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49-586: In Sikhism , Chardi Kala ( Gurmukhi : ਚੜ੍ਹਦੀ ਕਲਾ caṛhadī kalā ) or Charhdi Kala , is the Punjabi term for aspiring to maintain a mental state of eternal resilience, optimism and joy ; an acceptance that life ebbs and flows with hardship and to rise above that adversity. Sikhs are ideally expected to be in this positive state of mind as a sign of their contentment with the will of God ( bhana ), even during times of suffering. Chardi Kala can be translated as "positive attitude" or "ascending energy". It

98-596: A metaphysical soteriology such as a state of "heaven" or "nirvana." Nevertheless, in Sikhism, both karma and liberation are "modified by the concept of God's grace" ( nadar, mehar, kirpa, karam , etc.). Guru Nanak states that "the body takes birth because of karma, but salvation is attained through grace." To get closer to God, Sikhs: avoid the evils of maya ; keep the everlasting truth in mind; practice shabad kirtan (musical recitation of hymns); meditate on naam ; and serve humanity. Sikhs believe that being in

147-539: A Sikh gurdwara . However, most Sikh gurdwaras forbid aarti during their Bhakti practices. Five Ks The Five Ks are not just symbols, but articles of faith that collectively form the external identity and the Khalsa devotee's commitment to the Sikh rehni, 'Sikh way of life'. A Sikh who has taken Amrit and keeps all five Ks is known as Khalsa ('pure') or Amritdhari Sikh ('Amrit Sanskar participant'), while

196-460: A Sikh should perform constant Bhakti. Some scholars call Sikhism a Bhakti sect of Indian traditions, adding that it emphasises " nirguni Bhakti ", i.e. loving devotion to a divine without qualities or physical form. While Western scholarship generally places Sikhism as arising primarily within a Hindu Bhakti movement milieu while recognizing some Sufi Islamic influences, some Indian Sikh scholars disagree and state that Sikhism transcended

245-496: A Sikh who has not taken Amrit but follows the teachings of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib is called a Sahajdhari Sikh . The kesh, also known as kesa , or uncut, long hair, is considered by Sikhs as an indispensable part of the human body. It also emulates the appearance of Guru Gobind Singh and is one of the primary signs by which a Sikh can be clearly and quickly identified. A Sikh never cuts or trims any hair as

294-457: A doctrine that has been practiced in Sikh religion since the seventeenth century. The doctrine of the "Mir" (social and political aspects of life) and the "Pir" (guides to spiritual aspect of life) was revealed by the first guru of Sikhism, Guru Nanak , but propounded by the sixth guru of Sikhism, Guru Hargobind , on 12 June 1606. After the martyrdom of his father , Guru Hargobind was elevated to

343-435: A means to feel God's presence ( simran ), which can be expressed musically through kirtan or internally through naam japna ( lit.   ' meditation on God's name ' ). Baptised Sikhs are obliged to wear the five Ks , which are five articles of faith which physically distinguish Sikhs from non-Sikhs. Among these include the kesh (uncut hair). Most religious Sikh men thus do not cut their hair but rather wear

392-614: A spiritual union with the Akal , which results in salvation or jivanmukti ('enlightenment/liberation within one's lifetime'), a concept also found in Hinduism . Guru Gobind Singh makes it clear that human birth is obtained with great fortune, and therefore one needs to be able to make the most of this life. Sikhs accept reincarnation and karma concepts found in Buddhism , Hinduism , and Jainism , but do not necessarily infer

441-448: A symbol of respect for the perfection of God's creation. The uncut long hair and the beard , in the case of men, form the main kakār for Sikhs. The turban is a spiritual crown, which is a constant reminder to the Sikh that they are sitting on the throne of consciousness and are committed to living according to Sikh principles. Guru Gobind Singh told his Sikhs: " Khalsa mero roop hai khaas. Khalsa mai ho karo nivaas ... The Khalsa

