guru Nanak. In response to Ram Das's execution the next guru, Hargobind (d. 1644), militarized and politicized his position and fought three battles with Mughal forces.

Guru Hargobind was the sixth guru. He is credited with founding the Sikh military tradition. He dressed as a warrior and introduced a more militant tone to the religion, Under him fighting injustice became a duty. Hargobind established a militant tradition of resistance to persecution by the central government in Delhi that remains an important motif in Sikh consciousness. Hargobind also established at Amritsar, in front of the Golden Temple, the central shrine devoted to Sikhism, the Throne of the Eternal God (Akal Takht) from which the guru dispensed justice and administered the secular affairs of the community, clearly establishing the tradition of a religious state that remains a major issue. [Source: Library of Congress]

The eighth guru, Guru Hara Krishan died at the age of eight of smallpox and is know best for refusing to meet with the Mogul Emperor Aurangzeb,The ninth guru, Tegh Bahadur (1621-75), because he refused Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's order to convert to Islam, was brought to Delhi and beheaded on a site that later became an important gurdwara (abode of the guru, a Sikh temple) on Chandni Chauk, one of the old city's main thoroughfares.

Guru Gobind Singh and Sikh Militarism

Guru Gobind Birthplace Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) was the tenth and last Guru. He is regarded as the second most important guru after Guru Nanak.. He became guru after his father, the Ninth Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded for refusing to convert to Islam. Four of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons died fighting for Sikh rights. One was killed in a battle against the Moguls. Another was bricked up alive in wall for refusing to renounce his faith. Gobind Singh himself died a few days after being struck by an assassins arrow.

Guru Nunak was a pacifist. Guru Gobind Singh responded to Mogul oppression by transforming the Sikhs into a unit of fighters and a militant brotherhood dedicated to defense of their faith at all times, ready to challenge Mogul rulers and the Hindu caste system. He glorified martyrs who he said “attain glory both here and hereafter” and instituted a baptism ceremony involving the immersion of a sword in sugared water that initiates Sikhs into the Khalsa (khalsa , from the Persian term for "the king's own," often taken to mean army of the pure) of dedicated devotion.

Guru Gobind Singh is responsible for the "Five Ks" and the turbaned appearance of Sikh males. He introduced the custom of carrying a large curved dagger in a silver sheath, wearing a turban, carrying a comb and never cutting the hair or beard. In 1699 by he founded a militant fraternity called Khalsa (meaning "pure" or “God elect”). He assembled five trusted lieutenants (called panj piyarey, the five beloved ones") in Anandpur Sahib ("town of bliss") to energize Sikhism in the face of Muslim invasions. All Sikh men came to adopt the surname Singh (‘lion’).

Sikh Saint Soldiers

Simran Jeet Singh wrote in The Conversation: In the Sikh tradition, a truly religious person is one who cultivates the spiritual self while also serving the communities around them — or a saint-soldier. The saint-soldier ideal applies to women and men alike. [Source:Simran Jeet Singh, Henry R. Luce Post-Doctoral Fellow in Religion in International Affairs Post-Doctoral Fellow, New York University, The Conversation, April 17, 2021]

“In this spirit, Sikh women and men maintain five articles of faith, popularly known as the five Ks. These are: kes (long, uncut hair), kara (steel bracelet), kanga (wooden comb), kirpan (small sword) and kachera (soldier-shorts). Although little historical evidence exists to explain why these particular articles were chosen, the 5 Ks continue provide the community with a collective identity, binding together individuals on the basis of a shared belief and practice. As I understand, Sikhs cherish these articles of faith as gifts from their gurus.

“Turbans are an important part of the Sikh identity. Both women and men may wear turbans. Like the articles of faith, Sikhs regard their turbans as gifts given by their beloved gurus, and its meaning is deeply personal. In South Asian culture, wearing a turban typically indicated one’s social status — kings and rulers once wore turbans. The Sikh gurus adopted the turban, in part, to remind Sikhs that all humans are sovereign, royal and ultimately equal. As a practicing Sikh, I can affirm that the Sikh commitment to the tenets of their faith, including love, service and justice, keeps them resilient in the face of hate. For these reason, for many Sikh Americans, like Gurbir Grewal, it is rewarding to maintain their unique Sikh identity.

Caste Among Sikhs

Sikhs are strongly egalitarian and are supposed to detest the Hindu caste system. They believe all people are the children of God and thus equal. Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak rejected the caste system. Features of the Sikh religion, such as the common surnames, the common kitchen, and the absence of priests, were intended to remove the distinctions of caste. Despite efforts by the Ten Gurus to reject caste, the caste system continues to endure. A large portion of all Sikhs are Jats. There is an inferior caste of urban Sikhs called Khatri and Arora. The Balnikis and Ravidasis are the Sikh equivalent of Untouchables. Historically, , Sikh converts have been drawn from Hindu castes such as the Jats. Sikhs will eat together and worship together, but marriages are still usually arranged among the same subgroup or caste, such as Jat, Arora, or Ramgarhia. [Source: D. O. Lodrick, “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life”, Cengage Learning, 2009]

