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A
Akal
eternal
Akal
Purakh "The Being Beyond
Time", a name for God
Akal
Takht "Eternal Throne",
the seat of temporal authority
in the holy city of
Amritsar.
The building, which is located
in the
Golden
Temple complex, was severely
damaged in the Indian
army attack
in 1984.
Amrit
Nectar Water mixed with
sugar and stirred with a sword
while prayers are being said.
It is used to initiate new members
into the Khalsa.
Amritsar
"Pool of Nectar" - the holy
city of the Sikhs, where the
Golden
Temple is located.
Anandpur Sahib the town
in Punjab
where the
Khalsa was founded.
B
Baptism a misleading term
borrowed from Christianity which
is sometimes used to describe
initiation into the
Khalsa.
Bole
So Nihaal Sat Sri Akal
a spiritually uplifting cry
and response often heard at
Sikh gatherings.
Literally translated, it means,
"He will be spiritually uplifted
who says - God's truth is eternal."
C
Chief
Jathedar the highest-ranking
decision-maker at the
Akal Takhat,
whose religious rulings are
seen as binding for
Sikhs worldwide.
E
Ek Onkaar
"There is only one God and Creator"
- first line of
Guru Nanak's
Mool
Mantra which is recited
by every Khalsa
Sikh each
morning and has been called
the creed of the
Sikhs.
G
Gtka
the Sikh
martial arts form
Golden
Temple holiest shrine
of the Sikhs,
located in
Amritsar.
Sikhs call
it the Harimandir Sahib.
Gora
Sikhs white converts
to the Sikh
faith
Granth
short for
Guru Granth Sahib Ji
Granthi the keeper and
the reader of the Sikh scripture.
The Granthi, who may be of either
gender, performs the reading
of the Guru Granth Sahib at
religious occasions. The Granthi
also performs the morning rites
(prakash of Guru Granth Sahib),
reading the paath and
sukhasan.
Gurudwara
a Sikh place
of worship
Gurbani
hymn
Gurmukhi
the script used to write Punjabi
Guru
a spiritual teacher. The
Sikhs had
10 living Gurus, the last of
whom,
Guru Gobind Singh Ji, transferred
the Guruship to the holy scriptures
and the community. The scriptures
are therefore also referred
to as the Guru.
Guru Arjan Dev Ji the
fifth Guru
of the Sikhs
and their first martyr. It was
on his martyrdom day in June
1984 that the Indian army
attacked
the
Golden Temple.
Guru Granth Sahib Ji
the Sikh
holy scriptures, which contain
poetry by the
Sikh Gurus
as well as Hindus and Muslims.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji
the 10th and last living
Guru of
the Sikhs who founded the
Khalsa
in 1699. An eminent linguist,
poet and scholar, he decreed
that there should be no further
living gurus after him. He died
in 1708.
Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji
the 6th Guru
of the Sikhs. Following the
martyrdom of his father,
Guru Arjan
Dev Ji, he was the first
Guru to maintain a standing
army and symbolically wear two
swords, representing spiritual
and temporal power.
Guru
Har Krishan Ji the 8th
Guru of the Sikhs, who was only
5 years old when he became Guru
in 1661 and died three years
later.
Guru
Nanak Dev Ji the founder
of the Sikh faith. Born in 1469,
he began his mission by proclaiming
that there is "neither Hindu
nor Muslim," meaning that God
is not interested in outward
religious distinctions. He preached
against caste and advocated
the equality of women.
Guru
Teg Bahadur Ji the 9th
Guru of the Sikhs, who was killed
by the Mugal rulers in 1675
for defending Hindus facing
forcible conversion to Islam.
H
Harimandir Sahib - holiest
shrine of the
Sikhs, located
in Amritsar.
Sikhs also
call it the Golden Temple.
J
Japji
Sahib a prayer by
Guru Nanak
Dev Ji which marks the beginning
of each day for every
Khalsa
Sikh.
Jatt
land-owning farmer, one of
Punjab's
occupational caste groups.
K
5 Ks ( Panj
Kakaar ) are five religious
symbols worn by every
Khalsa
Sikh. These symbols all begin
with the letter K. (Kaccha,
Kanga,
Kara,
Kesh,
Kirpan)
Kaccha
is a short baggy undergarment.
A practical item of clothing,
it also signifies sexual restraint.
Kanga,
a comb is used to keep the uncut
hair tidy, but also symbolizes
disciplined living.
Kara
a steel bangle protected the
wrist in battle symbolizes God's
strength and infinity. It is
usually worn on the right hand,
the hand of action, as a reminder
of the Khalsa
commitment.
Kesh,
uncut hair signifies acceptance
of the natural form God gave
the wearer, but also makes Sikhs
(particularly men, who would
cover it with a
turban)
stand out in a crowd.