490-546: A turban . The definition of a Sikh, according to the Rehat Maryada , the Sikh code of conduct, is any human being who faithfully believes in the following: The religion developed and evolved in times of religious persecution , gaining converts from both Hinduism and Islam . The Mughal emperors of India tortured and executed two of the Sikh gurus— Guru Arjan (1563–1605) and Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–1675)—after they refused to convert to Islam . The persecution of

539-422: Is a monotheistic and panentheistic religion. Sikhs believe that there exists only one God and that God is simultaneously within everything and is all-encompassing. The oneness of God is reflected by the phrase Ik Onkar . In Sikhism, the word for God is Waheguru ( lit.   ' wondrous teacher ' ). The Waheguru is considered to be Nirankar ("shapeless"), Akal ("timeless"), Karta Purakh ("

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588-575: Is also called cumberband , belt , waist sash , or waistband . The Kamar kasa is meant to be yellow if wearing a blue chola or blue if wearing a white chola. A hazooria (scarf) is a sign of humility which is grasped during the Ardās . It is a constant reminder of surrendering one's mind to the Guru, along with the five K's. A hazooria is practical: it helps one keep suchamta (cleanliness) during seva (service) or reading Gurbani (hymns). It can help keep

637-400: Is also described as being in "high spirits" or “positive, buoyant and optimistic” attitude to life and to the future. Chardi kala is the state of mind in which a person has no negative emotions like fear , jealousy or enmity . Instead the mind has many positive feelings including joy, satisfaction and self- dignity . Sikhs believe in the will of God ( bhana ). They also believe that God

686-514: Is an Indian religion and philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religions and among the largest in the world with about 25–30   million adherents (known as Sikhs ). Sikhism developed from the spiritual teachings of Guru Nanak (1469–1539), the faith's first guru , and

735-541: Is an important part of Sikh culture. The word is loaned from Persian through Punjabi. In Persian, the word dastār can refer to any kind of turban and replaced the original word for turban, dolband ( دلبند ), from which the English word is derived. Among the Sikhs, the dastār is an article of faith that represents equality, honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety. The Khalsa Sikh men and women, who keep

784-968: Is more loosely rendered 'the one supreme reality', 'the one creator', 'the all-pervading spirit', and other ways of expressing a diffused but unified and singular sense of God and creation. The traditional Mul Mantar goes from ik onkar until Nanak hosee bhee sach. The opening line of the Guru Granth Sahib and each subsequent raga , mentions ik onkar : ੴ ikk ōankār ਸਤਿ sat (i) ਨਾਮੁ nām (u) ਕਰਤਾ karatā ਪੁਰਖੁ purakh (u) ਨਿਰਭਉ nirabha'u ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ niravair (u) ਅਕਾਲ akāl (a) ਮੂਰਤਿ mūrat (i) ਅਜੂਨੀ ajūnī ਸੈਭੰ saibhan ਗੁਰ gur (a) ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ॥ prasād (i) {ੴ} ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ॥ {ikk ōankār} sat (i) nām (u) karatā purakh (u) nirabha'u niravair (u) akāl (a) mūrat (i) ajūnī saibhan gur (a) prasād (i) "There

833-479: Is my image. Within the Khalsa I reside." Wearing a turban declares sovereignty, dedication, self-respect, courage and piety. A noted figure in Sikh history is Bhai Taru Singh , who was martyred when he refused to get his kesh cut. Comb the hair twice a day, covering it with turban that is to be tied from fresh. A kanga is a medium sized wooden comb that Sikhs use twice a day. It is supposed to be worn only in

882-399: Is one supreme being, the eternal reality, the creator, without fear and devoid of enmity, immortal, never incarnated, self-existent, known by grace through the true guru." Māyā , defined as a temporary illusion or " unreality ", is one of the core deviations from the pursuit of God and salvation: where worldly attractions give only illusory temporary satisfaction and pain that distracts from

931-568: Is the Kachhera, you must wear this and hold weapons in hand. The Kachhera is a shalwar - underwear with a tie-knot worn by Baptised Sikhs. Originally, the Kachhera was made part of the five Ks as a symbol of a Sikh soldier's willingness to be ready at a moment's notice for battle or for defence. The confirmed Sikh (one who has taken the Amrit ) wears a Kachhera every day. Some of them go to

