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93-1375: Some epochs and cultures have had very elaborate greeting rituals, e.g. greeting a sovereign. Conversely, secret societies have often furtive or arcane greeting gestures and rituals, such as a secret handshake , which allows members to recognize each other. In some languages and cultures, the same word or gesture is used as both greeting and farewell . Examples are "Good day" in English, "Drud" in Persian , " Sat Shri Akaal " in Punjabi , " As-salamu alaykum " in Arabic , " Aloha " in Hawaiian , " Shalom " in Hebrew , " Namaste " in Hindi , "Ayubowan" in Sri Lanka "Sawatdi" in Thai and " Ciao " in Italian . The bow and handshake are also used for both greeting and leave-taking. A greeting can consist of an exchange of formal expression, kisses, handshakes, hugs, and various gestures. The form of greeting

186-565: A Catholic (or Christian or "white") form of Freemasonry . Other critics label Opus Dei as "Holy Mafia" or "Santa Mafia" The National Christian Association (1868–1983) is an example of an organization opposed to secret societies. Because some secret societies have political aims, they are illegal in several countries. Italy ( Constitution of Italy, Section 2, Articles 13–28 ) and Poland, for example, ban secret political parties and political organizations in their constitutions. Many student societies established on university campuses in

279-625: A clear definition of Sikh identity and tried to purify Sikh belief and practice. The later years of British colonial rule saw the emergence of the Akali movement to bring reform in the gurdwaras during the early 1920s. The movement led to the introduction of Sikh Gurdwara Bill in 1925, which placed all the historical Sikh shrines in India under the control of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee . At

372-758: A greeting and in Mexico and Belgium only one kiss is necessary. In the Galapagos women kiss on the right cheek only and in Oman, it is not unusual for men to kiss one another on the nose after a handshake. French culture accepts a number of ways to greet depending on the region. Two kisses are most common throughout all of France but in Provence three kisses are given and in Nantes four are exchanged. However, in Finistère at

465-401: A hug is expected. However, crossing arms can be interpreted as a sign of hostility. The facial expression, body language, and eye contact reflect emotions and interest level. A frown, slouching and lowered eye contact suggests disinterest, while smiling and an exuberant attitude is a sign of welcome. Many different gestures are used throughout the world as simple greetings. In Western cultures,

558-711: A major role in Chinese affairs for centuries. They were a key aspect of the Anti-Qing sentiments of the 20th century. After the collapse of the Qing Dynasty, they were tacitly supported by and actively collaborated with the Nationalist government. Having played prominent roles in history, they were targeted by the anti-secret society campaigns of the newly established government of the People's Republic of China during

651-518: A man and woman greeting each other in public will not go further than a handshake. This is due to Moroccan culture being conservative. Verbal greetings in Morocco can go from a basic salaam , to asking about life details to make sure the other person is doing well. In the kingdom of Morocco, the greeting should always be made with the right hand, as the left hand is traditionally considered unclean. The most common Chinese greeting, Gongshou , features

744-623: A man to a woman in the Early Modern Period was to hold the woman's presented hand (usually the right) with his right hand and kiss it while bowing. In cases of a low degree of intimacy, the hand is held but not kissed. The ultra-formal style, with the man's right knee on the floor, is now only used in marriage proposals, as a romantic gesture. Cheek kissing is common in Europe, parts of Canada (Quebec) and Latin America and has become

837-428: A metaphor for submissive behaviour. The Arabic term salaam (literally "peace", from the spoken greeting that accompanies the gesture), refers to the practice of placing the right palm on the heart, before and after a handshake. In Moroccan society, same-sex people do not greet each other the same as do opposite sex. While same-sex people (men or women) will shake hands, kiss on the cheek and even hug multiple times,

930-405: A nation with a huge variety of cultures and religions, many greetings are expressed, from the formalized greeting of the highly stratified and hierarchical Javanese to the more egalitarian and practical greetings of outer islands. Javanese , Batak and other ethnicities currently or formerly involved in the armed forces will salute a government-employed superior, and follow with a deep bow from

