The term Sikh is believed to have its origins in the Sanskrit language, precisely from two expressions namely, “siksa” or “sisya”. In Sanskrit, the expression “siksa” conventionally means “teaching” while “sisya” refers to a “student” or “disciple”. Researchers have come up with multiple accounts while defining the concept of Sikhism. According to one school of thought, one can only qualify as a Sikh if he adheres to the practice of the ‘panth’ and the ‘granth.’ It emphasises that those who have placed their supreme faith in the knowledge articulated through the spirit of the community or panth and those revealed in the Holy Book or granth can be termed as Sikhs. Interesting observations in this regard have also been provided by umpteen Hindu and Muslim critics who have opined that Sikhism was a product of Hinduism and Islam respectively. Various Western commentators too have suggested Sikhism to be the result of a deliberate attempt to harmonically blend the Islamic tenets and Hinduism. However, the premises of such definitions are highly debatable.

Sikhism can be roughly said to have originated in the second half of the 15th century, with the birth of Guru Nanak in 1469 AD. Much of the information about Nanak is available from the accounts of the Janam-sakhis or hagiographers and his teachings have been compiled in the Granth Sahib or the Adi Granth, the Holy Scripture of the Sikhs. Guru Nanak was succeeded by Guru Angad Dev and this practice continued till the tenth Guru Gobind Singh who pronounced the Guru Granth Sahib as the heir to this illustrious tradition. For the Sikhs, the essence of their religion is primarily monotheistic. The “Granth Sahib” which was compiled by the fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev laid down the tenets in the form of hymnical compositions in the Gurmukhi script. Observations reveal that the Granth Sahib comprises the teachings of the Sikh Gurus as well as those of the “Bhagats” or ascetics from diverse communal backgrounds who preached the tenets of Sikhism. Hence, the sermons of the Gurus in the Adi Granth are known as “Gur-Bani” while the teachings of the Bhagats are compiled as “Bhagat-bani”. The Sikh community practices the “Gurmat” which contains the central principle governing Sikhism i.e. faith in One Supreme Divine Being. The basic philosophy inherent in the Sikh religious faith propounds the presence of an omniscient God who pervades all forms of creation and whose principal intention is to enlighten the human beings with a realization of the purpose of their birth in the universe. The final culmination, according to Sikhism, lies in union with the supreme Divine Being. Sikhism condemned idolatry and hence the Sikhs vouch for the formless deity or the “nirakara”. The Sikh Gurus called for total abolition of ceremonial offerings, rituals and other forms of blind superstition that were common in those days. Every individual was considered to be uniform and equal before the eyes of the God, irrespective of caste and class distinctions. The Sikhs developed a progressive outlook, owing considerably to the Sikh religious faith though it has been observed that the basic tenets of Sikhism had its roots predominantly in the “Nirguna Sampradayya” or the Sant tradition that was practiced in the northern part of India.

It is obvious that the lifestyle of the Sikhs is entirely governed by the beliefs preached by Guru Nanak in his doctrines. According to Nanak, there are three key necessities that govern the daily activity of a Sikh, namely, “Kirat Karni”, “Vand ke Chakkna” and “Naam Japo”. “Kirat Karni” signifies the importance of meticulousness and sincere hard work resisting material temptations (“dhan ki kirat”) in all aspects of life. Nanak propounds that a Sikh must always share his food with other members of his community or renounces a certain portion of his material wealth for the benefit of the needy. This practice is popularly referred to as “Vand Chakko”. The most significant principle is to perform meditation in the name of the “Waheguru” or the Holy Lord. The Sikh’s place of worship is the Gurudwara where the primary duty of the Sikh is to offer “seva”. The ‘Granth Sahib’ also delineates a set of five evils or ‘pancha vikars’ or ‘doshas’ that a Sikh must refrain from. These include Ahankar (pride), Lobh (greediness), Krodh (anger), Kam (desire) and Moh (addiction). On the contrary, there are also the five virtues which according to the Sikh Gurus are essential for attaining salvation or “Mukti”. These principles are “Pyare” (affection and love), “Daya” (kindness), “Santokh” (fulfillment), “Nimrata” (humbleness) and “Sat” (truthfulness).

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru was the founder of the Khalsa system. In 1699, the Khalsa Sikhs or “Amritdharis” were established as a martial force of “saint-soldiers” who had to follow a set of five principles or adhere to the five “K”s. The regulatory codes of the Khalsa Sikhs entailed an obligation to wear the “panj kaakar” or “panj kakke” (five Ks) as part of their daily garb. These are: “Kanga” or comb, “Kara” or iron armlet, “Kes” referring to long uncut tresses, the “Kachha” or a form of breeches and finally the dagger strapped across the body called “Kirpan”. These objects are symbolic of the various ideologies that have been upheld by Sikhism like equality, sincerity, loyalty, fight against oppression and contemplation of the name of God. Contrary to the Amritdharis or Khalsa Sikhs, there are also the “Sahajdharis”. A Sahajdhari Sikh is one who agrees to embrace the principles advocated by Sikhism in their own will. The Sahajdharis enjoy certain relaxations and do not have to rigidly comply with the “panj kakke” rules that are mandatory for the Khalsa Sikhs. The male Khalsa Sikhs have been bestowed the title of “Singh” meaning lion while the women are attributed as “Kaur” meaning “princess”. There are also the Jat Sikhs belonging to the Bajwa, Deol, Dhillon, Mangat, Sindhu and many others who are known for their prowess in agriculture and farming and were christened by the Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. The Khatri Sikhs are famous for their military expertise and includes the Bedi, Sodhi, Bhalla clans. The Kukas or the Namdhari Sikhs worship the tenets of their chieftain Jagjit Singh contrary to the authority of the Guru Granth Sahib. The martial excellence of the Sikhs has been venerated all over the world. A close study of the pages of Indian history reveal the exploits of the Sikhs like Ranjit Singh and in the later years Bhagat Singh who put up a brave front in the face of the severe tyranny unleashed by the British colonisers.

In the realm of art and culture, the Sikhs display a considerable influence of external forms like those of the Mughals, Persians and Greeks. Notable examples of the indigenous Sikh architecture are observable in the gurudwaras which are resplendent with strains of Islamic and Hindu influences. The Sikh festivals are organized according to the Nanakshahi calendar. The most significant of all Sikh festivals are the Baisakhi celebrating the onset of the spring season and Gurupurabs celebrated in honour of the Sikh Gurus. Hola Mohalla and Diwali are also observed by the Sikhs. In India, Punjab is the homeland of the Sikhs while a significant population of Sikh immigrants also inhabit overseas. Since its foundation some five hundred years back, Sikhism has spread its influence all over and is currently recognised as the fifth largest religious faith practiced worldwide.