980-440: Is traditional dress worn by Sikhs. It is a martial attire which gives freedom of movement to a Sikh warrior. Sikh chola is also unisex attire, and may also be decorated with heavy embroidery all over it. It is meant to be either yellow, white or electric blue with many pockets to hold matchlocks and other weapons. Kamar kasa is a sash bound around the waist to hold weapons an essential part of Nihang (Sikh warrior) dress. It

1029-516: Is without enemies ( nirvair ), and is always merciful. Hence, humans should accept his will even at times one suffers severe hardship and strive to work through it, to the betterment of others. Thus, chardi kala is the indicator of a Sikh's absolute faith in the Akal Purakh (The Timeless God). This attitude allows one to face the hardships with as little harm as possible. This also involves joining and helping others in their hour of need. In 2021,

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1078-575: The dhoti . The Kachhera symbolizes self-respect, and always reminds the wearer of mental control over lust, one of the Five Evils in Sikh philosophy. Kachhera follow a generally practical and roomy design. It features an embedded string that circles the waist which can be tightened or loosened as desired, and then knotted securely. The Kachhera can be classed between underwear and an outer garment, as in appearance it does not reveal private anatomy, and looks and wears like shorts. As with all of

1127-667: The Five Ks, there is equality between men and women, and so women are also expected to wear it. Considering the hot climate in India, the Kachhera is often worn by men as an outer garment, keeping the wearer cool and being practical in manual work such as farming, but it is generally not considered respectful for women to wear the Kacchera as an outer garment (on its own) as it is considered too revealing. ਸ਼ਸਤਰ ਹੀਨ ਕਬਹੂ ਨਹਿ ਹੋਈ, ਰਿਹਤਵੰਤ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਸੋਈ ॥Those who never depart their arms, they are

1176-472: The Five Ks, wear the turban to cover their long, uncut hair ( kesh ). The Sikhs regard the dastār as an important part of the unique Sikh identity. After the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur , was sentenced to death by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb , Guru Gobind Singh , the tenth Sikh Guru created the Khalsa and gave five articles of faith, one of which is unshorn hair, which the dastār covers. Sikh chola

1225-490: The Guru's teaching remembrance of nām (the divine Name of the Lord) leads to the end of egotism. Guru Nanak designated the word Guru ('teacher') to mean the voice of "the spirit": the source of knowledge and the guide to salvation. As ik onkar is universally immanent , Guru is indistinguishable from Akal and are one and the same. One connects with Guru only with accumulation of selfless search of truth. Ultimately

1274-530: The Guru's time, some holy men let their hair become tangled and dirty. The Guru said that this was not right; that hair should be allowed to grow but it should be kept clean and combed at least twice a day. The Sikhs were commanded by Guru Gobind Singh at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar in 1699 to wear an iron bracelet called a Kara at all times. The kara is a constant reminder that whatever a person does with their hands has to be in keeping with

1323-530: The Guruship and fulfilled the prophecy that was given by the primal figure of Sikh, Baba Buddha , that the guru will possess spiritual and temporal power. Guru Hargobind introduced the two swords of Miri and Piri symbolizing both worldly (social and political) and spiritual authority. The two kirpan of Miri and Piri are tied together with a khanda in center, so the combination of both is considered supreme. This means that all action informed or arising out of

1372-413: The Khalsa with excellent rehats . The kirpan is a dagger which symbolises a Sikh's duty to come to the defence of those in peril. All Sikhs should wear the kirpan on their body at all times as a defensive side-arm, just as a police officer is expected to wear a side-arm when on duty. Its use is only allowed in the act of self-defense and the protection of others. It stands for bravery and protecting

