Sikhism
Sikhism was chosen for its positive views on the afterlife and humanity, as well as for the equality of women. It is also nice that they have such a high level of respect for other religions. There are a number of different rituals and practices that are important to the Sikh faith, but before discussing these practices, it is important to understand the Sikh faith as a whole. Sikhism teaches that Kartar created the universe in one command and cares for it. His command set the world into being, and his orders run it (Penney 2001). The most important characteristics of the divine include being beyond gender (though languages sometimes require gendered pronouns), beyond time, and beyond simple understanding. Sikhs are committed monotheists, and for Sikhs, God-- Kartar-- is truth (Penney 2001).
Sikhs believe that human existence is good and a gift from Kartar. Human life ought to be dedicated to realizing Kartar's grace and attaining liberation; the divine is both the nearest thing to humanity, and the farthest, most removed, transcendent creator who sits outside of creation, watching, controlling, and enjoying it (Cole 1994). To Sikhs, human beings are all born good, and as humans grow up, all human beings have to combat all of the bad things around them. The human spirit, to the Sikh, is strong and it should be able to stand up to life’s tough trials (Penney 2001). To the Sikh, there is a lot of evil around, and that evil is very influential. The individual must be able to resist it, and be able to stay pure despite temptations (Penney 2001).
The Importance of Rituals
The actual rituals that Sikhs practice are quite simple; they are precise and practical, much like the core beliefs of the religion as a whole. According to Penney (2001) and Cole (1994), the beliefs are as follows:
- Wake up early in the morning.
- Bathing and cleansing of the body should be performed.
- Cleanse the mind by spending some time meditating on God.
- Engage in family life and address your responsibilities within the family.
- Attend to a work or study routine and earn a living by earnest means.
- Make a significant effort to help the less well off with monetary and/or physical help.
- Exercise one’s responsibilities to the community and take active part in the maintenance and safeguard of the community (Cole 1994).
In addition to the everyday practices that the Sikh have, there are also a number of practices and traditions that are commonly used during the Sikh holidays and festivals. According to Penney (2001), there are no official festivals in Sikhism. However, Sikhs are a very culturally-connected group, and as a result, there are a number of cultural events that link the group together in ways similar to festivals in other religions (Penney 2001). There are some times when Sikhs do get together and honor their martyrs and Gurus, however (Cole 1994).
The Sikh have their own calendar, called the Nanakshahi calendar (Cole 1994). They feature celebrations called Gurpurbs; these are celebrations that are celebrations of the lived of the various Sikh gurus, or teachers (Cole 1994). These celebrations are similar to Saints days in the Christian calendar; they are celebrations of the lives and the teachings of the Gurus of the Sikh faith (Cole 1994). Because of the nature of Sikhism, there are not as many religious traditions that surround these festivals; however, there are some cultural traditions that go along with these festivals that center around Punjab culture (Penney 2001).
Another common festival or celebration in Sikhism is a festival in which Sikhs form a procession; they walk through a community, singing hymns and carrying the scripture on a float or a pedestal (Cole 1994). These processions can take place at any time, but they commonly take place during March. These customs are meant to show religious fealty, but they are also designed to bond the community together (Cole 1994). Children who are born into the Sikh faith are often baptized in a special Sikh ceremony (Kalsi 2005). In addition, marriage and funeral rites are also performed by the Guru or someone considered to be favored by the Guru in the Sikh faith (Kalsi 2005).
Rituals and Practices in the Social Environment
Rituals do not hold as much importance for those of the Sikh faith as they do for those of other faiths-- there are significantly fewer daily rituals, and the large festivals are also significantly fewer for the Sikh faith than, for example, the Catholic faith (Kalsi 2005). However, religious rites and practices are very important for the Sikh in terms of building community; as a relatively small religious minority, they must maintain their community through shared religious experience.
One ritual that is commonly associated with Sikh men is the fact that many Sikh men wear a turban. Sikh men are forbidden by their religion from cutting their hair; the distinctive turban makes them very apparent in a society that does not experience too many practitioners of the Sikh faith. In fact, to be a good Sikh, one’s hair cannot be cut; even the United States military has made exceptions to its rules regarding hygiene to ensure that practitioners of the Sikh faith are not discriminated against in the military.
References
Cole, W. (1994). Sikhism. Lincolnwood, Ill.: NTC Pub. Group.
Guerreiro, A. (1995). Cosmology, Rituals and Society: Preliminary Observations on the Religious Creeds and Practices in Iriomoté Jima. Cahiers D'extrême-Asie, 8(1), 291-323. doi:10.3406/asie.1995.1098
Kalsi, S. (2005). Sikhism. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.
Penney, S. (2001). Sikhism. Chicago, Ill.: Heinemann Library.
Singh, S. (2012). Sikhism: An introduction. Sikh Formations, 8(2), 253-255. doi:10.1080/17448727.2012.720475
