Sikhism, today, is the ffth largest religion in the world with
some twenty-three million adherents. It emerged only about fve hundred years ago; and, so, is the youngest of the largest religions of the world. The Foundations of Sikhism: Guru Nanak (1469-1539) Guru Nanak (. !"#$-!%&$' may be regarded as the founder of Sikhism, but there were reformers before Nanak who (rolaimed a similar message, most notably a man named )abir (!""*-!%!+', who undoubtedly in,uened Nanak. Nanak-s title, .Guru,/ in other Indian religions has more the onnotation of .teaher/ or .sage,/ but in Sikhism, the title also means .leader./ Guru Nanak-s follows were alled Sikhs (the 0un1ab word for .disi(les/'. Nanak was born at village of 2alwandi (west India', about thirty miles from 3ahore (in (resent-day 0akistan'. 2he area was (art of the 0un1ab region of India, an area now divided by the border between India and 0akistan. 2he area had been ruled by 4uslim leaders sine the eleventh entury. In the early si5teenth entury, the 4ongols established an Islami em(ire known as the 4ughal 6m(ire. 7nder the 4ughal em(erors many Indians onverted to Islam; the greater ma1ority, however, remained 8indu or (ratied another religion, suh as 9ainism. Nanak-s (arents were 8indus of a merantile aste loally known as )hatri ()shatriya'. Nanak-s father was a village aountant and farmer, ranking om(aratively low on the eonomi sale. Nanak is (ortrayed as a (reoious youth, a (oet, given so to religious s(eulation that he was worthless as a herdsman or a store-kee(er. 8e was married at the age of twelve and would eventually have two sons. Nanak:s brother-in-law (roured Nanak a government aounting 1ob at the distrit a(ital of Sultan(ur. Nanak s(ent the evenings engaged in religious disussion and singing with a grou( of friends who inluded 4ardana, a 4uslim musiian who beame an inse(arable om(anion. ;ne day, when he was about thirty years old, Nanak went to bathe in a river and disa((eared. 8e rea((eared three days later, and after one additional day of silene, Nanak (rolaimed that he had e5(eriened a theo(hany, a vision of God (<2rue Name< in Sikhism', and that God had alled him to be a (ro(het. = 9anamsakhi (a non-anonial aount of Nanak:s life' re(orts, Nanak made his obeisane. 2he =lmighty gave him a bowl of milk. :Nanak> ?rink this bowl,: 8e ommanded. :It is not milk as it may seem; this is netar. It will give thee (ower of (rayer, love of worshi(, truth and ontentment.: Nanak drank the netar and was overome. 8e made another obeisane. 2he =lmighty then blessed him. :I release thee from the yle of birth, death and rebirth; he that sets his eyes on you with faith will be saved. 8e that hears your words with onvition will be saved; he that alls on you for suour will be hel(ed by 4e; he that you forgive will be forgiven by 4e. I grant thee salvation. Nanak, go bak to the evil world and teah men and women to (ray, to give in harity and live leanly. ?o good to the world and redeem it in the age of sin. Nanak delared, .2here is neither 8indu nor 4uslim, so whose (ath shall I follow@ I shall follow God-s (ath. God is neither 8indu nor 4uslim, and the (ath whih I follow is God-s./ Aith the om(any of 4ardana, Guru Nanak embarked u(on a missionary 1ourney, (reahing (urity and advoating the reoniliation of religious faiths. =s 4ardana (layed a rebe (a stringed instrument that looks something like a violin', Nanak would also sing. Bor his dress Nanak devised a ombination of 8indu and 4uslim garb. 8e wore a 8indu lower garment (dhoti', and bore a saCron mark on his forehead (in the manner of 8indus'. Dut he hose the kind of head overing assoiated with 4uslim hermits. Nanak and 4ardana traveled to the hief (laes of 8indu (ilgrimage, inluding 8ardwar, ?elhi, Denares, the 2em(le of 9aganatha, and holy (laes in the 8imalaya 4ountains. 