1023-447: A public presence. The exact qualifications for labeling a group a secret society are disputed, but definitions generally rely on the degree to which the organization insists on secrecy , and might involve the retention and transmission of secret knowledge, the denial of membership or knowledge of the group, the creation of personal bonds between members of the organization, and the use of secret rites or rituals which solidify members of

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1116-583: A resolution ( gurmattā ) favouring the creation of Khalistan. Subsequently, a number of rebel militant groups in favour of Khalistan waged a major insurgency against the government of India. Indian security forces suppressed the insurgency in the early 1990s, but Sikh political groups such as the Khalsa Raj Party and SAD (A) continued to pursue an independent Khalistan through non-violent means. Pro-Khalistan organisations such as Dal Khalsa (International) are also active outside India, supported by

1209-627: A section of the Sikh diaspora. In the 1990s, the insurgency abated, and the movement failed to reach its objective due to multiple reasons including a heavy police crackdown on separatists, divisions among the Sikhs and loss of support from the Sikh population. However, various pro-Khalistan groups, both political and militant, remain committed to the separatist movement. There are claims of funding from Sikhs outside India to attract young people into militant groups. There have also been multiple claims that

1302-492: A section of the Sikh population, widening the scope of the conflict by the use of violence of the state on its own people. A "state of chaos and repressive police methods" combined to create "a mood of overwhelming anger and resentment in the Sikh masses against the authorities." Leading to Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale gaining prominence and demands of independence gain currency, even amongst moderates and Sikh intellectuals. In 1982 and early 1983, extrajudicial killings by

1395-558: A standard greeting mainly in Southern Europe but also in some Central European countries. While cheek kissing is a common greeting in many cultures, each country has a unique way of kissing. In Russia, Poland, Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Iran and Egypt it is customary to "kiss three times, on alternate cheeks". Italians, Spanish, Hungarian, Romanians, Bosnia-and-Herzegovinans usually kiss twice in

1488-491: A variety of gestures. This basic gesture remained normal in very many situations from the Middle Ages until men typically ceased wearing hats in the mid-20th century. Hat-raising began with an element of recognition of superiority, where only the socially inferior party might perform it, but gradually lost this element; King Louis XIV of France made a point of at least touching his hat to all women he encountered. However,

1581-405: A vertical to the perpendicular prayer-like position in order to barely touch the fingertips of the male greeter and may opt-out of the cheek-to-cheek contact. If the male is an Abdi Dalem royal servant, courtier or particularly "peko-peko" (taken directly from Japanese to mean obsequious) or even a highly formal individual, he will retreat backwards with head downcast, the left arm crossed against

1674-623: Is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar . Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious) and most Sikh artifacts—except for the relics of the Gurus—have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi , which feature marching and displays of valor. Although the art and culture of

1767-742: Is an old Sikh shrine called 'Prachin Guru Nanak Math', which lies at a small hill, just next to Bishnumati bridge at Balaju. Guru Nanak is said to have visited Nepal during his third Udasi while returning from Mount Kailash in Tibet. Nanak is said to have stayed at Balaju and Thapathali in Kathmandu . The Nanak Math shrine at Balaju is managed by the Guru-Ji and the Udasin Akardha, a sect developed by Guru Nanak's son, Sri Chandra. From

1860-401: Is determined by social etiquette, as well as by the relationship of the people. The formal greeting may involve a verbal acknowledgment and sometimes a handshake, but beyond that, facial expression, gestures, body language, and eye contact can all signal what type of greeting is expected. Gestures are the most obvious signal, for instance, greeting someone with open arms is generally a sign that

1953-643: Is highly important and Sikh communities continue to push for census inclusion in many countries where they are still not counted. Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab, which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire . During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from

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2046-495: Is home to the largest national Sikh proportion (2.1 percent of the total population) in the world. A substantial community of Sikhs exist in the western province of British Columbia , numbering nearly 300,000 persons and forming approximately 5.9 percent of the total population. This represents the third-largest Sikh proportion amongst all global administrative divisions , behind only Punjab and Chandigarh in India. Furthermore, British Columbia, Manitoba and Yukon hold

2139-474: Is not a Sikh institution but a Punjabi one"). Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813, the Sikh army occupied Guler State and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With the Sikh kingdom of Lahore becoming the paramount power, some of