Kirpan
is a short sword. This symbol
highlights the fact that
Khalsa
Sikhs should be prepared to
defend the oppressed.
Kaur
Princess the name taken by women
initiated into the
Khalsa.
Khalistan
"Land of the Pure", the independent
Sikh homeland Sikh separatists
are/were aiming to create in
Punjab.
Khalsa
"the Pure". The core community
of committed, initiated men
and women within the wider Sikh
faith. Khalsa Sikhs wear the
5Ks as an outward sign of their
commitment and follow a code
of conduct which amongst other
things bans smoking and requires
daily meditation on certain
prayers. The Khalsa was founded
by
Guru Gobind Singh Ji in
1699 and has greatly influenced
Sikh identity and ethics.
Khanda
(two-edged sword) Khalsa symbol
often seen on Sikh
Gurudwaras,
with a vertical two-edged sword,
two kirpans on each side and
a quoit surrounding it.
Khatri
merchant, one of Punjab's occupational
caste groups
L
Langar
the free community meal served
at Sikh
Gurudwara for all takers
regardless of caste or creed.
A potent symbol of the social
equality taught by the Sikh
Gurus. masands administrators
used by the earlier Sikh Gurus.
Many were corrupt, and
Guru Gobind Singh Ji
disbanded them after the foundation
of the Khalsa.
M
Mool mantra
A short verse written by
Guru Nanak
Dev Ji which contains essential
teachings about the nature of
God and has been referred to
as the creed of the Sikhs. It
appears at the beginning of
the
Guru Granth Sahib.
Ek onkar satnam karta purukh,
nirbhau, nirvair, akal murat,
ajuni, saibhung, Gurprasad.
It can be paraphrased, but is
believed to be beyond translation.
"One true and universal creator,
all powerful, without fear and
without hatred. God is eternal
and infinite. Self existent
and known only by grace."
N
Namdhari
Sikhs A reform group
which developed in the 19th
century. As Namdharis have a
living Guru, many mainstream
Sikhs do not accept them as
Sikhs.
Nam
simran the devotional
practice of meditating on the
Divine Name; being conscious
of, and attentive to, God.
Nihangs
Sikh warriors who are often
heavily armed and wear elaborate
turbans. They see themselves
in the tradition of Guru Gobind
Singh's Khalsa army. Many lead
a semi-nomadic lifestyle.
O
Operation
Blue Star
the Indian army attack on the
Golden Temple in Amritsar in
June 1984.
P
Panj Piare
"Five Beloved Ones", originally
the five men who volunteered
to give their lives when the
Khalsa was founded. Nowadays,
five people symbolizing the
panj piare officiate at Khalsa
initiation ceremonies and on
other occasions, such as Vaisakhi
celebrations.
Panth
the Sikh community as a whole.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji passed
on the guruship to the holy
scriptures and the Khalsa Panth,
meaning all Khalsa Sikhs.
Punjab
region in South Asia which today
straddles India and Pakistan.
Birthplace of the Sikh faith.
Punjabi - Punjabi language
is the mother tongue of Sikh
religion.
R
Raag
a musical form used in Sikh
worship
Rahit
Nama the Khalsa code
of conduct Saint Soldiers With
the foundation of the Khalsa,
Guru Gobind Singh instructed
all initiates to be saint soldiers
- devoutly following the teachings
of the 10 Gurus while being
prepared to take up arms for
the oppressed as a last resort.
S
Sat Nam
"Your Name is Truth",
an expression which is part
of Guru Nanak's Mul mantra and
often appears in Sikh chants.
Sat Sri Akal
Sewa
community service
Shabad
hymn
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee abb.
SGPC.
A powerful religious committee
in Amritsar which administers
the historic gurdwaras in Punjab
and appoints the chief jathedar.
It also propagates the Sikh
faith.
Sikh
a learner or seeker; has come
to denote a follower of the
Sikh faith, who believes in
the 10 Gurus and the Guru Granth
Sahib and follows no other religion.
Singh
- Lion. The surname all male
initiates into the Khalsa are
encouraged to take.
T
Tera
the number 13 in Punjabi. Sounds
like "I am yours", which induced
Guru Nanak Dev Ji to drop into
meditation over his accountancy.
Turban
not one of the 5Ks, but an additional
symbol worn by male initiates
into the Khalsa as well as many
non-initiated male Sikhs who
grow their hair long in the
Khalsa tradition.
V
Vaisakhi
the Spring harvest festival
in Punjab. The Khalsa was founded
on Vaisakhi day 1699. Today
Vaisakhi is the time of year
when Sikhs remember the foundation
of the Khalsa with services
at their gurudwaras and, in
some places, colourful processions.
W
Waheguru
"Glorious Lord", a way of addressing
God
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