2hey traveled to Sri 3anka, 2ibet, )abul, Daghdad, 4edina, and 4ea. Dak in the 0un1ab, Nanak established a new town, )artar(ur (<town of the Ereator<', on the Favi Fiver. 8ere, Nanak ho(ed, those of diverse faiths and bakgrounds ould fnd unity under God. 4ardana beame ill and died at )atar(ur around !%&". Nanak, around !%&$, at the age of si5ty-nine, a((ointed one of his disi(les, =ngad, as his suessor and laid down to die. 2radition relates that those who gathered around Nanak in mourning began to debate the manner of Nanak:s dis(osal. 2hose of 4uslim (ersuasion wanted to bury him aording to their ustom while those of 8indu (ersuasion wanted to remate him aording to their ustom. Guru Nanak, in his usual mode of reoniliation, instruted, <3et the 8indus (lae ,owers on my right, and the 4usalmans on my left. 2hey whose ,owers are found fresh in the morning may have the dis(osal of my body.< =fter these words, Nanak drew a sheet over his head and stirred no more. Ahen the sheet was removed the ne5t morning, no body was found beneath and the ,owers on both sides were in full bloom. The Teachins of Sikhism Gurus followed Nanak, taking leadershi( of the Sikhs. 2he ffth Guru, =r1an (!%+!-!#*#', is known for introduing a militant fervor into Sikhism and for om(iling the =di Granth. 2he =di Granth beame the entral sri(ture of the Sikhs and found a highly elevated (osition in the life of the ommunity after the death of the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh. Gobind Singh was stabbed by a 4uslim fanati in !G*+. 2he stabbing was fatal, but before his death, Gobind Singh instruted the Sikhs, heneforth, to regard the =di Granth as their Guru. 2hus the book is ommonly referred to as Guru Granth or Guru Granth Sahib (.4aster/'. 2he =di Granth is basially is a olletion of hymns (some &,&+"', a large (ortion of whih originated from Guru Nanak ($G" hymns' and Guru =r1an (HH!+ hymns'. 2he remainder of the hymns stem from a variety of soures, inluding Nanak-s (redeessors (suh as, )abir', 4uslim and 8indu leaders, and other Sikh gurus. 2he language of the =di Granth is 0un1abi (written in Gurmukhi sri(t'. Sikh beliefs re,et the goal of harmoniIing Islam and 8induism. Nanak wholeheartedly ae(ted the monotheism of Islam, and Sikhs refer to their one God as 2rue Name (Sati Nam or Sat Naam' or Aonderful Guru (AaheguruJKahiguru'. 2rue Name is regarded as the reator of the universe, omni(erfet, omni(resent, omnisient, omni(otent, and eternal (=kal 0urakh L .2imeless ;ne/'. God is without form and is beyond human understanding. God may be (ersonifed, but annot be redued to any image. 8uman beings are 2rue Name:s su(reme reation, and humans stand free to en1oy the world around them. Fe1eting the Indian teahing of ahimsa or non-in1ury to all living beings, Sikhs may kill and eat animals with a lear onsiene. Brom 8induism, Sikhism ado(ted the notion of samsara. Souls, one united with God, disassoiate themselves, seeking to e5erise their inde(endene and realiIe the illusion of selfhood (haumai, .I-me'. Dased u(on their karma, souls are reinarnated again and again until they are freed from the yle by 2ruth Name. Dodies serve as tem(orary abodes as souls transmigrate from one lifetime to another. =s in 8induism, de(ending u(on their karma, souls may be reborn as animals or humans, and they may be reborn in (urgatories or (aradises where they an be (unished or rewarded for their (ast lives. 2he ultimate goal, of ourse, is om(lete release from samsara, and this release ours as one is absorbed into 2rue Name. 2hrough living one-s life in devotion to 2rue Name, one may merge with 2rue Name and end all suCering. 