2232-596: Is that of The Philomaths , which is now a legitimate academic association founded on a strict selection of its members. While their existence had been speculated for years, Internet-based secret societies first became known to the public in 2012 when Cicada 3301 began recruiting from the public via Internet-based puzzles. The goals of the society remain unknown, but it is believed to be involved in cryptography . The following contemporary and historic secret societies formed in Africa, by country: Secret societies played

2325-751: Is the secret society of the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers . Notable examples in Canada include Episkopon at the University of Toronto 's Trinity College , and the Society of Thoth at the University of British Columbia . Secret societies are disallowed in a few colleges. The Virginia Military Institute has rules that no cadet may join a secret society, and secret societies have been banned at Oberlin College from 1847 to

2418-460: The Akal Takht and Golden Temple , volunteer protestors and even cooks of the temple's langar . The Guru Ram Das Serai and Shiromani Akali Dal offices were also raided and batons used and tear gas and shells were fired to disperse the protestors gathered on the periphery of the temple, damaging the periphery and Sarovar, or pool, of the temple. The government stopped volunteers on the way to

2511-515: The Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection and Seventh-day Adventists . California drought manipulation Sikhs Sikhs (singular Sikh : / s ɪ k / SIK or / s iː k / SEEK ; Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖ , romanized:  sikkh , IPA: [sɪkkʰ] ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism , a religion that originated in the late 15th century in

2604-623: The Anti-Sikh Pogroms . As proponents were able to generate funding from a grieving diaspora. In June 1985, Air India Flight 182 was bombed by Babbar Khalsa , a pro-Khalistani terrorist organization. In January 1986, the Golden Temple was occupied by militants belonging to All India Sikh Students Federation and Damdami Taksal . On January 26, 1986, a gathering known as the Sarbat Khalsa (a de facto parliament) passed

2697-758: The Guru Granth Sahib : One who calls themself a Sikh of the Guru, the True Guru, shall rise in the early morning hours and meditate on the Lord's Name. Upon arising early in the morning, he is to bathe and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar (metaphor for "Naam Jaap"). Following the Instructions of the Guru, he is to chant the Name of the Lord. All sins, misdeeds, and negativity shall be then erased. Then, at

2790-807: The International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders , defines a secret society as an organization that: Historian Richard B. Spence of the University of Idaho offered a similar three-pronged definition: Spence also proposes a sub-category of "Elite Secret Societies" (composed of high-income or socially influential people) and notes that secret societies have a frequent if not universal tendency towards factionalism, infighting, and claiming origins older than can be reliably documented. Spence's definition includes groups traditionally thought of as secret societies ( Freemasons and Rosicrucians ) and other groups not so traditionally classified such as certain organized crime cabals (

2883-511: The Khalsa ' ) in the Punjab state of India to serve as a homeland for Sikhs. The territorial definition of the proposed country Khalistan consists of the Punjab, India and includes Haryana , Himachal Pradesh , Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan . Khalistan movement began as an expatriate venture. In 1971, the first explicit call for Khalistan was made in an advertisement published in

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2976-611: The New York Times by an expat ( Jagjit Singh Chohan ). By proclaiming the formation of Khalistan, he was able to collect millions of dollars from the Sikh diaspora . On April 12, 1980, he declared the formation of the "National Council of Khalistan," at Anandpur Sahib . He declared himself as the President of the council and named Balbir Singh Sandhu as its Secretary General. In May 1980, Chohan traveled to London and announced

3069-850: The Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent , based on the revelation of Guru Nanak . The term Sikh has its origin in the Sanskrit word śiṣya , meaning 'seeker', ' disciple ' or ' student ' . According to Article I of Chapter 1 of the Sikh Rehat Maryada ( ' code of conduct ' ), the definition of Sikh is: Any human being who faithfully believes in Male Sikhs generally have Singh ( ' lion ' ) as their last name, though not all Singhs are necessarily Sikhs; likewise, female Sikhs have Kaur ( ' princess ' ) as their last name. These unique last names were given by