1421-492: The Punjabi poet and singer Bir Singh launched a song called Charhdikala, which celebrates the resilience and strength of the farmers during the 2020-2021 protests . Sikhism Sikhism ( / ˈ s iː k ɪ z əm / SEEK -iz-əm ), also known as Sikhi ( Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖੀ Sikkhī , [ˈsɪk.kʰiː] , from Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖ , romanized:  Sikh , lit.   'disciple'),

1470-572: The Sikhs triggered the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 as an order to protect the freedom of conscience and religion , with members expressing the qualities of a sant-sipāhī ("saint-soldier"). The majority of Sikh scriptures were originally written in the alphabet of Gurmukhī , a script standardised by Guru Angad out of Laṇḍā scripts historically used in present-day Pakistan and North India . Adherents of Sikhism are known as Sikhs , meaning "students" or "disciples" of

1519-469: The advice given by the Guru. The kara is an iron/steel circle to symbolise God as never-ending. It is a symbol of permanent bonding to the community, of being a link in the chain of Khalsa Sikhs (the word for link is Ka ri ). The kara should be of a cheap metal, such as iron or steel, to show equality and so that nobody can be shown as more important than anybody else with the material of their kara. ਸੀਲ ਜਤ ਕੀ ਕਛ ਪਹਿਰਿ ਪਕਿੜਓ ਹਿਥਆਰਾ ॥ The sign of true chastity

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1568-400: The company of the satsang (association with sat , 'true', people) or sadh sangat is one of the key ways to achieve liberation from the cycles of reincarnation. The Sikh community may be seen to correspond to A.D. Smith's definition of a politicized community, sharing common ancestry myths and historical memories of martyrdom and persecution under successive rulers. Miri Piri is

1617-408: The congruence between spiritual development and everyday moral conduct. Its founder, Guru Nanak, summarized this perspective as: "Truth is the highest virtue, but higher still is truthful living." Sikhism lays emphasis on Ėk nūr te sab jag upjiā , 'From the one light, the entire universe welled up.' Guru Nanak also emphasized his teachings to his disciples by giving them real-life examples. Sikhism

1666-413: The creator being "), Akaal Purkh ("beyond time and death") and Agam Agochar (" incomprehensible and invisible"). In a literal sense, God has no gender in Sikhism, but, metaphorically, God is presented as masculine and God's power as feminine. For example, Guru Gobind Singh refers to God as his father, and God's creative power as his mother. Similarly, another example is that the Guru Granth Sahib ,

1715-559: The environment it emerged from. The basis of the latter analysis is that Bhakti traditions did not clearly disassociate from Vedic texts and their cosmologies and metaphysical worldview, while the Sikh tradition clearly did disassociate from the Vedic tradition. Some Sikh sects outside the Punjab region of India, such as those found in Maharashtra and Bihar , practice aarti (the ceremonial use of lamps) during Bhakti observances in

1764-472: The exonym term Sikhism as they claim the word was coined by the British colonists rather than by Sikhs themselves, and they instead prefer the endonym Sikhi . They argue that an "-ism" connotes a fixed and immutable worldview which is not congruent with the internally fluid nature of the Sikh philosophy. The basis of Sikhism lies in the teachings of Guru Nanak and his successors. Sikh ethics emphasize

1813-422: The extent of wearing a Kachhera while bathing, to be ready at a moment's notice, changing into the new one a single leg at a time, so as to have no moment where they are unprepared. Further, this garment allowed the Sikh soldier to operate in combat freely and without any hindrance or restriction, because it was easy to fabricate, maintain, wash and carry compared to other traditional undergarments of that era, like

1862-403: The guru. The English word Sikhism derives from the Punjabi word for the religion Sikhi ( Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖੀ Sikkhī , [ˈsɪk.kʰiː] , from Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖ , romanized:  Sikh , lit.   'disciple'), which connotes the "temporal path of learning" and is rooted in the verb sikhana ( lit.   ' to learn ' ). Some Sikhs oppose

1911-448: The hair and at all times. Combs help to clean and remove tangles from the hair, and is a symbol of cleanliness. Combing their hair reminds Sikhs that their lives should be tidy and organized. The comb keeps the hair tidy, a symbol of not just accepting what God has given, but also an injunction to maintain it with grace. The Guru Granth Sahib said hair should be allowed to grow naturally; this precludes any shaving for both men and women. In