2he soul 1oins with God like a dro( of water merges with the oean, realiIing God and obtaining eternal (eae. Guru Nanak:s Japji (<hymn<' was formally written down toward of Nanak:s life, and beame enshrined in the =di Granth as an o(ening statement about the Sikh view of God. 2he 9a(1i is re(eated silently, in the morning, from memory, by every devout Sikh. 2he o(ening (assage of the 9a(1i is the Mal Mantra, a short verse written by Guru Nanak immediately after his enounter with God around age thirty. =n e5er(t from the 9a(1i follows. 2here is but one God whose name is true, the Ereator, devoid of fear and enmity, immortal unborn, self- e5istent; by the favour of the Guru. Mthe 4al 4antraN 2he 2rue ;ne was in the beginning; the 2rue ;ne was in the (rimal age. 2he 2rue ;ne is now also, ; Nanak; the 2rue ;ne also shall be. Dy thinking I annot obtain a one(tion of 8im, even though I think hundreds of thousands of times. 6ven though I be silent and kee( my attention frmly f5ed on 8im, I annot (reserve silene. 2he hunger of the hungry for God subsideth not though they obtain the load of the worlds. If man should have thousands and hundreds of thousands of devies, even one would not assist him in obtaining God. 8ow shall man beome true before God@ 8ow shall the veil of falsehood be rent@ Dy walking, ; Nanak, aording to the will of the Eommander as (reordained. Dy 8is order bodies are (rodued; 8is order annot be desribed. Dy 8is order souls are infused into them; by 8is order greatness is obtained. Dy 8is order men are high or low; by 8is order they obtain (reordained (ain or (leasure. Dy 8is order some obtain their reward; by 8is order others must ever wander in transmigration. =ll are sub1et to 8is order; none is e5em(t from it. 8e who understandeth God:s order, ; Nanak, is never guilty of egoism. Aho an sing 8is (ower@ Aho hath (ower to sing it@ Aho an sing 8is gifts or know his signs@ Aho an sing 8is attributes, 8is greatness and 8is deeds@ Aho an sing 8is knowledge whose study is arduous@ Aho an sing 8im, who fashioneth the body and again destroyeth it@ Aho an sing 8im, who taketh away life and again restoreth it@ Aho an sing 8im, who a((eareth to be far, but is known to be near@ Aho an sing 8im, who is all-seeing and omni(resent. In desribing 8im there would be never end. 4illions of men give millions u(on millions of desri(tions of 8im, but they fail to desribe 8im. 2he Giver giveth; the reeiver groweth weary of reeiving. In every age man subsisteth by 8is bounty. 2he Eommander by 8is order hath laid out the way of the world. Nanak, God the unonerned is ha((y. 2rue is the 3ord, true is 8is name; it is uttered with endless love. 0eo(le (ray and beg, :Give us, give us:; the Giver giveth 8is gifts. 2hen what an we oCer 8im whereby his ourt may be seen@ Ahat words shall we utter with our li(s, on hearing whih 8e may love us@ =t the ambrosial hour of morning meditate on the true Name and God:s greatness. 2he )ind ;ne will give us a robe of honour, and by 8is favour we shall reah the gate of salvation. Nanak, we shall thus know that God is altogether true. 8e is not established, nor is 8e reated. 2he (ure one e5isteth by 8imself. 2hey who worshi((ed 8im have obtained honour. Nanak, sing 8is (raises who is the 2reasury of e5ellenes. Sing and hear and (ut 8is love into your hearts. 2hus shall your sorrows be removed, and you shall be absorbed in 8im who is the abode of ha((iness. 7nder the Guru:s instrution God:s word is heard; under the Guru:s instrution knowledge is aOuired; under the Guru:s instrution man learns that God is everywhere ontained. 2he Guru is Siv; the Guru is Kisnu and Drahma; the Guru is 0arvatl, 3aksmi and Saraswati. If I knew 8im, should I not desribe 8im@ 8e annot be desribed by words. 4y Guru hath e5(lained one thing to me, that there is but one Destower on all living beings; may I not forget 8im> The !a"or #i$isions of Sikhism 2oday, Sikhism may be divided into three divisions. 