3162-578: The U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an ethnic minority" and believe "that they are more than just a religion." During the Mughal and Afghan persecution of the Sikhs during the 17th and 18th centuries, the latter were concerned with preserving their religion and gave little thought to art and culture. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi , there

3255-452: The ambrosial hours of the morning (three hours before the dawn) before eating. In his 52 Hukams , Guru Gobind Singh orders his followers to arise during Amritvela (about 3 hours before sunrise) and to recite the late evening prayer " Sohila " and the verse "Pavan guru pani pita..." before sleeping. The five Ks ( panj kakaar ) are five articles of faith which all initiated ( Amritdhari ) Sikhs are obliged to wear. The symbols represent

3348-517: The group . Anthropologically and historically, secret societies have been deeply interlinked with the concept of the Männerbund, the all-male "warrior-band" or "warrior-society" of pre-modern cultures (see H. Schurtz, Alterklassen und Männerbünde , Berlin, 1902; A. Van Gennep , The Rites of Passage , Chicago, 1960). A purported "family tree of secret societies" has been proposed, although it may not be comprehensive. Alan Axelrod , author of

3441-416: The handshake is very common, though it has numerous subtle variations in the strength of grip, the vigour of the shake, the dominant position of one hand over the other, and whether or not the left hand is used. Historically, when men normally wore hats out of doors, male greetings to people they knew, and sometimes those they did not, involved touching, raising slightly ("tipping"), or removing their hat in

3534-677: The voicemail system answers the call. Some voicemail systems allow for different greetings to be played to different callers. In rural Burundi , familiar women greet each other in a complex interlocking vocal rhythm called akazehe , regardless of the meeting's contextual occasion or time. Secret society A secret society is an organization about which the activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence agencies or guerrilla warfare insurgencies, that hide their activities and memberships but maintain

3627-731: The 1950s. Examples of Chinese secret societies include: Secret societies in India include: Secret societies in Japan include: Secret societies in Malaysia include: Secret societies in the Philippines include: Secret societies in Australia include: Several secret societies existing across Europe, including: Other organizations are listed by country. Secret societies in Canada that are non-collegiate include: Secret societies in

3720-862: The 19th century. British universities have a long history of secret societies or quasi-secret clubs, such as The Pitt Club at Cambridge University , Bullingdon Club at Oxford University , the Kate Kennedy Club , The Kensington Club and the Praetorian Club at the University of St Andrews , and the 16' Club at St David's College . Another British secret society is the Cambridge Apostles , founded as an essay and debating society in 1820. Not all British universities host solely academic secret societies; both The Night Climbers of Cambridge and The Night Climbers of Oxford require both brains and brawn. In France, Vandermonde

3813-486: The Congress Government arresting as many as 21,000 people. Attempted negotiations with Congress-led the agitation to be adjourned twice, though Jawaharlal Nehru continued to reject the demand. On July 4, 1955, government police forces, led by DIG Ashwini Kumar, forced entry into the Golden Temple premises and heavy-handedly arrested protestors and took them into custody, along with the head granthis of

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3906-588: The Exam Ethics Project lobby group estimated that 115 students and teachers had been killed between 1993 and 2003. The Mandatory Monday Association is thought to operate out of a variety of Australian universities including the Australian Defence Force Academy . The Association has numerous chapters that meet only on Mondays to discuss business and carry out rituals. The only secret society abolished and then legalized

3999-553: The Golden Temple and troops were ordered to flag-march through the bazaars and streets surrounding the site. Over 200 protestors were killed, thousands arrested, and thousands, including women and children, were injured. The Congress government agreed to the Punjab Suba in 1966 after protests and recommendation of the States Reorganisation Commission. The state of East Punjab was later split into

4092-546: The Government of India. While, Green Revolution in Punjab had several positive impacts, the introduction of the mechanised agricultural techniques led to uneven distribution of wealth. The industrial development was not done at the same pace as agricultural development, the Indian government had been reluctant to set up heavy industries in Punjab due to its status as a high-risk border state with Pakistan. The rapid increase in

4185-538: The Grain Roko morcha in order to remove Bhindranwale from the Golden Temple . This subsequently led to Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Her assassination was followed by government-sponsored pogroms against Sikh communities across India and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. These events triggered an Insurgency in Punjab which would consume Punjab until the early 1990s. During

