Social and Religious Background of Sikhism

Social and Religious Background of Sikhism

1. Youngest religion in world

   • 500 years old
   • 15th Century
   • in North-West of India

2. 20million followers

3. Open to all through the teachings of its 10 Gurus and GGS

4. Created during the time that there was a lot of conflict between the Hindu and Muslim religions

5. Found by Guru Nanak who was born in 1469

   • Started rebelling against ruling
     • Age of 11
     • Refused to wear sacred threads to distinguish him in the caste system
   • Inspired by a powerful spiritual experience
     • Gave him a vision of true nature of God
   • Wanted harmony and equality
   • Wanted everyone to believe that all humans are equal and can realise the divine within them through devotion to God, truthful living and service to humanity
   • Hostile to Mughal empire
     • Called the leader Babur, the "Messenger of Death"
   • Established a village in Punjab called Kartarpur for his followers to live
   • Tried to create a more humane direction for country
   • Passed leadership onto 9 other Gurus.
     • Guru is a teacher

6. Caste System

   • A system of division of labour and power in human society
   • Aryan priests divided society
     • 4 Parts
       • Brahmins
       • Kshatriyas
       • Sudras
       • "Untouchables"
   • Determined by birth

7. 11th century onwards, North India was subject to invasions

   • Afghans and Turks

8. Punjab divided

   • predominantly Hindu
   • Ruled by Muslims
     • Tried to destroy Indian culture and religion
     • Mughal Empire
       • terror and conquest
   • W Owen Cole

9. Mughal Empire

   • imposed jaxia tax
     • on non-Muslims
     • pay it in exchange of being free from recruitment
     • anyone who refused to convert
       • risk lives
       • some converted so they didn't have to pay
   • In order to stop persecutions
     • Guru Gobind decided to make followers fighters
   • Executed Gurus

10. Women

    • Degraded
    • no education/freedom
    • "root of all evil, a snare, a temptress"
    • Throw themselves of mans burning body
      • Sati System
        • Denounced by Guru Amar Das Ji