2he best known and most (o(ulous of these three divisions is the Singhs or .3ions./ In addition to the Singhs, there are the 7dasis and the Saha1dharis. The Sinhs Nanak taught (aifsm or non-violent resistane. 7(on the death of Nanak, the leadershi( of the new movement was taken over by =ngad, who served as Guru until E.6. !%%H. Nanak and =ngad were the frst two in a series of ten gurus who led Sikhism until the eighteenth entury. 2he frst four of the ten gurus of Sikhism tended to follow the (aif teahings of Nanak. Aith the demise of the ffth guru, =r1an ?ev (!%+!-!#*#', Sikhism underwent signifant hanges. Guru =r1an is res(onsible for om(iling a signifant (ortion of the sri(ture of Sikhism, the =di Granth, and he is also res(onsible for introduing militany within Sikhism. Detween the time of Nanak and that of =r1an, Sikhism had e5(anded to the (oint that it was reogniIed as a threat by 4uslim authorities. 2he former 4uslim 4ughal em(eror, =kbar, had been tolerant, if not friendly, toward Sikhism, but =kbar-s son, 9ahangir (r. !#*%-!#HG' insisted that Sikhism be inor(orated into Islam or terminated. 9ahangir instruted Guru =r1an to remove from the =di Granth anything that on,ited with the teahings of Islam. Ahen Guru =r1an refused, 9ahangir had =r1an im(risoned and gave him to hoie of death or onversion to Islam. 9ahangir tortured =r1an, (ouring burning sand on him while he was seated on a hot iron (late and immersing him in simmering hot water. =r1an held frm and, fnally, was drowned in the Favi Fiver. Defore his demise, =r1an instruted his young son, 8ar Gobind, who would beome the si5th guru (!#*#-!#"%', to .sit fully armed on the throne./ 2he Sikhs were heneforth more aggressive and militant in the maintenane of their faith. In !#G%, the 4ughal 4uslim em(eror, =urangIeb (r. !#%+- !G*G', beheaded the ninth Sikh Guru, 2egh Dahadur, in front of thousands of s(etators. 6m(eror =urangIeb-s goal was to eliminate both Sikhs and 8indus. Guru 2egh Dahadur-s young son, Gobind, beame the tenth guru. Gobind (re(ared the Sikhs for self-defense and war. In !#$$, at a New Pear-s festival (Daisakhi', Guru Gobind founded a Sikh military brotherhood alled the )halsa. Guru Gobind alled for men who were willing to die for the Sikh ause. ;ne man ame forward, and Gobind esorted him into his tent. Gobind soon emerged from his tent with a bloody sword and asked for another man of onvition. =fter the ffth man (roved his faith, Gobind emerged from the tent with all fve men, still alive. Gobind had a((arently sarifed a goat rather than the men. In a ritual that ame to be known as .ba(tism by the sword,/ Gobind added netar to water in a steel bowl and mi5ed the two ingredients with a double-edged sword (kirpan'. 8e invited the fve men to drink the water, and he then s(rinkled the water over the hair and eyes. Gobind then asked the fve men to ba(tiIe him in the same manner and invited all those (resent to 1oin this olletive of )halsa (.(ure/ ones of God'. Gobind onferred u(on all the initiates a new surname, Singh or .3ion./ 2he Singhs beame an elite lass of ade(t warriors who were distinguished by .the fve )s/Q (!. kes, (H. kangha, (&. kachk, (". kara, and (%. kirpan. 2he kes refers to the long hair they wear on their heads and faes. 2he kangha refers to the omb they wear in their hair. 2he kachk refers to the short trousers they wear. 2he kara refers to a steel braelet they wear on their wrists. 2he kirpan refers to a short steel sword or dagger with whih they are armed. 2hese members of the )halsa may stem from any aste or soial level. 2hey must abstain from wine, tobao, or any other stimulant, and they must adhere to other rules of ondut that are s(elled out in a ode alled the Fahit (a defnitive edition of whih, the Sikh Fahit 4aryada, was (ublished in !$%*'. 