4278-553: The Guru initiated five people from a variety of social backgrounds known as the Panj Piare ( ' beloved five ' ), to form a collective body of initiated Sikhs known as the Khalsa ( ' pure ' ). The early followers of Guru Nanak were Khatris , but later a large number of Jats joined the faith. Khatris and Brahmins opposed "the demand that the Sikhs set aside the distinctive customs of their castes and families, including

4371-545: The Gurus to allow Sikhs to stand out and also as an act of defiance to India's caste system , which the Gurus were always against. Sikhs strongly believe in the idea of sarbat da bhala ( ' welfare of all ' ) and are often seen on the frontline to provide humanitarian aid across the world. Sikhs who have undergone the Amrit Sanchar ( ' initiation by Khanda ' ), an initiation ceremony, are known as Khalsa from

4464-431: The Indian states or union territories of Haryana , where they number around 1.2 million and form 4.9 percent of the population, Rajasthan (872,000 or 1.3 percent of the population), Uttar Pradesh (643,000, 0.3 percent), Delhi (570,000, 3.4 percent), Uttarakhand (236,000, 2.3 percent), Jammu and Kashmir (234,000, 1.9 percent), Chandigarh (138,000, 13.1 percent) and Himachal Pradesh (86,000, 1.2 percent). Canada

4557-440: The Mafia ), religious groups ( Order of Assassins and Thelema ) and political movements ( Bolsheviks and Black Dragon Society ). Historian Jasper Ridley says that Freemasonry is "the world's most powerful secret Society". The organization " Opus Dei " ( Latin for "Work of God") is portrayed as a "secret society" of the Catholic Church . Critics such as the Jesuit Wladimir Ledóchowski sometimes refer to Opus Dei as

4650-463: The Pahari painters from Guler migrated to Lahore for the patronage of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and his Sardars. The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis . The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting. There

4743-400: The Punjabi-speaking areas based on pre-1947 census figures. Moreover, the 1966 reorganization left Sikhs highly dissatisfied, with the capital Chandigarh being made into a shared a union territory and the capital of Punjab and Haryana. In the late 1960s, the Green Revolution in India was first introduced in Punjab as part of a development program issued by international donor agencies and

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4836-433: The Sikh State Resolution in 1946. The Sikhs therefore strongly fought against the partition of Punjab . The months leading up to the 1947 partition of Punjab were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims . This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab to the east (modern India), mirroring a simultaneous religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab to

4929-648: The Sikh diaspora have merged with that of other Indo-immigrant groups into categories like "British Asian," "Indo-Canadian" and "Desi-Culture," a minor cultural phenomenon that can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh ( The Singh Twins ) is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in Punjab. Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi Sikhs have championed these forms of expression worldwide, resulting in Sikh culture becoming linked to Bhangra (although "Bhangra

5022-444: The Sikhs would play a Ranjit nagara ( ' victory drum ' ) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums and the raising of the Nishan Sahib , meant that the Singhs were on their way. The Khalistan movement is a Sikh separatist movement, which seeks to create a separate country called Khalistān ( ' The Land of

5115-542: The United States have been considered secret societies. Perhaps one of the most famous secret collegiate societies is Skull and Bones at Yale University . The influence of undergraduate secret societies at colleges such as Harvard College , Cornell University , Florida State University , Dartmouth College , Emory University , the University of Chicago , the University of Virginia , Georgetown University , New York University , and Wellesley College has been publicly acknowledged, if anonymously and circumspectly, since

5208-408: The United States that are non-collegiate include: The Catholic Church strongly opposed secret societies, especially the Freemasons . It did relent somewhat in the United States and allowed membership in labour unions and the Knights of Columbus , but not the Masons. Some Christian denominations continue to forbid their members from joining secret societies in the 21st century. Others example,

5301-430: The census or official statistics in the following territories: Note: Official statistics do not count unregistered arrivals or those who have not completed the census or surveys. However, they do provide for a much more accurate depiction of Sikh communities as opposed to estimates from various Sikh organisations whose estimates can vary vastly with no statistically valuable source. Thus, official statistics and census data

