The Sikhs only worship God. Unlike people of many other religions, they worship God in his true abstract form and don't use pictures or statues to help them.
The Sikh code of conduct has strict rules about how to start the day. For example, a Sikh should say certain prayers in the morning, evening, and before going to bed.
Prayer is time spent with God.Even though the Sikh God is hard to explain, Sikhs pray to God as if he is a person and a friend who cares about them.
Sikhs believe that prayer is a way to spend time with God.For prayer to really work, a person has to try to let go of everything in this world so they can see God.
Going to a Gurdwara
In India, a lot of Sikhs go to a Gurdwara on their way to work. Sikhs don't think of any particular day of the week as a holy day, but most of them go on Sundays because that's when most people work there.
On Gurpurbs, which are festivals that honor the Gurus, most Sikhs go to the Gurdwara.
Gurdwaras are places of worship where people of all faiths are welcome.
Before entering a Gurdwara
Before going into the main hall, everyone who comes to the Gurdwara should take off their shoes and cover their heads. It is against the rules to smoke or bring tobacco into the Gurdwara, and people who are drunk or high are not allowed to go inside.
When Sikhs walk into a Gurdwara, the first thing they do is touch their forehead to the floor and bow to the Guru Granth Sahib. This not only shows that they respect the book, but it also shows that they accept the truths it contains.
People also put food or money in front of the Guru Granth Sahib as an offering. This money is used to run the Gurdwara and the free food kitchen (Langar). The offering is not a donation, but a way to share what God has given us. If someone doesn't have any money or food to give, they can give flowers or just say thank you.
After bowing to the Guru Granth Sahib, a Sikh will speak in a low, quiet voice to the congregation and say: Waheguru ii ka Khalsa, sri Waheguru ji ki fateh.This shows
The Khalsa is loyal to God, and God is the only one who has power.Places to sit in a Gurdwara
At a Gurdwara, everyone sits on the floor. This is done to show respect for the Guru Granth Sahib and so that everyone can sit in the same place. Most people sit with their legs apart. You can't bring cushions or seats.
No one should sit with their feet facing the Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru Granth Sahib and the Gurdwara must be walked around in a clockwise direction.
Most of the time, men and women sit on different sides of the hall.
Holy Food in the Gurdwara
At the end of the service, a sweet vegetarian food called Karah prasad will be served. This is a gift from God and should be taken with cupped hands.
"Takht" or "Takhata" means "throne" or "seat of power" in its original form. It is a direct result of how Sikhism, the main religion in the northern parts of India, has grown over time. But the Sikhs have made a difference not just in India, but all over the world.
There are five Takhts, which are five Gurudwaras that are very important to the Sikh people and are visited as places of religious tourism in India. In the year 1609, Guru Hargobind set up the first and most important one. It is called "Akal Takht," which means "the Throne of the Eternal God," and it is right next to the entrance to Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Harmandir Sahib, or Golden Temple, is about how the Sikhs run their religion deeply. The Akal Takht, on the other hand, is about the law and how people move together.
It is the highest seat of power in the world for the Khalsa, and it is also the highest seat of power in the world for the Sikh religion. Here, the Guru held court and made decisions about things like politics and the military. After that, the Sikh country (Sarbat Khalsa) met here to decide on matters of peace and war and to settle arguments between the different Sikh groups. At this spot, Sarangi singers used to sing songs about the Sikh Gurus and heroes.
In 1609, the 6th Sikh master Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji, with the help of Baba Budha Ji and Bhai Gurdas, set up the most important center of Sikhism. Guru named it Akal Takhat (The Throne of the Almighty). Here is where Guru Hargobind Sahib held court and listened to the problems of the poor. Guru wore two swords of Miri and Piri, the secular imperial robe with a feather on the turban, and told the Sikhs to bring weapons and horses as offerings. He was both a saint and a soldier.
There are traditions at Akal Takhat. For example, the cleric talks about the evening prayer (Rehras Sahib) and Ardas while holding a sword in his hand. During the day, some rare weapons used by Sikh Gurus and fighters are shown on a beautiful cart, and each night, the guests are told about them.
Gurdwara Shri Keshgarh Sahib is also called "Takht Shri Keshgarh Sahib," and it is one of the five most important Sikh institutions in India. It is also the most important Sikh shrine in the city. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji started Chakk Nanaki in 1665. It was the first name of the city.
On March 30, 1689, the first stone of the city was laid. Here, on Baisakhi Day in 1699, when the young Guru called a special meeting for thousands of Sikhs, the Khalsa Panth was born. This was the first time Khande Di Pahul was opened. It's hard to imagine how big the area around Sri Keshgarh Sahib had to be to fit all of the Sikhs who were there on that important day.
Guru Gobind Singh made the updated and official version of the Adi Granth in Damdama Sahib. The Sikhs now honor this book as Guru Granth Sahib, their eternal Guru or spiritual teacher or guide. He added the parts that Guru Teg Bahadur had written to the first form that Guru Arjan Dev had already made. Here, a huge number of new people who believed in joined the Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh spent almost a year at Damdama Sahib.