2he (ur(ose of the )halsa was to end the (erseution of the 4uslim 4ughal government and establish an arm of Sikhism to .e5eute divine 1ustie on earth./ 4embers of the )halsa believed they would fnd immediate esa(e from samsara if they were to die while fghting in a 1ust ause. Guru Gobind, who now arries the surname of Singh, led the Sikhs in a series of battles against the 4ughal 6m(ire. = 4ughal governor had Guru Gobind Singh assassinated in !G*+. Defore he died, Gobind Singh instruted the Sikhs that the =di Granth should be regarded as their Guru from that time forward. In !G+*, under the leadershi( of Fan1it Singh, the Singhs established Sikh rule over the 0un1ab, setting u( the a(ital at 3ahore. In the early nineteenth entury, Dritish olonialists, having already onOuered most of the old 4ughal 6m(ire, turned their attention to the 0un1ab. 2he Dritish met stubborn resistane and aOuired great res(et for the Sikh military, but the Sikhs were eventually overome (!+"#' and inor(orated into the Dritish 6m(ire in !+"$. 2he Sikhs 1oined the Indian fght for inde(endene, ho(ing that when the Dritish left, they would be able to reate a se(arate nation for themselves, a nation to be alled )halistan. Ahen the Dritish de(arted, however, the 7nited Nations, in !$"G, eleted to (artition India into 8indu (India' and 4uslim sates (0akistan and Dangladesh'. 2he (artition between India and 0akistan ran through the histori 0un1ab region. 2he larger (ortion of the 0un1ab, inluding several im(ortant Sikh sites, was loated in the new nation of 0akistan, but most Sikhs reloated to the 0un1ab in India. Sikh se(aratists still ho(e for the reation of )halistan. In !$+", Sikh se(aratists took ontrol of the entral Sikh shrine, the Golden 2em(le of =mritsar, with a((arent designs to fght for inde(endene. 2he 0rime 4inister of India, a woman named Indira Gandhi, sent in the Indian military (;(eration Dlue Star' to sOuelh the se(aratists. ;ver fve-hundred Sikhs were killed. Shortly after, Indira Gandhi-s Sikh body guards assassinated her. 2he assassination led to many re(risals in whih thousands of Sikhs lost their lives. 7nderstandably, tensions between Sikhs and 8indus ontinue to e5ist. 2oday, many Sikhs never 1oin the )halsa. 4embershi( is stritly voluntary, and being a Sikh is not de(endent u(on it. 2hose who worshi( the ;ne 2rue God, res(et the ten gurus, and honor the Guru Granth are Sikhs. Singh is a ommon name in India, and not everyone who bears the name of Singh is Sikh. ?ue to the tradition of the )halsa, however, the vast ma1ority of Sikhs will arry the surname or middle name of Singh. The %dasis 2he 7dasis om(rise a seond division of Sikhism. =s distinguished from mainstream Sikhism, the 7dasis onsist of renuniants or asetis, holy men who (ratie elibay, wear yellow ourse garments (like Duddhist monks', or go naked (like 9ain monks'. 2heir only (ossession is a begging bowl, and they (refer to shave their heads and beards. 2his division of Sikhism has been traed to Srihand, Guru Nanak-s older son. 6ven though Nanak had hosen =ngad as his suessor, Srihand hallenged =ngad-s (osition and reated a rift in the Sikh ommunity. The Saha"dharis 2he third division of Sikhism is re(resented by the Saha1dharis (<onservative< or <slow-ado(ters<'. 2he Saha1dharis re1et the militarism of the )halsa, the distintive dress of the Singhs, and, like the 7dasis, (refer to be lean-shaven. The &itua's of Sikhism Father than siding with either 8induism or Islam regarding the neessity or validity of eremonialism, Nanak re1eted the rituals of both religions. In the words of Guru Nanak, 2he 4usalmans (raise the Sharia, read it, and re,et on itQ Dut God:s servants are they who em(loy themselves in 8is servie in order to behold him. 2he 8indus (raise the 0raised ;ne whose a((earane and form are inom(arable; 2hey bathe in holy streams, (erform idol-worshi( and adoration, use o(ious inense of sandal. 