Caste amongst the Sikhs is composed of zat (Hindi: jati, the caste proper) and got (gotra, patrilineal line.Louis E. Fenech wrote in the “Encyclopedia of World Cultures”: “ Every zat has many gots. The most prominent Sikh caste in rural Punjab is Jat, which forms some two-thirds of the Sikh population. In urban areas the two most prominent castes are Khatri and Arora, who are only 10 percent of all Sikhs. Sikh notions of caste are different from caste as it is generally worked out in the rest of India. There are, for example, certain castes like Ramgarhia and Ahluwalia that are found only amongst Sikhs. The Sikh castes that identify themselves as Khatri adhere to their own rules. Although Khatris form only a small percentage of the overall Sikh population all the Sikh Gurus were Khatris. Khatris are internally arranged into a number of endogamous groups, the principal division of which is char-baraha-bavanja or 4-12-52. The first number, four, represents the Bedi, Trehan, Bhalla, and Sodhi gots to which the ten Sikh Gurus belonged. These four groups may only intermarry among themselves. The two remaining numbers represent other Khatri zats, members of whom may only marry among the twelve or the fifty-two respectively. [Source:Louis E. Fenech, “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 3: South Asia,” edited by Paul Hockings, 1992]

Pashaura Singh wrote: “Guru Nanak and the succeeding Gurus emphatically proclaimed that divine Name is the only sure means of liberation for all four castes: the Khatri (originally Kshatriya, warrior), the Brahmin (priest), the Shudra ("servant") and the Vaishya (tradesman). In the Gurus' works, the Khatris are always placed above the Brahmins in caste hierarchy, while the Shudras are raised above the Vaishyas. This was an interesting way of breaking the rigidity of the centuries-old caste system. [Source: “Pashaura Singh, “International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family”, The Gale Group Inc., 2003]

All the Gurus were Khatris, and this made them a top-ranking caste in Punjab's urban hierarchy, followed by Aroras (merchants) and Ahluvalias (brewers). In rural caste hierarchy, an absolute majority (64 percent) among the Sikhs are Jats (peasants), who are followed by Ramgarhias (artisans), Ramdasias (cobblers) and Mazhabis (sweepers). Although Brahmins are at the apex in Hindu caste hierarchy, Sikhs place them distinctly lower on the caste scale. This is partly due to the strictures that the Sikh Gurus laid upon Brahmin pride and partly to the reorganization of Punjabi rural society that confers dominance on the Jat caste. |~|

“Doctrinally, caste has never been one of the defining criteria of Sikh identity. In the Sikh congregation, there is no place for any kind of injustice or hurtful discrimination based upon caste identity. Sikhs eat together in the community kitchen, worship together, and share the same sacramental food in the gurdwara (Sikh place of worship). However, caste still prevails within the Sikh community as a marriage convention. Most of the Sikh marriages are arranged between members of the same endogamous caste group. Nevertheless, intercaste marriages are now taking place frequently among the professional Sikhs in India and abroad. |~|

Sikhs Abroad

There are several million Sikhs living abroad. Referred to the Diaspora, they are found in Britain, East Africa, the United States, Canada, Malaysia, Australia and the Caribbean (See Numbers Above). The have a reputation for being highly educated and financially well off . Sikhs began migrating from India in large numbers in the 19th century. Many left India to escape caste restrictions. A old saying goes: "Sikhs and potatoes are found all over the world." There is also joke that after Neil Armstrong took his 'first step" on the moon he ran into a Sikh family that said, "We came right after partition."

Sikhs have found success in the United States. They have launched successful businesses and established themselves in professions like medicine and engineering. Sikhs in the United States have special camps for their children so they can keep in touch with the Sikh roots. Boys learn how to make a proper turban. A group of Western Sikh converts are known as “gora” or white Sikhs. Led by Harbajan Singh, the have set up many temples in North America and have their own organizations. Many of them are chiropractors. Many Sikhs in New York and London work as taxi drivers. In New York City, there are lots of Sikhs around Liberty Avenue in the Richmond Hills area of Queens.

There is a large Sikh community in Vancouver. The Sikh temple there is the largest in North America, with 37,000 members as of the early 2000s. Sikhs there have a dark side. A number of them have been killed in gang-style killings. In one case a masked man shot a notorious drug dealer with a single shot behind the ear. Sikhs were believed to be involved in the lucrative “B.C. bud” marijuana trade. Two Vancouver Sikhs charged but found innocent in the terrorist attack on an Air India 747 in 1985 that killed 329 people were also from Vancouver.

In December 2004, Sikhs in Britain launched a violent protest against a play called “Behzti” (“Dishonor”) that explored moral corruption within the Sikh religion. The play was written by a Sikh, Kaur Bhatti. Its most controversial scene involved the rape of a young woman in a Sikh temple by a man who claimed he had sex with her father. In the play the rapist is ultimately killed with a sword in the temple. Hundreds of demonstrators, enraged by the depiction of rape and murder in a temple, stormed the theater in Birmingham where the play was staged and broke windows and destroyed equipment. The violence and threats of violence forced the closure of the play.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: “World Religions“ edited by Geoffrey Parrinder (Facts on File Publications, New York); “Encyclopedia of the World’s Religions“ edited by R.C. Zaehner (Barnes & Noble Books, 1959); “Encyclopedia of the World Cultures: Volume 3 South Asia” edited by David Levinson (G.K. Hall & Company, New York, 1994); “The Creators “ by Daniel Boorstin; National Geographic, the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Times of London, The New Yorker, Time, Newsweek, Reuters, AP, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Compton’s Encyclopedia and various books and other publications.

Last updated December 2023