5394-464: The chest and the right arm hanging down, never showing his side or back to his superior. His head must always be lower than that of his superior. Younger Muslim males and females will clasp their elder's or superior's outstretched hand to the forehead as a sign of respect and obeisance. If a manual worker or a person with obviously dirty hands salute or greets an elder or superior, he will show deference to his superior and avoid contact by bowing, touching

5487-412: The commander-in-chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army in the North-West Frontier , expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass . After the annexation of the Sikh kingdom by the British, the British Army began recruiting significant numbers of Sikhs and Punjabis . During the 1857 Indian mutiny , the Sikhs stayed loyal to the British, resulting in heavy recruitment from Punjab to the British Indian Army for

5580-437: The confluence of invading cultures from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture , which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak 's creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality." The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on

5673-540: The day of Vaisakhi in 1999, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa . Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the anniversary. Likewise, on April 9, 1999, Indian president K. R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa as well. Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of Punjab and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban ( Dastar ). Punjab has been called India's melting pot, due to

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5766-471: The day of their initiation and they must at all times have on their bodies the five Ks : The Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent has been the historic homeland of the Sikhs , having even been ruled by the Sikhs for significant parts of the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, Canada has the largest national Sikh proportion (2.1%) in the world, while the Punjab state in India has the largest Sikh proportion (58%) amongst all administrative divisions in

5859-417: The devolution of power from the Central to state governments. The Anandpur Resolution was rejected by the government as a secessionist document. Thousands of people joined the movement, feeling that it represented a real solution to demands such as a larger share of water for irrigation and the return of Chandigarh to Punjab. After unsuccessful negotiations the Dharam Yuddh Morcha ( ' righteous campaign ' )

5952-452: The distinction of being three of the only four administrative divisions in the world with Sikhism as the second most followed religion among the population. As a religious minority, Sikhs have fought long and hard to get official status and to be counted in many countries across the world. Through the efforts of Sikh organisations and communities in their respective countries, there is now readily available population data on Sikhs as part of

6045-432: The dust of the feet of that GurSikh, who himself chants the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. The Sikh Rahit Maryada (Code of Conduct) clearly states that initiated Amritdhari Khalsa Sikhs must recite or listen to the recitation of Japji Sahib , Jaap Sahib , the 10 Sawayyas , Sodar Rehraas and Sohila . Every Sikh is also supposed take the Hukam (divine order) from the Guru Granth Sahib after awakening in

6138-455: The formation of Khalistan. A similar announcement was made by Balbir Singh Sandhu in Amritsar , where he began releasing stamps and currency of Khalistan. The inaction of the authorities in Amritsar and elsewhere was decried as a political stunt by the Congress(I) party of Indira Gandhi by the Akali Dal, headed by the Sikh leader Harchand Singh Longowal . The movement flourished in the Indian state of Punjab following Operation Blue Star and

6231-443: The founder of Sikhism , was born in a Khatri family to Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta in the village of Talwandi , present-day Nankana Sahib , near Lahore . Throughout his life, Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer. However, Sikh political history may be said to begin in 1606, with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev . Religious practices were formalised by Guru Gobind Singh on March 30, 1699, when

6324-409: The gesture was never used by women, for whom their head-covering included considerations of modesty. When a man was not wearing a hat he might touch his hair to the side of the front of his head to replicate a hat-tipping gesture. This was typically performed by lower classmen to social superiors, such as peasants to the land-owner, and is known as "tugging the forelock", which still sometimes occurs as

6417-416: The hands are placed together palm to palm, approximately at nose level, while bowing. The wai is similar in form to the gesture referred to by the Japanese term gassho by Buddhists. In Thailand, the men and women would usually press two palms together and bow a little while saying "Sawadee ka" (female speaker) or "Sawadee krap" (male speaker). In Europe, the formal style of upper-class greeting used by

6510-399: The higher education opportunities without an adequate rise in the jobs resulted in the increase in the unemployment of educated youth. In 1973 as a result, of unaddressed grievances and increasing inequality the Akali Dal put forward the Anandpur Sahib Resolution . The resolution included both religious and political issues. It asked for recognising Sikhism as a religion, it also demanded