1960-535: The name of the one creator ( Ik Onkar ), the divine unity and equality of all humankind, engaging in selfless service to others ( sevā ), striving for justice for the benefit and prosperity of all ( sarbat da bhala ), and honest conduct and livelihood. Following this standard, Sikhism rejects claims that any particular religious tradition has a monopoly on absolute truth. As a consequence, Sikhs do not actively proselytize, although voluntary converts are generally accepted. Sikhism emphasizes meditation and remembrance as

2009-523: The nine Sikh gurus who succeeded him. The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), named the Guru Granth Sahib , which is the central religious scripture in Sikhism, as his successor. This brought the line of human gurus to a close. Sikhs regard the Guru Granth Sahib as the 11th and eternally living guru. The core beliefs and practices of Sikhism, articulated in the Guru Granth Sahib and other Sikh scriptures, include faith and meditation in

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2058-519: The police, summoning help, or defending those who cannot defend themselves, even if that means putting oneself in harm's way. The Five Ks are the bare minimum and are not the full extent of Khalsa uniform; the Panj Kapde is also part of Khalsa uniform. It is part of the tradition of panj kapar e (five garments), comprising dastaar (turban), hazooria (long white scarf worn around the neck), long chola (dress), kamar-kasaa (material tied around

2107-425: The primary Sikh scripture, says that all humans are soul-brides who long to unite with their husband Lord. In addition, the gurus also wrote in the Guru Granth Sahib that there are many worlds on which the transcendental God has created life. The Sikh scripture begins with God as Ik Onkar ( ੴ ), the 'One Creator', understood in the Sikh tradition as monotheistic unity of God. Ik onkar (sometimes capitalized)

2156-413: The process of the devotion of God. However, Nanak emphasized māyā as not a reference to the unreality of the world, but of its values. In Sikhism, the influences of ego , anger , greed , attachment , and lust , known as the pānj chor (' Five Thieves '), are believed to be particularly distracting and hurtful. Sikhs believe the world is currently in a state of Kali Yuga ('age of darkness') because

2205-476: The seeker realises that it is the consciousness within the body which is the seeker/follower of the Word that is the true Guru . The human body is just a means to achieve the reunion with Truth. Once truth starts to shine in a person's heart, the essence of current and past holy books of all religions is understood by the person. Guru Nanak's teachings are founded not on a final destination of heaven or hell, but on

2254-496: The spiritual heart completes one's purpose and meaning in the world of action: spirituality . Guru Nanak , the first Sikh guru and the founder of Sikhism, was a Bhakti saint. He taught that the most important form of worship is Bhakti (devotion to Waheguru ). Guru Arjan , in the Sukhmani Sahib , recommended the true religion as one of loving devotion to God. The Guru Granth Sahib includes suggestions on how

2303-403: The waist like a belt) and kacchera (under-garment). Reference to this has been made by Varan Bhai Gurdas as well. The dastaar and kachera are mandatory for Sikhs although more spiritual Sikhs also have the other kapde . A dastār ( Punjabi : ਦਸਤਾਰ , from Persian : دستار ) which derives from dast-e-yār or 'the hand of God', is an item of headwear associated with Sikhism , and

2352-417: The weak and innocent. The kirpan is kept sharp and is actually used to defend others, such as those who are oppressed by harsh rulers, or a person who is being robbed, raped, or beaten. The true Sikh cannot turn a blind eye to such evils, thinking that they are "someone else's concern." It is the duty of the true Sikh to help those who suffer unjustly, by whatever means available, whether that means alerting

2401-406: The world is led astray by the love of and attachment to māyā . The fate of people vulnerable to the five thieves is separation from God, and the situation may be remedied only after intensive and relentless devotion. According to Guru Nanak, the supreme purpose of human life is to reconnect with Akal ('The Timeless One'). However, egotism is the biggest barrier in making this connection. Using

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