This Takhat is in Bathinda, which is in the Indian state of Punjab. In 1705, Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, made the Sri Guru Granth Sahib into its full form there. Bhai Mani Singh wrote it down. Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib was the 10th Guru and Guru Gobind Singh's father.
Takht Sri Patna Sahib
The city of Patna, which is also the capital of the state of Bihar, is where Takht Sri Patna Sahib is. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born here in 1666, and he lived here for the first few years of his life before his family moved to Sri Anandpur Sahib. Patna was not only where Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born, but also where Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji and Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji went at different times. Guru Gobind Singh Ji's mother, Mata Gujri Ji, also lived here. In salis rai jaohri's house.
Takht Sri Hazur Sahib
Takhat Sachkhand Guru Gobind Singh set up a camp at Sri Hazoor Sahib in 1708. Sri Hazoor Sahib is also known as Takht Sachkhand. One of the five takhts in Sikhism is Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib. Maharaja Ranjit Singh built the gurdwara between 1832 and 1837. (1780–1839). It is in the city of Nanded in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is on the banks of the Godavari River.
Guru Gobind Singh ji set up his camp at Hazur Sahib in 1708. The Guru's court and the congregation met here, and he was healing here after two people tried to kill him. One of the attackers stabbed the Guru, and with one stroke of his talwar, the Guru killed him (curved sword). The other tried to get away, but his followers killed him. The Guru's wound was deep, but an English surgeon sent by Bahadur Shah I, who was his doctor, and Dara Shikoh before him stitched it up. At first, the wound healed. But a few days later, when the Guru was helping one of his Sikhs string a bow, the wound opened up again. The Guru then merged into the Primal (Joti Jot) and named the Guru Granth Sahib as his successor.
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is one of the most important Sikh gurdwaras, or places of worship, in Delhi, India. It is known for its connection to Guru Har Krishan, the eighth Sikh Guru, and for the "Sarovar," a holy pond inside its complex. It was first built as a small shrine by Sikh General Sardar Baghel Singh in 1783. He put it on a bungalow that King Raja Jai Singh of Amer had given him. That same year, during the rule of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, he oversaw the building of nine other Sikh shrines in Delhi.
It is near Connaught Place in New Delhi on Baba Kharak Singh Marg. It is easy to find because of its tall flagpole, Nishan Sahib, and golden dome. The Sacred Heart Cathedral is right next door to it.
Gurdwara Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth guru, built Sri Tarn Taran Sahib in the city of Tarn Taran Sahib in the Indian state of Punjab. The site is unique because it has the largest water pond (sarovar) of all the gurdwaras. It is known for the pilgrims who gather there every month on the day of Amavas (a no-moon night). It is close to Amritsar's Harmandir Sahib.
Hemkund Sahib, also spelled Hemkunt, is a place of worship and pilgrimage for Sikhs in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. Its full name is Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib Ji. It is about the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), and is mentioned in Dasam Granth. According to the Survey of India, it is in the Garhwal Himalaya at an elevation of 4,160 meters (13,650 feet), with a glacial lake and seven mountain peaks, each with a Nishan Sahib on its cliff. It can be reached from Govindghat on the road between Rishikesh and Badrinath. Joshimath is the main town in the area around Gobindghat. The lake at Hemkund is about 13,650 feet above sea level.
A gurdwara, which in Gurmukhi means "Door to the Guru," is a place where Sikhs gather and worship. Gurdwara Sahib is another name for a gurdwara that Sikhs use. Gurdwaras are places where people of all faiths are welcome. In the Darbar Sahib of each gurdwara, the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the Sikhs' current and eternal guru, sits on a takhat (an elevated throne) in a prominent central position. Any member of the congregation can read, sing, and explain the verses from the Guru Granth Sahib in front of the rest of the congregation. If they have special training, they may be called a granthi.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji was the tenth guru of the Sikhs. This Gurdwara was built in his honor. The Gurdwara is very important to Sikhs all over the world because of its religious and historical significance. The Gurudwara has a palanquin called "Palki" that is made of pure gold.
The most important places inside the Sikh shrine are Shri Talab Asthan and Shri Dastar Asthan. Shri Talab Asthan is where salaries are given out, and Shri Dastar Asthan is where turban-tying contests are held. A temple with a long history is connected to the Gurudwara and was just rebuilt near the Gurudwara compound. The poetry competitions take place at Kavi Darbar, a well-known place near the Gurudwara. Near the Paonta Sahib Gurudwara, there is a museum where you can see the weapons and pens that Guru Gobind Singh Ji used. Tourists from different states go to the Gurdwara. The site is on the side of the Yamuna River. The langar (parshada) at this gurudwara is for everyone. Gurudwara's simple beauty shows that God is one and that we are all his children.