6603-500: The ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on Waheguru and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are: The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments, including the rebab , dilruba , taus , jori and sarinda . Playing the sarangi was encouraged by Guru Hargobind . The rebab was played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were introduced to Sikh devotional music by Guru Arjan . The taus (Persian for "peacock")

6696-588: The movement is motivated and supported by the Pakistan's external intelligence agency, the ISI. Sikhs number about 26–30 million worldwide, of whom 24–28 million live in India, which thus represents around 90 percent of the total Sikh population. About 76 percent of all Indian Sikhs live in the northern Indian state of Punjab , forming a majority of about 58 per cent of the state's population, roughly around 16 million. Substantial communities of Sikhs live in

6789-668: The next 90 years of the British Raj in colonial India . The distinct turban that differentiates a Sikh from other turban wearers is a relic of the rules of the British Indian Army. The British colonial rule saw the emergence of many reform movements in India, including Punjab, such as the formation of the First and Second Singh Sabha in 1873 and 1879 respectively. The Sikh leaders of the Singh Sabha worked to offer

6882-726: The older rituals." Pashaura Singh analyzed references made within the 11th ballad of the Varan of Bhai Gurdas to form a picture of the caste-makeup of the early Sikh community. At the time of the writing the Vaar, the early Sikh community was composed of various castes and backgrounds, such as: The early Sikhs varied widely in their occupations and position in society's hierarchy: some were rich merchants ( Seths and Sarrafs ), others were heads of villages ( Chowdhury ), some were labourers, others were enslaved, whilst others still were artisans, craftsmen, shopkeepers or simple peasants. During

6975-622: The only languages not considered for statehood were Punjabi , Sindhi and Urdu . Leading to the launch of the Punjabi Suba movement and the presentation for a Punjabi Suba as a policy in April 1948 by Master Tara Singh . Also, on January 26, 1950, Sikh representatives refused to sign the Indian constitution. As Sikhs were recognized as Hindus and Sikhs were not provided with scheduled castes concessions given to Hindu scheduled castes. The Punjab Suba experienced heavy government crackdown with

7068-544: The police of orthodox Sikh youth in rural areas in Punjab provoked reprisals. Over 190 Sikhs had been killed in the first 19 months of the protest movement. In May 1984, a Grain Roko morcha was planned and to be initiated on June   3 with protestors practising civil disobedience by refusing to pay land revenue, water or electricity bills and blocking the flow of grain out of Punjab. Indian Prime minister Indira Gandhi launched Operation Blue Star on June   1 prior to

7161-478: The present, and at Princeton University since the beginning of the 20th century. Confraternities in Nigeria are secret-society-like student groups within higher education, some of which have histories of violence and organized crime. The exact death toll from confraternity activities is unclear. One estimate in 2002 was that 250 people had been killed in campus cult-related murders in the previous decade, while

7254-514: The right fist placed in the palm of the left hand and both shaken back and forth two or three times, it may be accompanied by a head nod or bow. The gesture may be used on meeting and parting, and when offering thanks or apologies. In India, it is common to see the Namaste greeting (or "Sat Sri Akal" for Sikhs ) where the palms of the hands are pressed together and held near the heart with the head gently bowed. Among Christians in certain parts of

7347-467: The right forehead in a very quick salute or a distant "slamet" gesture. The traditional Javanese Sungkem involves clasping the palms of both hands together, aligning the thumbs with the nose, turning the head downwards and bowing deeply, bending from the knees. In a royal presence, the one performing sungkem would kneel at the base of the throne. A gesture called a wai is used in Thailand, where

7440-408: The right hand towards the face with palm inwards such that it is in front of the eyes and the fingertips are almost touching the forehead, as the upper torso is bent forward. It is typical for the person to say " adab arz hai ", or just " adab ". It is often answered with the same or the word " Tasleem " is said as an answer or sometimes it is answered with a facial gesture of acceptance. In Indonesia,

7533-452: The rising of the sun, he is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up (meaning at all times), he is to meditate on the Lord's Naam. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food (meaning at all times) and – that GurSikh becomes pleasing to the Guru's Mind. That person, unto whom my Lord and Master is kind and compassionate – upon that GurSikh, the Guru's Teachings are bestowed. Servant Nanak begs for

