Facts about Sikhism
- 09
Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru, was executed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1675 for refusing to convert to Islam, becoming a martyr who defended religious freedom across all faiths.
- 08
Guru Hargobind Singh, the sixth Guru, wore two swords representing spiritual and temporal authority and fought numerous battles against Mughal forces during the 1620s-1640s to protect Sikh religious freedom.
- 07
Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi annually on April 13 or 14 to commemorate the spring harvest and the founding of the Khalsa, making it one of the most important festivals in the Sikh calendar.
- 06
Five Ks—kesh, kara, kanga, kaccha, and kirpan—form the five articles of faith that initiated Sikhs wear to demonstrate their commitment and identity within the religion.
- 05
Harmandir Sahib, Sikhism's holiest gurdwara completed in 1601 in Amritsar, stands partially underground to symbolize humility and features a gold-plated dome added in the 1800s.
- 04
About 30 million Sikhs worldwide maintain uncut hair and wear turbans as articles of faith, following the Rehat Maryada code of conduct established in 1945.
- 03
Guru Nanak, Sikhism's founder, established the first langar community kitchen in the late 1400s to serve free meals to all visitors regardless of caste or religion.
- 02
In 1604, Guru Arjan Dev compiled the Adi Granth, Sikhism's holiest scripture, containing 1,430 pages of hymns and teachings from six Gurus and 36 Hindu and Muslim saints.
- 01
The Khalsa, Sikhism's order of initiated warriors, was formally established by Guru Gobind Singh on March 30, 1699, at Baisakhi in Anandpur Sahib.