2he 9ogis meditate on God the Ereator, whom they all the 7nseen, Ahose form is minute, whose name is the Dright ;ne, and who is the image of their bodies. (=sa )i Aar, Slok 4KI, 2he Sared Aritings of the Aorld:s Great Feligions, ed. S.6. Brost (New PorkQ 4Graw-8ill, !$"&, (. &#H' 2o be in God-s servie, in other words, is better than engaging in ritual. =ording to a story, Nanak was one e1eted from a 4uslim worshi( servie beause he laughed aloud during an imam-s sermon. Ahen asked why he was so disres(etful, Nanak re(lied that he found the imam to be more onerned with the well being of his horse than with God. 2his (ere(tion aused Nanak to burst out with laughter. Sikhism, then, does not su((ort an elaborate alendar or lots of festivals. 2hey may well elebrate 8oli and ?ivali with their 8indu neighbors, and they do ommemorate a few notable events in their history. Guru Nanak-s birthday is elebrated in the fall (November'. Guru =r1an-s birthday is elebrated in the winter (?eember or 9anuary'. 2he formation of the )halsa under Guru Gobind Singh is elebrated on Daisakhi (=(ril', and the martyrdom of Guru =r1an is ommemorated in the summer (9une'. &ite of (assae: )ife *+c'e (u,ert+ or Status -'e$ation 2he ritual desribed above as .ba(tism by the sword,/ is still (ratied by Sikhs. Ahen one beomes mature enough to om(rehend hisJher ommitment, a bowl of sweet water is stirred by a kir(an and s(rinkled over the initiate as heJshe is instruted in the truths of ode of the faith. 2he ritual marks one as a member of the Sikh ommunity. 4ales reeive the name Singh, and females reeive the name )aur (.(riness/'. &ite of (assae: )ife *+c'e &itua': #eath If one remembers that Guru Nanak-s lifeless body was (resumably assumed into the heavens u(on his death, one may wonder how the Sikhs dis(ose of the dead today. Sikhs, like 8indus and unlike 4uslims, remate their deeased. = lose relative will light the funeral (yre. *a'endrica' (eriodic: .orshi/ 2he most ommon form of worshi( among the Sikhs is a daily (ratie that onsists of ritual bathing, (rayer, and the reitation of s(eif hymns from the =di Granth and the ?asam Granth. 2he ?asam Granth is a su((lemental Sikh sri(ture whih onsists of the writings of Guru Gobind Singh and some other (oets. Gobind Singh did not add his own writings to the Granth when he elevated the Granth to the status of absolute Guru, but later followers om(iled this material and granted it anonial status. Some form of bathing, (rayer, and reitation is e5euted by Sikhs in the morning, at sunset, and before retiring to bed in the evening. 2he 9a(1i (one of Nanak-s hymns' is among the morning reitations. =s one may gather from what is merely an e5er(t of the 9a(1i inluded above, the daily (raties reOuire a lot of time (about two hours', and only the most devout arry out the full routine on a daily basis. Sikhs do gather for ongregational worshi(. 2hey meet in tem(les alled gurdwaras. 2he gurdwaras ontain, as the entral ob1et of reverene, the =di Granth. Ahen the holy book is arried, it is arried above the head. =t rest in the gurdwara, it is (laed high u(on a ushioned altar and overed by a ano(y. Ahen o(ened, Guru Granth is fanned with a ,ywhisk. Sikh devotees will over their heads before the Granth and never turn their baks toward it. Inside the gurdwara Sikhs will (ray, sing hymns, and hear sermons. In aord with the Sikh re1etion of ritualism, there are no (riests. 2he servies are led by members of the ommunity. Burther, there are no aste or se5ual distintions. 4en and woman of all bakgrounds worshi( side by side. Servies onlude with all those (resent ingesting karah prasad, a mi5ture of ,our, sugar, and ghee (larifed butter'. 2he following (rayer is uttered at the onlusion of Sikh worshi(. 