7626-668: The rule of the Mughal Empire in India, two Sikh gurus were martyred. ( Guru Arjan was martyred on suspicion of helping in betrayal of Mughal Emperor Jahangir and Guru Tegh Bahadur was martyred by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ) As the Sikh faith grew, the Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. After defeating the Afghans and Mughals , sovereign states called Misls were formed under Jassa Singh Ahluwalia . The Confederacy of these states

7719-449: The states of Himachal Pradesh , the new state Haryana and current day Punjab . However, there was a growing alienation between Punjabi Sikh and Hindu populations. The latter of which reported Hindi rather than Punjabi as their primary language. The result was that Punjabi-speaking areas were left out of the new state and given to Haryana and Himachal Pradesh resulting in the state of Punjab to be roughly 35,000 square miles smaller than

7812-721: The time of the Indian independence movement , the Sikh ruler of the Kapurthala State fought to oppose the partition of India and advocated for a united, secular country. Sikh organizations, including the Chief Khalsa Dewan and Shiromani Akali Dal led by Master Tara Singh , condemned the Lahore Resolution and the movement to create Pakistan, viewing it as inviting possible persecution, with Akali Dal instead favouring an undivided Azad Punjab as an independent Sikh State or Khalistan , having passed

7905-403: The waist or short nod of the head and a passing, loose handshake. Hand position is highly important; the superior's hand must be higher than the inferior's. Muslim men will clasp both hands, palms together at the chest and utter the correct Islamic slametan (greeting) phrase, which may be followed by cheek-to-cheek contact, a quick hug or loose handshake. Pious Muslim women rotate their hands from

7998-404: The west (modern Pakistan). Following partition, the Government of India had begun to redraw states corresponding to demographic and linguistic boundaries. However, this was not effective in the northern part of the country, as the government reconsidered redrawing states in the north. While states across the country were extensively redrawn on linguistic lines at the behest of linguistic groups,

8091-565: The western tip of Brittany and Deux-Sèvres in the Poitou-Charentes region, one kiss is preferred. A spoken greeting or verbal greeting is a customary or ritualised word or phrase used to introduce oneself or to greet someone. Greeting habits are highly culture- and situation-specific and may change within a culture depending on social status. In English , some common verbal greetings are: Voicemail greetings are pre-recorded messages that are automatically played to callers when

8184-522: The world such as Poland , the greeting phrase " Praise the Lord " has had common usage, especially in the pre- World War II era. Adab , meaning respect and politeness, is a hand gesture used as a secular greeting in South Asia, especially of Urdu-speaking communities of Uttar Pradesh , Hyderabad , and Bengal in India, as well as among the Muhajir people of Pakistan. The gesture involves raising

8277-641: The world. With 25–30 millions, Sikhs represent less than 0.3% of the total world population in 2021. Many countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, recognize Sikhs as a designated religion on their censuses and, as of 2020, Sikhs are considered as a separate ethnic group in the United States. The UK also considers Sikhs to be an ethno-religious people, as a direct result of the Mandla v Dowell-Lee case in 1982. Guru Nanak (1469–1539),

8370-491: Was a change in the landscape of art and culture in Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting. The Sikh Confederacy was the catalyst for a uniquely Sikh form of expression, with Ranjit Singh commissioning forts, palaces, bungas (residential places) and colleges in a Sikh style. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style

8463-433: Was designed by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds. The dilruba was designed by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib , all of the shabad in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as raags . This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet . When they marched into battle,

8556-563: Was launched on August 4, 1982, by the Akali Dal in partnership with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale , with its stated aim being the fulfillment of a set of devolutionary objectives based on the Anandpur Sahib Resolution . Indian police responded to protestors with high-handed police methods creating state repression affecting a very large segment of Punjab's population. Police brutality resulted in retaliatory violence from

8649-486: Was unified and transformed into the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh . This era was characterised by religious tolerance and pluralism , including Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The empire is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir , Ladakh and Peshawar . Hari Singh Nalwa ,

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