The Rise of Sikhism in India - Essay Example

The Rise of Sikhism in India Introduction Sikhism is one of the dominant religions in Punjab regions of India and was introduced in the 15th century by the guru Nanak, spreading to other parts of the country in the subsequent years. According to available theological information, Sikhism is considered as the fifth largest religion across the globe and the most dominant in the state of Punjab in India. This paper will discuss the rise of the Sikh religion in Punjab and other parts of India and interrogate the factors that led to its rapid growth and emergence despite the presence of other stronger religions in the country1. History of Sikhism The foundation of the Sikh religion was based on the existence of the ten gurus, starting with the pioneer guru who was the founder and the overall seer of the religion. Guru Nanak was born in the mid-15th century in a village close to the present day Pakistan in a predominantly Hindu family. His fascination with religion and the development of a spiritual personality pushed him out of his ancestral village to the areas of Punjab where he established his family. Though established by an individual from with a Hindu religion roots, Sikhism lacked any connection with the Hindu religion and culture and was developed solely by guru Nanak and led by other ten gurus after the death of the founder2. During the founding years of the religion, Nanak used the message of collectivism and unity to bring his believers together and strengthen his religion by attracting more followers. ‘Ek Ong kar’, we are one and we were all created by one merciful creator’ was one of the common messages that the founder used to attract his followers and ensure the development of unity of purpose among the people3. The followers of the religion were known as the Sikhs and were strictly taught to worship none other than God the almighty who is the creator of heaven and earth. They would also bow to the Gurus because they were believed to have direct contact with God and to also live in the light if His ways. As a result, the gurus were believed to have the power to lead the people from the dark ways into the ways of the God. The establishment of the Sikh religion as it is known today did not occur without enduring suffering, threats, intimidation and execution of the followers. It is believed that the initial founders of the cult and some gurus were executed in an attempt to curtail the spread of the cult to other parts of India, a move that was viewed to threaten the dominance of the Hindu religion. However, the British colonial rule in India revered the Sikhs and incorporated them into the colonial army due to their martial abilities4. This enabled the British to use them in the suppression and the defeat of the resistance during the Indian mutiny which was meant to eliminate the British rule from the country. The Sikhs were therefore incorporated into the colonial army after the resistance was suppressed majorly as a result of their loyalty and their martial abilities. The Sikhs would also participate in the world wars after demonstrating their abilities to fight and bravely engage the enemy without fear5. The current state of Sikhism The growth of the Sikhism cult and the emergence of modern religious groupings has affected the position of the religion in India and reduced its previous dominance in Punjab and other parts of the country. Today, 2% of the Indian population belongs to the Sikh sect but the religion has spread beyond the boundaries of the country to other parts of the world dominated with indigenous Indian population. The identity of the Sikh believers is common due to the traditional hairstyle of men and their long beards and moustaches. The hair of the men is however not visible in public as it is gather in a white turban, one of the dominant and identical feature of the Sikhs6. The development of the Sikh religion led to the abolition of some of the Indian traditional practices that were perfected by the Hindu religion. As a result, the sect does not follow the caste system and the sati, which led to the burning of the widows once their husbands died. Today, Sikhism has grown to become a religion in which each and every member, male or female, has equal rights and this does not depend on their class, color or even race. The cult does not practice the pilgrimage and other rituals like human sacrifices as was traditionally done by the Hindu, one of the predominant cultures in the country. To eliminate corruption, a vice that the sect has identified and marked as one of the major vices perpetuated by different individuals, the Sikhs does not have the clergy chapter but is led by the readers and the singers7. To advance its belief and ideology of helping the needy, Sikhism has in the recent past organized and participated in a number of community services aimed at helping the needy in the society. To ensure that the cult caters for the needs of the needy in the society, it developed the Langar in every Gurdwara, a kitchen that is used to serve all members of the society who may lack food. The Sikhs prepare the meals and serve to all the members and non-members present as their sit on the floor with them. This is an indication that the cult has no class and considers themselves equal to the needy in the eyes of their creator, practices that have enticed the religion to people in the country8. The growth of other mainstream and radical religions in India and other parts of the world have threatened the dominance of Sikhism as it has done to other religions in the country and in the globe. Apostasy is attributed to the emerging trends in religion that has watered the belief of people in religion and contributed to their shift to other forms of worship. The future of Sikhism will however be affected most by the apostasy due to the nature of its tradition and the preservation of its 15th century culture and practices in the face of adversity and pressure to changes. Western culture and the modern world have been blamed by the radical changes that have affected the grip of religious groups across the world though the problem may have no direct relation on the advances of civilization. According to the ancient Greece Ciccro, the youths of the country would one day precipitate the country to a downfall as they would not be willing to conform to the tradition and practices that the country and society has been custom to9. This prediction has come to pass in the form of apostasy which has affected the dominance of religion in the world and led to the weakening of its grip on the society. The soul of man has stopped to be guided by the spiritual being and they have continued to be self-seekers who are not satisfied by what they have nor affected by the suffering of others. The Sikh religion cannot thrive is such an environment as it was developed on the belief that all men are equal and must have a compassionate heart for all those who are suffering10. Sikhism and the concept of freewill and karma The development of the karma doctrine was guided by the belief that the intent and actions of a man influence in the long run their future life prospects. An individual who speaks good, hold good intentions and contribute to the hood of the society will enjoy future happiness while those who are bent on doing evil will have eternal suffering and bad karma. Sikhs believed that God was the creator of the first karma and the universe originated from his great deeds. An individual with a frequent good or bad reputation develops a character that is influenced by such actions. This makes a man with bad deeds, bad thoughts and evil intentions to turn out into a wicked person at the end. According to the Sikhism religion, the efforts that an individual puts in changing his actions are necessary in the process of improving their behaviour. The karma of a man is influenced by an individual’s actions and are not premeditated by God or imposed on an individual by the Supreme Being. However, Sikhs believed that this karma is not permanent and can be changed from evil to good through prayer and by the graceful actions of God. Any individual to learn to submit to the wills of God makes a new karma and ends the suffering associated with his evil actions11. Sikhism believes that man is not a helpless being that is controlled as a puppet by some forces, which makes the cult to believe in the power of freewill as compared to fate. Though fate may direct and influence the destiny of a man, Sikhs believe that a man’s life is like a flow of a river which can seek direction by developing internal will and strength to chart its own course. Our present is an opportunity to change the direction of our life and mould the future into what we need it to look like12. Therefore, the Sikhs cult believes that man is an action being with the power and capabilities to overcome obstacles through meditation and freewill. However, the pursuit for shaping the future and developing a stronger being with a brighter future should not be influenced by selfish ends but the service for mankind. Sikhs therefore have a strong belief in the freewill and karma as the determinants of man’s destiny as opposed to a premeditated fate like ending13. Bibliography Brian Keith. The Nation’s Tortured Body: Violence, Representation, and the Formation of a Sikh "Diaspora. Durham: Duke University Press, 2001. Cole, Owen. Sikhism: an introduction. New York: Hodder and Stoughton, 2010. Gill, Sarjit. Malaysian Sikhs and gender issues. Akademika 63(2003), 45-55. Gill, Jagjeet. Exploring issues of identity among Punjabi Sikh youth in Toronto. CERIS working paper 53, 2007. Penney, Sue. Sikhism. Boston: Heinemann-raintree library, 2007. Singh, Khushwant. A history of the Sikhs: 1839-2004. Oxford: oxford university press, 2005. Read More