2he (rayer, asribed largely to Guru Gobind Singh, honors the lineage of the gurus (in the frst several lines' and elebrates the )halsa or the Sikh ommunity. 8aving frst remembered 3ord thy God, all on Guru Nanak =nd then on Guru =ngad, =mar ?as and Fam ?asQ 4ay they ever (rotet us. 2hen all on =r1un and 8ari Gobind and the holy 8ari Fai, =nd then on 8ari )rishna, who an dis(el all one:s sorrows. 2hen remember 2egh Dahadur, the ninth Guru, that the nine treasures may hasten to thy home. ; masters be ye ever with us. 4ay the tenth king Guru Gobind Singh be ever on our side. =nd now turn your thoughts to the Guru Granth Sahib, the visible embodiment of the Gurus, and say :Glory be to God.: MEongregation res(ondsQN :Aonderful 3ord.: 2he four sons, the fve beloved ones, the forty saved ones, the martyrs, the true disi(les, the ontem(lators of God, and those who remained steadfast in the 0athQ remember their glorious deeds and say :Glory be to God.: MEongregation res(ondsQN :Aonderful 3ord.: 2hose who onstantly remembered God:s Name, shared their earnings, wielded the sword on the battlefeld, and shared food in om(anionshi(, oCered their heads at the altar of the holy 3aw, were ut u( limb from limb, were skinned or boiled or sawn alive but uttered not a sign and did not falter in their faith L remember their glorious deeds and say :Glory be to God.: MEongregation res(ondsQN :Aonderful 3ord.: ; great )ing, save us from the fves sins of lust, wrath, greed, attahment and egoism. ; God, let us all on 2hee alone, yea, 2hee alone, and let the remembrane be ha((iness of all kinds. ; God, wherever the members of the holy )halsa are, e5tend 2hy (rotetion and mery to them. 3et the Aay be ever vitoriousQ let the sword be forever our (rotetorQ let the war-ry of the )halsa resound aross the worldQ :Glory be to God.: MEongregation res(ondsQN :Aonderful 3ord.: ; God, may 2hy Sikhs M<disi(les<N be blessed with faith, disi(line, trust, mental awakening and, above all, the ontem(lation of 2hey Name. 4ay the banners, the staying-(laes, the hoirs of the )halsa stay whole through the ages, and may true religion be ever vitorious. ; God, let our minds be forever humble, and our intellets e5alted, and may 2hou be ever (rotetor of our minds. Say, ; )halsa, :Glory be to God.: MEongregation res(ondsQN :Aonderful 3ord.: Bollowing servies there is ty(ially a ommunion meal alled the langar. 2he langar is vegetarian, out of res(et for those who hold to suh a diet. 2he langar follows a tradition dating bak to the fourth Sikh guru, Fam ?as. 2he 4ughal 6m(eror =kbar ame to visit Fam ?as at =mritsar and 1oined in a ommon meal with the Sikhs. 2he meal was indiative of =kbar-s friendly relationshi( with the Sikhs, and the langar beame an integral (art of Sikh life. 2he most honored gurdwara is 8armandir Sahib, otherwise known as 2he 2em(le of God or 2he Golden 2em(le in =mritsar. =mritsar was a village in the 0un1ab with a (ool that Guru Nanak had en1oyed. Guru Fam ?as had (lanned to build the gurdwara here and had worked on the (ool for that (ur(ose, but it was Guru =r1an who onstruted 8armandir Shahib in the midst of the (ool and installed within it a o(y of the =di Granth. =lthough Nanak himself onsidered religious (ilgrimage worthless, the eminene of the Golden 2em(le will ins(ire visits from most all Sikhs, at least one during their lifetimes. 8armandir Sahib or 2he Golden 2em(le is onneted, via a auseway over the (ool, to =kal 2akht (.2he 2imeless ;ne-s 2hrone/', one of fve .thrones/ of authority in Sikhism where Sikh leaders made deisions related to faith and (ratie. 6very day Guru Granth is trans(orted, high above the head on a (alanOuin, bak and forth between 2he Golden 2em(le and =kal 2akht. 2he Granth is arried from the Golden 2em(le to =kal 2akht around ten o-lok in the evening and, then, arried bak to the Golden 2em(le around fve o-lok in the morning.